Dynamic ATM connection management in a hybrid fiber-coax cable network

• US 6,510,157 B2
• Filed: 04/29/1996
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kwok, Timothy C., Bernet, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, SEEMA SRINIVAS
• Application Number:
  US08/639,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,458 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/396, 370/397, 370/389, 370/392, 370/398, 370/399, 370/400, 370/428, 370/468, 370/474, 370/444, 370/438, 370/439, 370/441, 370/442, 370/443, 370/479, 370/485, 370/486, 370/487, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52, 340/825.03, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/13, 348/12, 348/16, 725/144, 725/148, 725/151, 725/131
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5605 Fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5606 Metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/562 Routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5638 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

Described herein is an ATM cable network having a plurality of ATM subscriber interface units or set-top boxes (STBs) in individual neighborhood homes. A coax distribution plant provides a plurality of communication channels between the STBs and a neighborhood node. A cable headend serves the neighborhood node and its associated STBs through a fiber-optic trunk providing a plurality of different communication channels or frequencies. The headend includes an ATM node switch having switch ports associated with each of the different communication channels. A resource manager at the headend assigns individual STBs to respective communications channels. STBs share both upstream and downstream communications channels and switch ports. In an extended autoregistration procedure, the ATM node switch is configured to assign exclusive ranges of VPI/VCI values to the individual STBs tuned to the single switch port. During ATM cell transfer, an ATM cell originating from or destined to a specific STB uses a VPI/VCI value within the range of routing indicators assigned to the STB. This allows the headend to determine the source of all upstream data cells and allows STBs to disregard any cells not intended for them.

Claims

1. An ATM network comprising:

an ATM node having switch ports;

a plurality of ATM end point devices;

a plurality of communications channels configured to allow each switch port to communicate concurrently with a dynamically changing group of the ATM end point devices; and

each ATM end point device being configured to connect to any one of a plurality of the switch ports for communicating with the ATM node.

2. An ATM network as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a resource manager that assigns an individual ATM end point device to a specific switch port in response to a request by said individual ATM end point device, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity through the switch ports, wherein the individual ATM end point device connects to said specific switch port through one of the communications channels in response to the assignment to said specific switch port.

3. An ATM network as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a resource manager that assigns an individual ATM end point device to a specific switch port in response to a request by said individual ATM end point device, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity through the switch ports, wherein the individual end point device connects to said specific switch port through one of the communications channels in response to the assignment to said specific switch port, wherein at least one of the switch ports is designated as a default for initial communications between said individual ATM end point device and the ATM node prior to the assignment of said individual ATM end point device to the specific switch port.

4. An ATM network as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a resource manager that assigns an individual ATM end point device to a specific switch port in response to a request by said individual ATM end point device, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity through the switch ports, wherein the individual end point device connects to said specific switch port through one of the communications channels in response to the assignment to said specific switch port; and

the resource manager dynamically reassigning said individual ATM endpoint device to different switch ports as necessary to provide requested data communications bandwidth between the ATM node and said individual ATM endpoint device.

5. An ATM network as recited in claim 1 wherein each ATM end point device is configured to connect to a first switch port for downstream communications and to a second switch port for upstream communications.

6. An interactive video entertainment network headend serving a plurality of subscriber interface units through upstream and downstream ATM communications channels, the subscriber interface units being individually tunable to any one of a plurality of the communications channels for data communications therethrough, the headend comprising:

an ATM node switch having a plurality of switch ports that are individually connected for data communications through respectively corresponding individual communications channels; and

a resource manager that assigns an individual subscriber interface unit to a specific downstream communications-channel in response to a request by said individual subscriber interface unit, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity of the downstream communications channels, wherein the individual subscriber interface unit tunes to said specific downstream communications channel in response to the assignment to said specific downstream communications channel.

7. An interactive video entertainment network headend as recited in claim 6 wherein the resource manager dynamically reassigns said individual subscriber interface unit to different downstream communications channels as necessary to provide requested data communications bandwidth between the ATM node switch and said individual subscriber interface unit.

8. An interactive video entertainment network headend as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of the switch ports of the ATM node switch is connected to communicate through a plurality of the upstream communications channels.

9. An interactive video entertainment network headend as recited in claim 6, wherein a plurality of the switch ports are connected to communicate through the downstream communications channels and at least a single one of the switch ports is connected to communicate through a plurality of the upstream communications channels.

10. An interactive video entertainment network headend as recited in claim 6, wherein the resource manager further assigns the individual subscriber interface unit to a specific upstream communications channel based at least in part upon relative available capacity of the upstream communications channels, wherein the individual subscriber interface unit tunes to said specific upstream communications channel in response to the assignment.

