Coupling multiple low data rate lines to effect high data rate communication

• US 6,373,852 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1996
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Roy Philip, Goldman, Shelley B., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey, Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US08/679,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 370/536, 370/542, 370/360, 370/381, 370/384, 370/401, 370/465, 370/468, 370/490, 370/496, 370/522, 370/524, 370/535, 370/537, 370/916, 370/474, 348/384, 348/387, 348/388, 348/390, 379/93.01, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.08, 379/93.15
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/14 Channel dividing arrangements , i.e. in which a single bit stream is divided between several baseband channels and reassembled at the receiver

Abstract

Apparatus for linking multiple baseband telephone lines to provide broadband communication. The apparatus includes a broadband port, a plurality of baseband ports, and a controller. The broadband port provides connection to a broadband device or broadband communication line. The baseband ports provide connection to baseband communication lines. The controller integrates baseband data streams accepted at the baseband ports into a broadband data stream for transmission at the broadband port, and/or demultiplexes a broadband data stream received at the broadband port into baseband streams for transmission at the baseband ports. The baseband data include message data corresponding to the message data of the broadband stream, and control data describing an interrelationship among the message data, for controlling integrating of the baseband message data. The invention allows an individual to use multiple plain old telephone service (POTS) lines in combination to emulate the capability of a broadband line.

Claims

1. A method for conveying broadband data streams between a local terminal and a remote device via a plurality of baseband data streams, each baseband data stream having a transmission capacity less than the capacity necessary to carry the broadband data stream, the method comprising:

providing an adapter having at least one broadband port, a first data converting device and a plurality of baseband ports;

connecting the adapter to the local terminal via a local broadband line connected to the broadband port;

providing a node having at least one broadband port, a second data converting device and a plurality of baseband ports;

connecting the node to the remote device via a remote broadband line connected to the broadband port;

connecting the node to the adapter via a plurality of baseband lines connected to the plurality of baseband ports of the node and the adapter, the baseband lines being provided by a communication service provider, the first and second data converting devices converting data between the broadband data streams and the baseband data streams; and

transmitting the broadband data stream from the local terminal to the remote device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein connecting the node to the adapter further includes notifying the communication service provider of a telephone number of at least one of the plurality of baseband ports of the node and/or the adapter, so that the service provider can use the telephone number to connect the broadband data streams.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein connecting the node to the adapter further includes determining and storing at least one of the telephone numbers of the baseband ports for the node and the adapter in a non-volatile memory of the node and a non-volatile memory of the adapter.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein connecting the node to the adapter further includes notifying the communication service provider of a number (n) of baseband lines connected to the adapter and an order in which the baseband lines were connected to the adapter.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the node is provided in a network environment provided by the communication service provider.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the broadband data lines are part of an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) compatible data network and the baseband lines are part of a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) network.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the transmitting of the broadband data stream further comprises:

separating the broadband data stream into data packets; and

transmitting the packets to the node via the baseband lines.

8. The method according to claim 7 further including transmitting the data packets from the node to the remote device via the ISDN data network.

9. The method according to claim 3 wherein connecting the node to the adapter further includes consulting the non-volatile memory of the node in which is stored the at least one telephone number over which the baseband data streams is to be connected.