Device to terminate a modem relay channel directly to an IP network

Abstract

A modem data aggregating gateway that supports modem relay functionality for permitting reliable switching of modem traffic between a VoIP network and a data packet switch Internet Protocol (IP) network, s.a. the Internet. The modem relay aggregator may receive modem data encapsulated as Voice over IP (VoIP) data packets in accordance with a Simple Packet Relay Transport (SPRT) mechanism. The packet data may be error corrected and/or decompressed before being repackaged for forwarding to the ultimate destination. In the event that the destination is itself an IP device, the modem relay aggregator may forward the packets directly over the IP network. As a result, if the destination of a modem call is an IP device (such as a Web site or other Internet-enabled device) the technique eliminates two points from a processing path in which digital signal processing (DSPs) would otherwise have to perform modem protocol processing. Otherwise, minimal modem reformatting can be performed at the aggregation point.

1 . An apparatus for forwarding modem signals through a transport network from
 an originating modem to a destination point comprising:
 an originating gateway, configured to communicate with a Modem Relay Aggregator (MRA) that is located at a point in an Internet Protocol (IP) network that is remote from the originating gateway, the originating gateway being further configured to:
 receive modem telephony signals from a circuit switched telephony network; 
 remove modem telephony protocol information from the modem telephony signals; 
 encapsulate a resulting data in a transport protocol packet for use by the MRA to terminate a modem relay session; 
 forward the encapsulated packets to the MRA over a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) packet switched data network connection in the IP Network; and 
 
 the MRA located at a point in the IP network that is remote from the originating gateway, the MRA configured to:
 receive the encapsulated packets from the originating gateway; 
 terminate a modem relay session using the encapsulated data in the transport protocol packet; and 
 forward resulting data packets through a packet data network gateway to the destination point. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the transport protocol is a Simple Packet Relay Transport (SPRT). 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the modem protocol information includes error correction protocol information. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the modem protocol information includes data compression information. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the modem relay signal aggregation point is further configured to encapsulate a resulting data in a transport protocol packet. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the originating gateway is further configured to perform error detection and error correction of the modem telephony signals. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the MRA comprises:
 at least one processor configured to process IP packets;   at least one interface, connected to the processor, configured to input/output IP packets to and from the originating gateway;   at least one memory unit connected to the interface and processor;   
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the MRA is further configured to: receive IP packets from the originating gateway, remove encapsulation, and re-encapsulate the IP packets into new IP packets.