Method and apparatus for injection of IP multicast content into an ATM DSL network
First Claim
1. A method of providing IP mulitcast content to one or more recipients connected to a legacy ATM DSL network of the type using a conventional ATM switch for establishing one or more virtual circuits, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an IP multicast signal from a multicast program source;
replicating predetermined data portions of the received IP multicast content;
converting an IP data stream from the IP multicast signal into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data excapsulations and ATM adaptations layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network; and
providing the converted data stream to an ATM network switch for transmission to one or more recipient via one or more virtual circuits.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus enables legacy NSP and other networks which use ATM switches that lack multicasting capabilities to acquire and distribute IP multicast transmissions to content subscribers on ATM DSL networks. The method and apparatus further provides the ability for insertion of local advertising content into received IP streams for subsequent distribution over an ATM network. An IP ATM Multicaster (IAM) converts IP multicast signals to ATM protocol and replicates the converted IP multicast packets in response to IGMP join requests received from one or more prospective multicast content recipients. The IAM acts as a bridge between IP protocol and ATM protocol environments that handles conversions and encapsulation protocols between environments. An alternate embodiment utilizes an ATM IP Multicast Inserter (AIMI) that embodies similar functions as the IAM but without using multiple virtual circuits. A Local Ad Inserter (LAI) is provided for enabling insertion of advertisements into the IP multicast data stream prior to insertion into the ATM network.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A method of providing IP mulitcast content to one or more recipients connected to a legacy ATM DSL network of the type using a conventional ATM switch for establishing one or more virtual circuits, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving an IP multicast signal from a multicast program source;
replicating predetermined data portions of the received IP multicast content;
converting an IP data stream from the IP multicast signal into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data excapsulations and ATM adaptations layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network; and
providing the converted data stream to an ATM network switch for transmission to one or more recipient via one or more virtual circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An IP ATM multicaster (IAM) apparatus for injecting IP multicast content into a legacy ATM network of the type using a conventional ATM switch, comprising:
-
a first data signal interface that receives IP multicast content data from an IP multicast content source;
a second data signal interface that provides ATM data cells to an ATM switch; and
a programmable processor programmed to convert received IP multicast content data into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data encapsulations and ATM adaptation layer processing for transmission of data over and ATM DSL network for communication with customer premise equipment configured to operate using two or more ATM virtual circuits. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
14. An ATM IP multicast inserter (AIMI) apparatus for injecting IP multicast content into an ATM network virtual circuit, comprising:
-
a first data signal interface that receives IP multicast content data from an IP multicast content source;
a second data signal interface that sends and receives ATM data cells to or from one or more ATM virtual circuits via an ATM switch and a digital subscriber line asynchronous multiplexer (DSLAM);
a third data signal interface that interfaces ATM data cells to a network router; and
a programmable processor programmed to convert received IP multicast content data into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data encapsulations and ATM adaptation layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network for communication with customer premise equipment configured to operate using a single ATM virtual circuit.
-
-
18. In a point-to-multipoint IP content distribution system of the type using a satellite communications system to bypass congested portions of a digital communications network and having a satellite downlink receiver being positioned within an ISP, NSP or similar digital service network that provides or supplements the services of an ATM DSL network, and apparatus for providing IP multicast content to a conventional ATM switch used in a legacy ATM network to establish one or more ATM virtual circuits, comprising:
a programmable computer processor system having an internal digital data bus and including an interface for receiving an IP multicast content data stream from said receiver and an interface for providing ATM data cells to an ATM switch, said system programmed to convert a received IP multicast content data stream into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data encapsulations and ATM adaptation layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network, wherein said apparatus acts as a bridge between multicast content distribution devices utilizing IP communications and multicast content distribution devices utilizing ATM communications.
-
28. A method of providing IP multicast content to one or more recipients connected to a 2-layer ATM network of the type using a conventional ATM switch and a legacy DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Asynchronous Multiplexer) to distribute multicast content, comprising the steps:
-
receiving an IP multicast signal from a multicast program source at a location of an ISP, NSP or similar digital service network that provides or supplements the services of an ATM DSL network;
converting the received IP multicast content data into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data encapsulations and ATM adaptation layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network for communication with customer premise equipment (CPE) configured to operate using tow or more ATM virtual circuits; and
providing said data stream to said ATM switch.
-
-
33. A method of providing IP multicast content to one or more recipients connected to a 2-layer network of the type using a conventional ATM switch and a legacy DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Asynchronous Mulitplexer) to distribute multicast content, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving an IP multicast signal form a multicast program source at a location of an ISP, NSP or similar digital service network that provides or supplements the services of an ATM DSL network;
converting the received IP multicast content data into a data stream conforming to ATM protocol, including performing appropriate data encapsulations and ATM adaptation layer processing for transmission of data over an ATM DSL network for communication with customer premise equipment (CPE) configured to operate using a single ATM virtual circuits; and
providing said data stream to said ATM switch. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification