METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING DATA AND TELEPHONY SERVICES

• US 20150085907A1
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Cooper, Ian Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,584,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A digital subscriber line modem comprises a first part operable to operate in accordance with a high bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol and a second part operable to operate in accordance with a low bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol, wherein the second part is arranged to operate continuously whilst the first part is arranged to transition into a low power mode, in which less or no data is transmitted or received by the first part, when the demand for bandwidth over the connection falls below a predetermined amount. The modem additionally includes a router which controls the sending of data via the first and second parts as appropriate and controls the aggregation of data received via the two parts. The modem also includes a service splitter for passing signals received from a copper twisted pair forming a communications link via which the modem communicates with another modem to either the first part or the second part as appropriate based on the frequencies of the received signals.

Claims

1. A digital subscriber line modem comprising:

a first part operable to operate in accordance with a high bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol and a second part operable to operate in accordance with a low bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol,

wherein the second part is arranged to operate continuously whilst the first part is arranged to transition into a low power mode, in which less or no data is transmitted or received by the first part, when the demand for bandwidth over the connection falls below a predetermined amount.

2. A digital subscriber line modem according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined amount of demand for bandwidth is an amount which can be provided by the second part.

3. A digital subscriber line modem according to claim 1 wherein the second part is operable to provide at least one voice call connection.

4. A digital subscriber line modem according to claim 1, further comprising a master clock unit which controls clock signals provided to the first part and the second part of the modem and which is kept in synchronization with another modem with which the master clock unit is communicating at all times via the second parts even when the first parts are in a low power mode.

5. A digital subscriber line modem according to claim 1 wherein the second part is used for carrying a channel containing signaling information which includes a “

wake-up”

indication when the first part is in a sleep mode, that the first part of a remote modem should wake up as a near-side modem has received a demand for bandwidth which cannot be supported by the second part alone.

6. A method of controlling a first modem having a first part and a second part, the first modem being in communication with a second modem via a copper pair connection, the method comprising:

operating the second part continuously at a low bandwidth rate and transitioning the first part between a high power mode in which the first part can provide a high bandwidth connection to the second modem with which the first part is in communication and a low power mode, in which less or no data is transmitted or received by the first part, in dependence upon the demand for bandwidth over the connection.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein a voice connection is provided between the modems via the second part.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein high priority data is transmitted via the second part and the first part transmits and receives data with a higher latency than via the second part.

9. Non-transient carrier means carrying processor implementable instructions for causing a modem to operate in accordance with the method of claim 6.