Digital packet network for the local access loop

• US 6,353,609 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tellabs Bedford, Inc. (Infinera Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Marconi Communications, Inc. (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gainer, James Joseph, Kimbrough, Mahlon Danny, Ethridge, Barry Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/100,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-356
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6413 Switch peripheries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6454 Random, e.g. Ethernet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6459 Multiplexing, e.g. TDMA, CDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6464 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice

Abstract

A digital packet access network for transporting voice and data signals in the local loop between a central office location and a plurality of remote local users. The network architecture may also include: (1) a dual-pipelined structure for separately transporting the voice and data signals; (2) a mechanism for prioritizing the transport of the voice signals, or (3) a method of synchronizing the timing of the voice signals to a telephone switch.

Claims

1. A method of time-synchronizing voice signals in a local loop digital packet network connected between a central office location and a plurality of user access devices, comprising:

deriving time-synchronization information from a local digital switch at the central office location on a periodic basis;

converting the time synchronization information into a time synchronization packet;

transporting the time synchronization packet to the plurality of user access devices; and

locking the time clock of the local access device to the local digital switch using the time synchronization packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user access devices are optical network units (ONUs).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of;

providing an optical packet data network between the central office location and the plurality, of user access devices;

converting the time synchronization packet into an optical signal;

transmitting the optical signal to one or more of the plurality of user access devices; and

recovering the time synchronization packet from the optical signal at the one or more user access devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the local digital switch is a TR-08 or a TR-303 Class 5 digital switch.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing an Ethernet packet data network between the central office location and the plurality of user access device;

wherein the time synchronization packet is an Ethernet packet.

6. A digital packet data network for transporting packetized voice and data signals in the local loop between a central office switch and a plurality of local users, wherein the data signals comprise data packets, comprising:

a first converter located at the central office for converting the voice signals into packets;

a second converter located remotely from the central office and in the vicinity of the local users for converting the voice packets into voice signals; and

a packet-switched network connected between the first and second converters for transporting the voice and data packets to and from the plurality of local users;

wherein the packet switched network comprises at least one remote cabinet including a packet switching device, and a plurality of remote access devices coupled to the packet switching device and including the second converter.

7. The digital packet data network of claim 6, further comprising:

interface circuitry for coupling the first converter to information sources that provide the voice and data signals.

8. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the first converter converts the voice signals into a packet format having addressing that enables layer-2 switching.

9. The digital packet data network of claim 6, further comprising:

a third converter located at the central office for converting the data packets into a format that is similar to the voice packets created by the first converter.

10. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the packet switched network is an Ethernet data network.

11. The digital packet data network of claim 10, wherein the packet switched network includes a plurality of Ethernet switching devices.

12. The digital packet data network of claim 11, wherein at least one Ethernet switching device is located at the central office, and at least one other Ethernet switching device is located remotely from the central office.

13. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the packet switched network comprises a dual-pipelined network for separately transporting the voice and data packets.

14. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the voice and data packets are separately transported between the central office and the plurality of local users.

15. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the at least one remote cabinet includes two input ports for separately receiving voice and data packets from the central office.

16. The digital packet data network of claim 15, wherein the at least one remote cabinet includes a plurality of interface unit cards that multiplex voice and data packets onto a single output.

17. The digital packet data network of claim 16, wherein the single outputs of the interface unit cards are each coupled via a single fiber connection to a remote access device.

18. The digital packet data network of claim 7, wherein the information sources include a digital telephone switch.

19. The digital packet data network of claim 18, wherein the digital telephone switch is a TR-08 or a TR-303 Class 5 digital telephone switch.

20. The digital packet data network of claim 7, wherein the information sources include an Internet data source.

21. The digital packet data network of claim 7, wherein the information source include a digital telephone switch and an Internet data source.

22. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the at least one remote cabinet and the plurality of remote access devices comprise a digital loop carrier system.

23. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the voice and data packets are Ethernet packets.

24. The digital packet data network of claim 23, wherein the voice and data packets are addressed using a MAC address, wherein the MAC address is associated with one or more of the remote access devices.

25. The digital packet data network of claim 22, wherein the digital loop carrier system is an optical transport system and the plurality of remote access devices are optical network units coupled to the at least one remote cabinet via a fiber optic cable.

26. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of local users operates user telephony and data devices, and wherein a plurality of user telephony and data devices are coupled to each of the plurality of remote access devices.

27. The digital packet data network of claim 26, wherein the user telephony devices include analog or digital telephones.

28. The digital packet data network of claim 26, wherein the user data devices include computers or facsimile devices.

29. The digital packet data network of claim 16, wherein the voice packets are prioritized ahead of the data packets onto the single output.

30. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the first converter comprises a DS-1 switch interface that converts DS-0 PCM voice signals into voice packets.

31. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the voice and data packets are addressed using a destination MAC address and a source MAC address.

32. The digital packet data network of claim 31, wherein the voice and data packets include a packet type indicator.

33. The digital packet data network of claim 31, wherein the voice packets include telephone signaling information.

34. The digital packet data network of claim 31, wherein the voice packets include digital PCM voice signals.

35. The digital packet data network of claim 31, wherein the voice packets include channel unit data link information.

36. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the central office is coupled to the at least one remote cabinet via a fiber optic connection.

37. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the voice and data packets are multiplexed onto the fiber optic connection between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet.

38. The digital packet data network of claim 6, further comprising:

a first fiber optic connection for transporting voice packets between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet; and

a second fiber optic connection for transporting data packets between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet.

