Digital subscriber loop access circuit for digital switch and packet network interconnections
First Claim
1. A data route configuration circuit for use in a system capable of establishing an end-to-end data path connection between an originating site and a destination site, said system having access to a first data path having first data transmission characteristics and using circuit switching networks for data transmission, and a second data path having second data transmission characteristics and using packet based networks for data transmission, said circuit including:
- a data path routing select circuit which;
(i) processes data route configuration information received from said originating site, said configuration information including a request for establishing a data route to carry a data transmission associated with a wideband multicarrier xDSL signal, and a cost constraint provided by a subscriber; and
(ii) determines whether a data route can be set up based on the configuration information, including by dynamically determining an access cost associated with available data paths; and
(iii) determines which of said data paths should be used for said data route based on said configuration information, transfer delay requirements of said data transmission, said first and second data transmission characteristics, and by comparing said access cost with said subscriber cost constraints; and
a control circuit for establishing and controlling a selected data route implemented using either or both of said first and second data paths;
said control circuit further splitting said data transmission such that when said data transmission includes time-sensitive data portions, said time-sensitive portions can be routed, as needed, to said destination site and other destination sites through a number of separate switched channels associated with said first data path, which number is adjusted dynamically based on a bandwidth requirement of said data transmission;
wherein said selected data route for transferring data can be effectuated by said configuration circuit based on the configuration information from said originating site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital subscriber loop access and multiplexing (DSLAM) circuit for use at a central office site is disclosed. The DSLAM circuit couples to a digital subscriber loop (DSL) and permits a downstream user to set up and configure an end-to-end connection with destination customer promise equipment (CPE) at a target data rate using any one or more of a regular switching telephone network, various kinds of wide area networks, or virtual permanent circuit links via digital cross-connects.
166 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A data route configuration circuit for use in a system capable of establishing an end-to-end data path connection between an originating site and a destination site, said system having access to a first data path having first data transmission characteristics and using circuit switching networks for data transmission, and a second data path having second data transmission characteristics and using packet based networks for data transmission, said circuit including:
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a data path routing select circuit which; (i) processes data route configuration information received from said originating site, said configuration information including a request for establishing a data route to carry a data transmission associated with a wideband multicarrier xDSL signal, and a cost constraint provided by a subscriber; and (ii) determines whether a data route can be set up based on the configuration information, including by dynamically determining an access cost associated with available data paths; and (iii) determines which of said data paths should be used for said data route based on said configuration information, transfer delay requirements of said data transmission, said first and second data transmission characteristics, and by comparing said access cost with said subscriber cost constraints; and a control circuit for establishing and controlling a selected data route implemented using either or both of said first and second data paths;
said control circuit further splitting said data transmission such that when said data transmission includes time-sensitive data portions, said time-sensitive portions can be routed, as needed, to said destination site and other destination sites through a number of separate switched channels associated with said first data path, which number is adjusted dynamically based on a bandwidth requirement of said data transmission;wherein said selected data route for transferring data can be effectuated by said configuration circuit based on the configuration information from said originating site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A configuration circuit for configuring an end-to-end data connection between an originating site and a destination site, said configuration circuit including:
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a DSL coupling circuit for receiving a wideband xDSL based data signal and data route configuration information from a subscriber; a data path routing select circuit which; (i) processes said data route configuration information received from said originating site, said configuration information including a request for establishing a data path, and a cost constraint provided by said subscriber; and (ii) communicates with said destination site and determines whether a data path can be set up based on the configuration information; and (iii) selects which one or more of a plurality of available data paths should be used in said end-to-end data connection, based on the configuration information and data transmission characteristics of the available data paths, the data transmission characteristics including any one or more of the following parameters;
(a) an access cost, including cost per unit of transmission bandwidth of such data path; and
/or (b) data transfer rates achievable using such data path; and
/or (c) data transfer delays of such data path;
said data path routing select circuit being further configured to compare said access cost with said subscriber cost constraint; anda control circuit for establishing and controlling any selected data path; and an interface circuit for converting said xDSL data signal into a format suitable for transmission through one or more first data paths including through one or more switched circuits when said xDSL data signal includes time sensitive data. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A data path setup circuit for accessing and configuring an end-to-end data route between an originating site and a destination site based on an access request, said setup circuit including:
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a selection circuit for dynamically evaluating and selecting either or both of a first and second data path based on the availabilty and data transmission characteristics of such data paths, including an associated access cost for such data paths, a cost constraint provided by said subscriber, and time delay sensitivity of data signals and voice signals carried in a wideband xDSL data signal received from the originating site; wherein said selection circuit compares said associated access cost for such data paths to said cost constraint; and a control circuit for establishing and controlling any selected data path for said data signals and voice signals, such that said end-to-end data route can be effectuated using such selected path; an interface circuit for converting said xDSL data signal into a format suitable for transmission through said selected path, such that said first data path can be used for portions of said xDSL data signal including time delay sensitive data, and/or said second data path can be used for portions of said xDSL signal not including time delay sensitive data; wherein the data transmission characteristics can include any one or more of the following parameters;
