Patent ID: 8259712
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a configurable number N of media gateways, N being an integer of at least three, each of which processes media data from both a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network; a configurable number of discrete switching apparatus, each of which comprises a switching device or switching subsystem of one of the media gateways, each switching apparatus having a plurality of circuit-switched network interfaces, wherein at least two of the media gateways are paired in a primary-backup redundant configuration; and each of the media gateways including a plurality of switching-expansion interconnects that comprise inter-gateway trunks for interconnecting the media gateways by interconnecting the discrete switching apparatus to collectively form a non-blocking switching apparatus, wherein the switching expansion interconnects connect the N media gateways to each other in a full mesh configuration such that circuit switched media data can travel directly between each of the N media gateways without passing through an intermediate media gateway, and wherein each of the media gateways is configured to receive: wherein each of the media gateways includes: an independent time-slot-interchanger (TSI) configured to switch the plurality of first media data streams received from its plurality of circuit-switched network interfaces;