39. The digital packet data network of claim 36, further comprising:

wavelength division multiplexing circuitry at the central office and the at least one remote cabinet for multiplexing a plurality of different wavelengths of light onto the fiber optic connection in order to increase the data carrying capacity of the fiber.

40. The digital packet data network of claim 6, wherein the at least one remote cabinet is coupled to N remote access devices, the remote cabinet including N optical interface units, wherein one optical interface unit communicates with one remote access device.

41. The digital packet data network of claim 40, wherein each of the optical interface units is coupled to a remote access device via a fiber optic connection.

42. A digital packet data network for transporting voice and data signals in the local loop between a central office switch and a plurality of local users, wherein the data signals comprise data packets, comprising:

a first converter located at the central office for converting the voice signals into voice packets;

a second converter located remotely from the first converter for converting the voice packets into voice signals;

a packet-switched network connected between the first and second converters for transporting the voice and data packets to and from the plurality of local users; and

means for synchronizing the converted voice signals at the second converter to a local digital switch at the central office.

43. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the means for synchronizing comprises:

means for deriving time-synchronization information from the local digital switch at the central office location on a periodic basis;

means for converting the time synchronization information into a time synchronization packet;

means for transporting the time synchronization packet to a user access device associated with the second converter; and

means for locking the time clock of the local access device to the local digital switch using the time synchronization packet.

44. The digital packet data network of claim 42, further comprising:

interface circuitry for coupling the first converter to information sources that provide the voice and data signals.

45. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the first converter converts the voice signals into a packet format having addressing that enables layer-2 switching.

46. The digital packet data network of claim 42, further comprising:

a third converter located at the central office for converting the data packets into a format that is similar to the voice packets created by the first converter.

47. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the packet switched network is an Ethernet data network.

48. The digital packet data network of claim 47, wherein the packet switched network includes a plurality of Ethernet switching devices.

49. The digital packet data network of claim 48, wherein at least one Ethernet switching device is located at the central office, and at least one other Ethernet switching device is located remotely from the central office.

50. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the packet switched network comprises a dual-pipelined network for separately transporting the voice and data packets.

51. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the voice and data packets are separately transported between the central office and the plurality of local users.

52. The digital packet data network of claim 42, further comprising at least one remote cabinet where the second converter is located, wherein the at least one remote cabinet includes two input ports for separately receiving voice and data packets from the central office.

53. The digital packet data network of claim 52, wherein the at least one remote cabinet includes a plurality of interface unit cards that multiplex voice and data packets onto a single output.

54. The digital packet data network of claim 53, wherein the single outputs of the interface unit cards are each coupled via a single fiber connection to a remote access device.

55. The digital packet data network of claim 44, wherein the information sources include a digital telephone switch.

56. The digital packet data network of claim 55, wherein the digital telephone switch is a TR-08 or a TR-303 Class 5 digital telephone switch.

57. The digital packet data network of claim 44, wherein the information sources include an Internet data source.

58. The digital packet data network of claim 44, wherein the information source include a digital telephone switch and an Internet data source.

59. The digital packet data network of claim 42, further comprising at least one remote cabinet where the second converter is located, and a plurality of remote access devices coupled to the at least one remote cabinet, wherein the at least one remote cabinet and the plurality of remote access devices comprise a digital loop carrier system.

60. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the voice and data packets are Ethernet packets.

61. The digital packet data network of claim 60, wherein the voice and data packets are addressed using a MAC address, wherein the MAC address is associated with one or more of the plurality of remote access devices.

62. The digital packet data network of claim 59, wherein the digital loop carrier system is an optical transport system and the plurality of remote access devices are optical network units coupled to the at least one remote cabinet via a fiber optic cable.

63. The digital packet data network of claim 42, further comprising a plurality of remote access devices coupled to the second converter, wherein each of the plurality of local users operates user telephony and data devices, and wherein a plurality of user telephony and data devices are coupled to each of the plurality of remote access devices.

64. The digital packet data network of claim 63, wherein the user telephony devices include analog or telephones.

65. The digital packet data network of claim 63, wherein the user data devices include computers or facsimile devices.

66. The digital packet data network of claim 53, wherein the voice packets are prioritized ahead of the data packets onto the output.

67. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the first converter comprises a DS-1 switch interface that converts DS-0 PCM voice signals into voice packets.

68. The digital packet data network of claim 42, wherein the voice and data packets are addressed using a destination MAC address and a source MAC address.

69. The digital packet data network of claim 68, wherein the voice and data packets include a packet type indicator.

70. The digital packet data network of claim 68, wherein the voice packets include telephone signaling information.

71. The digital packet data network of claim 68, wherein the voice packets include digital PCM voice signals.

72. The digital packet data network of claim 68, wherein the voice packets include channel unit data link information.

73. The digital packet data network of claim 52, wherein the central office is coupled to the at least one remote cabinet via a fiber optic connection.

74. The digital packet data network of claim 73, wherein the voice and data packets are multiplexed onto the fiber optic connection between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet.

75. The digital packet data network of claim 52, further comprising:

a first fiber optic connection for transporting voice packets between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet; and

a second fiber optic connection for transporting data packets between the central office and the at least one remote cabinet.

76. The digital packet data network of claim 73, further comprising:

wavelength division multiplexing circuitry at the central office and the at least one remote cabinet for multiplexing a plurality of different wavelengths of light onto the fiber optic connection in order to increase the data carrying capacity of the fiber.

77. The digital packet data network of claim 52, wherein the at least one remote cabinet is coupled to N remote access devices, the remote cabinet including N optical interface units, wherein one optical interface unit communicates with one remote access device.

78. The digital packet data network of claim 77, wherein each of the optical interface units is coupled to a remote access device via a fiber optic connection.