Point-to-multipoint broadband services drop with multiple time slot return channel for customer premises equipment served by fiber optic telecommunication system employing STS-based transmission format containing asynchronous transfer mode cells
First Claim
1. For use with a broadband communication system for conveying telecommunication messages over a broadband communication path from a master site to one or more remote sites, and from said one or more remote sites to said master site, said one or more remote sites being coupled over a communication link to a broadband communication path interface device which is ported to said broadband communication path, a method of conveying broadband information signals, that have been downlinked from said master site to said broadband communication path interface device, from said broadband communication path interface device to said one or more remote sites, and for conveying message signals from said one or more remote sites to said broadband communication path interface device, so that said message signals may be transmitted to said master site, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) at said broadband communication path interface device, assembling a first message for transmission to one or more remote sites, said first message having a data portion that contains broadband information signals destined for said one or more remote sites and an overhead portion that contains a return channel transmission opportunity control code representative of an uplink return channel transmission opportunity for a remote site to transmit a message on said uplink return channel, and transmitting said first message from said broadband communication path interface device over a multi-drop communication link to said one or more remote sites; and
(b) at a destination remote site, detecting said return channel transmission opportunity control code contained in said overhead portion of said first message received thereby, assembling a second message intended for transmission to said broadband communication path interface device, and transmitting said second message during a portion of a time division slotted return channel of said multi-drop communication link to said broadband communication path interface device in accordance with the detected return channel transmission opportunity control code of said first message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A broadband fiber optic communication system conveys telecommunication messages over a fiber optic link between a master site and one or more remote sites. The remote sites are coupled over an unshielded twisted pair-configured, communication link to an optical network unit, which is ported to the fiber optic link. In order to convey broadband information signals that have been downlinked, from the master site to the optical network unit, to the remote sites, and to provide for return messages from the remote sites, a point-to-multi-point communication scheme is provided. Pursuant to this scheme, an upstream transceiver in the optical interface unit transmits STS-1 frames, which contain broadband information signals, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) data cells, intended for one or more remote sites, and a return time slot-representative control code associated with each destination remote site, over the communication link to the remote sites. At a respective remote site, a downstream transceiver uses the return time slot-representative control code to control its time of transmission over an uplink slotted bus return channel. The remote site also transmits communication signals that encapsulate asynchronous transfer mode data cells. The data in these cells is extracted by the optical network unit and forwarded over the fiber optic link to the master site.
67 Citations
30 Claims
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1. For use with a broadband communication system for conveying telecommunication messages over a broadband communication path from a master site to one or more remote sites, and from said one or more remote sites to said master site, said one or more remote sites being coupled over a communication link to a broadband communication path interface device which is ported to said broadband communication path, a method of conveying broadband information signals, that have been downlinked from said master site to said broadband communication path interface device, from said broadband communication path interface device to said one or more remote sites, and for conveying message signals from said one or more remote sites to said broadband communication path interface device, so that said message signals may be transmitted to said master site, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) at said broadband communication path interface device, assembling a first message for transmission to one or more remote sites, said first message having a data portion that contains broadband information signals destined for said one or more remote sites and an overhead portion that contains a return channel transmission opportunity control code representative of an uplink return channel transmission opportunity for a remote site to transmit a message on said uplink return channel, and transmitting said first message from said broadband communication path interface device over a multi-drop communication link to said one or more remote sites; and (b) at a destination remote site, detecting said return channel transmission opportunity control code contained in said overhead portion of said first message received thereby, assembling a second message intended for transmission to said broadband communication path interface device, and transmitting said second message during a portion of a time division slotted return channel of said multi-drop communication link to said broadband communication path interface device in accordance with the detected return channel transmission opportunity control code of said first message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. For use with a broadband communication system for conveying telecommunication messages over a broadband communication path from a master site to one or more remote sites, and from said one or more remote sites to said master site, said remote sites being coupled over a multi-drop communication link to a broadband communication path interface device which is ported to said broadband communication path, an arrangement for conveying broadband information signals, that have been downlinked from said master site to said broadband communication path interface device, from said broadband communication path interface device to said one or more remote sites, and for conveying return message signals from said one or more remote sites to said broadband communication path interface device, so that said return message signals may be transmitted to said master site, comprising:
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an upstream transceiver, provided in said broadband communication path interface device and being operative to generate a first message having a data portion that contains broadband information signals destined for said one or more remote sites and an overhead portion that contains a return channel transmission opportunity control code representative of an uplink return channel transmission opportunity for a remote site to transmit a message on said uplink return channel, said upstream transceiver transmitting said first message from said broadband communication path interface device over a multi-drop communication link to said one or more remote sites; and a downstream transceiver, provided at a respective destination remote site, and being operative to detect a respective return channel transmission opportunity control code contained in said overhead portion of said first message received thereby, said downstream transceiver assembling a second message and transmitting said second message from said respective destination remote site during a portion of a time division slotted return channel of said multi-drop communication link to said upstream transceiver in said broadband communication path interface device in accordance with the detected return channel transmission opportunity control code of said first message. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification