Patent ID: 7185115

Claim:
A modular system for connecting multiple voice and data communications devices located at a customer's premises to a T1 network, comprising: a system chassis having a system backplane for receiving and connecting one or more system modules to the T1 network: one or more system modules removably connected to the system chassis for connecting one or more voice and data communications devices to the T1 network; wherein the one or more system modules include dumb access modules, smart access modules, or a combination of both dumb and smart access modules; wherein the one or more system modules include any combination of one or more of the following access modules: an FXS/FXO access module, wherein the FXS/FXO access module includes an automatic gain control circuit; a fractional T1 port; a Nx56/64 access module; a U-BRITE access module; or a DDS access module; a bank controller unit that maintains performance information regarding the T1 network and supports the following T1 formats: Extended Superframe, Superframe, TR-08 with alarm-16, and TR-08 with alarm-13; the bank controller unit providing network and fractional T1 control, access module control, alarm control, user interface control, and backplane control and including a field programmable logic array for providing clock generation, chip select, and backplane interface functions; and wherein the field programmable logic array is further used to interface the bank controller unit with each access module using a serial peripheral interface located on system backplane, provide timing generation in local, loop, and external timing modes, provide dialtone and ringback tone generation, multiplex backplane data with fractional T1 data, generate bit clock and byte clock data, and generate chip selects for the T1 interface transceiver, fractional T1 interface transceiver, and front panel LEDs and switches located on the system chassis.