(a) cost per unit of transmission bandwidth of such data path; and
/or (b) data transfer rates achievable using such data path; and
/or (c) data transfer delays of such data path. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 44, 45)
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40. A system for supporting communications service to a subscriber on a digital subscriber loop, the service utilizing a wideband xDSL multi-carrier signal for communicating an xDSL data stream, the system comprising:
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an xDSL interface circuit for receiving said xDSL multi-carrier signal as well as subscriber access mode information relating to whether said xDSL data stream includes time delay sensitive data, as well as a subscriber cost constraint; and an access select circuit for processing said access mode information and determining a selected data path for said xDSL data stream as well as a transmission bandwidth required for said selected data path, said access select circuit being configured to dynamically determine an access cost for transmitting said xDSL data stream, and being further configured to compare said access cost with said subscriber cost constraint when determining said selected data path; and an access routing circuit for routing data of the xDSL data stream to said selected data path and using said transmission bandwidth, which selected data path can include a circuit switched network and/or a packet switched network; wherein for any particular data transmission, a subscriber can select and access said transmission bandwidth, as well as which portions, if any, of said xDSL data stream are to be carried on said circuit switched network, and which remaining portions of said xDSL data stream, if any, are to be carried on said packet switched network. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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46. A system for operating a communications service based on a wideband xDSL multi-carrier signal carried in a digital subscriber loop, the system comprising:
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an xDSL interface circuit for receiving said xDSL multi-carrier signal as well as subscriber access mode requirement information identifying subscriber cost constraints for transporting said xDSL data stream; an access select circuit for processing said subscriber access mode requirement information and determining a selected data path for said xDSL data stream by evaluating access cost characteristics of available data paths, which available data paths can include a circuit switched network and/or a packet switched network, said access select circuit further being configured to compare said subscriber cost constraints and said access cost characteristics when determining said selected data path; and wherein said xDSL data stream is transported using one or more of said available data paths that have access cost characteristics satisfying said subscriber cost constraints. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of operating a digital subscriber loop (DSL) that utilizes a wideband multi-carrier signal for communicating with a subscriber, the method including the steps of:
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(a) receiving a data transmission including both subscriber voice signals and subscriber data signals simultaneously from the subscriber through the DSL; (b) processing access mode requirement information from the subscriber for said data transmission, which access mode requirement information identifies whether said data transmission includes time delay sensitive data, as well as a cost constraint for said data transmission, and which access mode requirement information can be changed by the subscriber, as desired, for any particular data transmission through the DSL; (c) evaluating available data paths for transporting said data transmission based on said access mode requirement information, which available data paths include a circuit switched network and/or a packet switched network, said evaluating including determining one or more access costs associated with said available data paths; and (d) selecting one or more of said available data paths for said data transmission depending on which of said available data paths best matches said access mode requirement information, said selecting being based in part on comparing said cost constraint with said one or more access costs, and said selecting being done such that time delay sensitive data in said data transmission is transported using a data path that is capable of meeting transmission time requirements of said time delay sensitive data; (e) configuring an access circuit based on the results of step (d), so that said data transmission can be routed to said one or more selected data paths. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method of routing a data transmission to a destination site, including subscriber voice and subscriber data received from a subscriber as part of a wideband ADSL multi-carrier signal through a digital subscriber loop (DSL), the method including the steps of:
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(a) identifying which portions, if any of said data transmission are time delay sensitive portions containing time delay sensitive data, as well as which portions, if any, of said data transmission are non-time delay sensitive portions; (b) considering a cost constraint provided by the subscriber for said data transmission; (c) determining an access cost associated with one or more separate data connections that could carry said data transmission; (d) comparing said access cost with said cost constraint to identify a potential set of data connections for carrying said data transmission; (c) splitting said data transmission so that;
(i) said time delay sensitive portions are transported to the destination site through a first set of said one or more potential set of data connections, that are capable of meeting transmission time requirements of said time delay sensitive portions, including, if necessary, through a public switched telephone network;
(ii) said non-time delay sensitive portions are routed to the destination site through a second set of said one or more potential set of data connections that best satisfy a subscriber'"'"'s access request for transporting said non-time delay sensitive portions;wherein a subscriber can configure an end to end connection path used for carrying an ADSL data signal between said subscriber and the destination site, so that a controllable portion of said data transmission in the wideband ADSL multi-carrier signal can be transported through said public switched telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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Specification