Patent ID: 7050409

Claim:
A virtual channel system for wireless, multi-channel signaling, comprising: a framer receiving a multiple channel signal, comprising: a framing circuit configured to frame the received multiple channel signal to form channel frames that each have a plurality of overhead bits and a plurality of data bits including data from one of the received channels, and to incorporate a virtual channel which is communicated via a plurality of channel frames, the framing circuit including a timing logic circuit to provide clock signals for the insertion of at least the overhead bits into the channel frames, and a signaling controller configured to provide virtual channel signals to the framing circuit, wherein a plurality of virtual channel signals form a message for sending on the virtual channel; a wireless transmitting system converting the overhead and data bits of the channel frames into transmitted wireless signals; a wireless receiving system converting the transmitted wireless signals back into the channel frames; and a deframer receiving the channel frames, extracting the virtual channel signals therefrom, and forming the multiple channel signals as received by the framer.