Patent ID: 7177305

Claim:
An inter-switch interconnect system for interconnecting a packet-capable time division multiplex switch with a non-packet-capable time division multiplex switch, comprising: asynchronous transfer mode network means directly connected to said packet-capable time division multiplex switch for exchanging packets and control signaling therebetween; access concentrator means connected to said asynchronous transfer mode network means and a plurality of access trunks that are terminated on said non-packet-capable time division multiplex switch for converting between packets of said asynchronous transfer mode network means and time division multiplexed signals of said plurality of access trunks; signaling network means directly connected to and interconnecting said packet-capable time division multiplex switch and said non-packet-capable time division multiplex switch, absent connection to said asynchronous transfer mode network means, for exchanging control signaling between said packet-capable time division multiplex switch and said non-packet-capable time division multiplex switch; and controller means, operable in said packet-capable time division multiplex switch, comprising: call setup means for signaling said non-packet-capable time division multiplexed switch via said signaling network means to activate a call connection to said asynchronous transfer mode network means through said access concentrator, asynchronous network control means for communicating directly with said asynchronous transfer mode network means for controlling the set-up and tear-down of packet connections through said asynchronous transfer mode network means to the non-packet-capable time division multiplexed switch through said access concentrator.