Communication system and method for media access control
First Claim
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1. A communication system comprising:
- an optical communication network interconnecting a headend and a plurality of network units;
wherein the headend has a media access controller for issuing data grants and grouping information requests;
wherein a data grant being issued at least partially in response to previously received grouping information; and
wherein at least some network units out of the plurality of network units are operable to;
receive data to be transmitted to the headend;
transmit grouping information associated with the received data; and
transmit data to the headend in response to data grants issued by the media access controller.
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Abstract
A system and method for upstream transmission and the media access control of upstream transmission of groups of fixed sized cells, such as ATM cells in a point to multipoint optical network, such as a passive optical network. The upstream media access control scheme is responsive to grouping information reflecting a parameter of a group of fixed sized cells. The parameter may reflect the length of the relevant payload of the group the fixed sized cells.
38 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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an optical communication network interconnecting a headend and a plurality of network units;
wherein the headend has a media access controller for issuing data grants and grouping information requests;
wherein a data grant being issued at least partially in response to previously received grouping information; and
wherein at least some network units out of the plurality of network units are operable to;
receive data to be transmitted to the headend;
transmit grouping information associated with the received data; and
transmit data to the headend in response to data grants issued by the media access controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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21. The system of clam 18 wherein the fixed sized cells are Asynchronous Transfer Mode cells.
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28. A media access controller for controlling an access of a plurality of network units to a shared upstream channel, the media access controller being coupled to a receiver, for receiving grouping information from the plurality of network units;
- wherein grouping information reflect at least one parameter of fixed sized cell groups to be upstream transmitted over the shared upstream channel;
wherein the media access controller comprising;
at least one arbitration unit, coupled between the receiver and a grant allocator, for arbitrating between requests to upstream transmit fixed sized cell groups; and
a grant allocator, for selecting data grants authorizing an upstream transmission of a group of fixed sized cells in response to the arbitration. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
- wherein grouping information reflect at least one parameter of fixed sized cell groups to be upstream transmitted over the shared upstream channel;
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34. A method for allocating upstream bandwidth of a shared upstream channel of an optical network, the optical network interconnecting a headend with a plurality of network units, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining grouping information to be upstream transmitted from at least one network unit;
receiving upstream transmitted grouping information; and
issuing data grants authorizing an identified network unit to transmit upstream data in response to previously received grouping information. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification