Apparatus and method for accessing a network

• US 20020093969A1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Mission Systems LLC (Mercury Systems, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
• Inventors: Tran, Duke, Sha, Ling, Tian, Frank, Lin, Freddie
• Granted Patent: US 6,603,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13036 Serial/parallel conversion, parallel bit transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13213 Counting, timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13322 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13367 Hierarchical multiplexing, add-drop multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

An apparatus and method that provides access between an enterprise network and at least one of a metropolitan area network and a wide area network. The apparatus includes an enterprise area network connection, a controller coupled to the enterprise area network connection, the controller providing Layer 1 and Layer 2 service, and a central office connection coupled to a central office, the central office providing Layer 3 and Layer 4 service. The controller transmits unmapped data across the central office connection to the central office and the central office maps the unmapped data onto a desired format.

Claims

1. An access device that provides access between an enterprise network and at least one of a metropolitan area network and a wide area network comprising:

an enterprise area network connection providing connection to an enterprise area network;

a controller coupled to the enterprise area network connection, the controller providing Layer 1 and Layer 2 service; and

a central office connection coupled to the controller and providing connection to a central office, the central office providing Layer 3 and Layer 4 service.

2. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives data from the enterprise area network connection and transmits multiple data formats across the central office connection to the central office using Layer 1 and Layer 2 services.

3. The access device according to claim 2, wherein the central office maps multiple data formats onto appropriate Layer 3 and Layer 4 equipment.

4. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives data from the enterprise area network connection and transmits time division multiplexed (TDM) data, packetized data, video data, and audio data across the central office connection to the central office.

5. The access device according to claim 4, wherein the packetized data includes at least one of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode data, and the TDM data includes at least one of T1, DS1, T3, DS3, STS-1, or SONET data.

6. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a first controller, the central office includes a second access device controller, and the first controller transmits data through the central office connection to the second access device located at the central office.

7. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives data from the enterprise area network connection and multiplexes the data received from the enterprise area network connection with other data.

8. The access device according to claim 7, wherein the enterprise area network connection comprises a first enterprise area network connection and the access device further comprises a second enterprise area network connection, wherein the controller receives second data from the second enterprise area network connection and multiplexes the second data with the data received from the first enterprise area network connection.

9. The access device according to claim 1, further comprising an access device connection, wherein the access device connection provides a connection to a second access device.

10. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the central office provides Layer 3 and Layer 4 service to at least one of the metropolitan area network and the wide area network.

11. The access device according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises:

a timeslot allocation table including timeslot allocation information; and

a transmitter coupled to the timeslot allocation table wherein the transmitter transmits data and updated timeslot allocation information in accordance with the timeslot allocation information.

12. The access device according to claim 11, wherein the controller receives data from the enterprise area network connection and provides dynamic timeslot allocation for transmitting the data through the central office connection to the central office.

13. The access device according to claim 11, further comprising a second access device connection, wherein the second access device connection provides a connection to a second access device.

14. The access device according to claim 13, wherein the controller receives data from the enterprise area network connection and provides dynamic timeslot allocation for transmitting the data through the second access device connection to the second access device.

15. The access device according to claim 11, further comprising a timeslot controller coupled to the timeslot allocation table, wherein the timeslot controller receives updated timeslot allocation information and updates the timeslot allocation table with the updated timeslot allocation information.

16. The access device according to claim 15, wherein the updated timeslot allocation information includes information regarding the addition of channels.

17. The access device according to claim 15, wherein the updated timeslot allocation information includes information regarding the removal of channels.

19. The access device according to claim 18, wherein the controller receives data from the first local area network connection and transmits data across the second local area network connection to the second local area network.

20. The access device according to claim 19, wherein the controller transmits time division multiplexed data, packetized data, video data, and audio data across the second local area network connection to the second local area network.

21. The access device according to claim 18, further comprising a central office connection coupled to a central office, the central office providing Layer 3 and Layer 4 service.

22. The access device according to claim 21, wherein the central office includes a second access device including a second controller and the controller transmits data through the central office connection to the second controller of the second access device located at the central office.

23. The access device according to claim 21, further comprising a second access device connection, wherein the second access device connection provides a connection to a second access device.

24. The access device according to claim 21, wherein the central office provides Layer 3 and Layer 4 service to at least one of a metropolitan area network and the wide area network.

25. The access device according to claim 21, wherein the controller further comprises:

a timeslot allocation table including timeslot allocation information; and

a transmitter coupled to the timeslot allocation table wherein the transmitted transmits data and updated timeslot allocation information in accordance with the timeslot allocation information.

26. The access device according to claim 25, further comprising a timeslot controller coupled to the timeslot allocation table, wherein the timeslot controller receives updated timeslot allocation information and updates the timeslot allocation table with the updated timeslot allocation information.

27. The access device according to claim 26, wherein the updated timeslot allocation information includes information regarding the addition of channels.

28. The access device according to claim 26, wherein the updated timeslot allocation information includes information regarding the removal of channels.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the data is transmitted through the access device using Layer 1 and Layer 2 services without the requirement of Layer 3 processing.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the access device is maintained at a boundary between an enterprise network and a service provider network.

32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising transmitting data to the central office using Layer 1 and Layer 2 services, wherein the central office performs Layer 3 and Layer 4 processing.

33. The method according to claim 29, wherein the access device is located at the edge of the first local area network and the network service provider'"'"'s network.

34. The method according to claim 29, wherein the network service provider'"'"'s network comprises at least one of a metropolitan area network and a wide area network.

18. An access device for providing the connection of a first local area network to a second local area network comprising:

a first local area network connection providing a connection to a first local area network;

a second local area network connection providing a connection to a second local area network; and

a controller coupled to the first local area network connection and coupled to the second local area network connection, the controller providing Layer 1 service and Layer 2 service for direct connection of the first local area network to the second local area network without connection to a Layer 3 device.

29. A method for providing service to a network, the network including a central office, a first local area network, and a second local area network comprising:

providing an access device which is part of a network service provider'"'"'s network; and

transmitting data from the first local area network to the second local area network through the access device.

35. A method of operating an access network comprising:

providing Layer 1 and Layer 2 services; and

connecting to a service provider that provides Layer 3 and Layer 4 services.