Nortel Networks Circuit Card User Manual

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 Overview
 Page 69 of 906
link is composed of two asynchronous serial buses (called the Async card 
LAN link in Figure 11 on 
). The output bus is used by the controller 
for output of control data to the trunk card. The input bus is used by the 
controller for input of trunk card status data.
A card LAN link bus is common to all of the line/trunk card slots within an 
IPE module (or IPE section of a CE module). This bus is arranged in a master/
slave configuration where the controller card is the master and all other cards 
are slaves. The module backplane provides each line/trunk card slot with a 
unique hardwired slot address. This slot address enables a slave card to 
respond when addressed by the controller card. The controller card 
communicates with only one slave at a time.
In normal operation, the controller card continually scans (polls) all of the 
slave cards connected to the card LAN to monitor their presence and 
operational status. The slave card sends replies to the controller on the input 
bus along with its card slot address for identification. In this reply, the slave 
informs the controller if any change in card status has taken place. The 
controller can then prompt the slave for specific information. Slaves only 
respond when prompted by the controller; they do not initiate exchange of 
control or status data on their own.
When an IPE line or trunk card is first plugged into the backplane, it runs a 
self-test. When the self test is completed, a properly functioning card 
responds to the next controller card poll with the self-test status. The 
controller then queries for card identification and other status information. 
The controller then downloads all applicable configuration data to the line/
trunk card, initializes it, and puts it into an operational mode.
The network card regularly polls the IPE cards during TS0 to see if any of 
them has a message to be sent. When an IPE card has a message waiting it 
responds to the poll by sending a series of 1s during the next five successive 
timeslot 0s. The network card responds by sending a “message send enable” 
message (all 1s). The IPE card replies by sending 1, 1, 1, 0, and then the 
message in successive timeslot 0s. 
Trunk interface unit
Once the 8-bit digital voice signal has been received by the trunk card, it must 
be converted back into an analog signal, filtered, and driven onto the analog