11. An ATM node in a headend of an interactive video entertainment network having a plurality of communications channels between the headend and a plurality of subscriber interface units, the ATM node comprising:

a plurality of downstream ATM switch ports;

a plurality of data transmitters connected respectively to the downstream ATM switch ports and to individual communications channels for ATM communications from the downstream ATM switch ports to the subscriber interface units;

at least a single upstream ATM switch port; and

at least one data receiver connected to the upstream ATM switch port and to at least one of the communications channels for ATM communications from the subscriber interface units to the upstream ATM switch port;

a resource manager that performs the following steps;

receives a channel request message from an individual subscriber interface unit;

assesses relative available capacities of the individual communications channels in response to receiving the channel request message;

designates a downstream communications channel for subsequent use in ATM communications from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit;

sends a channel assignment message to said individual subscriber interface unit indicating the designated downstream communications channel; and

sends subsequent ATM communications to said individual subscriber interface unit over the designated downstream communication channel.

12. An ATM node as recited in claim 11 wherein the resource manager dynamically designates new downstream communications channels channel for use in ATM communications from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit as necessary to provide requested data communications bandwidth between the ATM node and said individual subscriber interface unit.

13. An ATM node as recited in claim 11 wherein the resource manager performs the following additional steps:

designates an upstream communications channel for subsequent use in ATM communications from said individual subscriber interface unit to the headend; and

receives subsequent ATM communications from said individual subscriber interface unit over the designated upstream communications channel.

14. An interactive video entertainment network, comprising:

a headend;

a plurality of subscriber interface units;

a plurality of upstream communication channels between the headend and the plurality of subscriber interface units;

a plurality of downstream communication channels between the headend and the plurality of subscriber interface units;

an ATM node switch at the headend having a plurality of downstream switch ports that are individually connected to send communications to the subscriber interface units through respective individual downstream communications channels;

the ATM node switch having an upstream switch port configured to receive communications from the plurality of subscriber interface units through the plurality of upstream communication channels;

each of the subscriber interface units being settable to different combinations of the upstream and downstream communications channels for bi-directional data communications with the headend through the ATM node switch; and

a resource manager that assigns an individual subscriber interface unit to a specific combination of the upstream and downstream communications channels in response to a request by said individual subscriber interface unit for communications channels, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity of the communications channels, wherein the individual subscriber interface unit tunes to said specific combination of the assignment.

15. An ATM node as recited in claim 14 wherein the resource manager dynamically re-assigns an individual subscriber interface unit to a new combination of the upstream and downstream communications channels in as necessary to provide requested data communications bandwidth between the ATM node switch and said individual subscriber interface unit.

16. An interactive video entertainment network as recited in claim 14, further comprising an analog transmission medium between the headend and the plurality of subscriber interface units, the communications channels comprising passband channels on the analog transmission media.

17. An interactive video entertainment network as recited in claim 14 wherein the communications channels include default upstream and downstream communications channels for initial communications prior to the assignment of communication channel combinations.

18. An interactive video entertainment network as recited in claim 14 wherein at least one of the upstream communications channels is configured to serve a group of subscriber interface units using a time-division communications protocol.

19. An interactive video entertainment network, comprising:

a headend;

a plurality of subscriber interface units;

a neighborhood node serving the plurality of subscriber interface units;

is a fiber-optic trunk between the headend and the neighborhood node;

a coax distribution plant between the neighborhood node and the plurality of subscriber interface units;

the fiber-optic trunk and the coax distribution plant providing a plurality of upstream and downstream communication channels between the headend and the plurality of subscriber interface units, said communications channels being frequency-division multiplexed over the fiber-optic trunk and the coax distribution plant;

an ATM node switch at the headend having a plurality of downstream switch ports that are individually connected to send communications to the subscriber interface units through respective individual downstream communications channels;

the ATM node switch having an upstream switch port configured to receive communications from the plurality of subscriber interface units through the plurality of upstream communication channels;

each of the subscriber interface units being dynamically tunable to different combinations of the upstream and downstream communications channels for bi-directional data communications with the headend through the ATM node switch; and

a resource manager that assigns an individual subscriber interface unit to a specific combination of the upstream and downstream communications channels in response to a request by said individual subscriber interface unit for communications channels, said assignment being determined based at least in part upon relative available capacity of the communications channels, wherein the individual subscriber interface unit tunes to said specific combination of the upstream and downstream communications channel in response to the assignment.

20. An interactive video entertainment network as recited in claim 19 wherein the resource manager dynamically re-assigns an individual subscriber interface unit to a new combination of the upstream and downstream communications channels as necessary to provide requested data communications bandwidth between the ATM node switch and said individual subscriber interface unit.

21. A method of communicating between a headend and a plurality of subscriber interface units in an interactive video entertainment network, the headend having an ATM node switch with a plurality of ATM switch ports, the method comprising the following steps:

providing a plurality of upstream logical communications channels and a plurality of downstream passband communications channels;

connecting a set of downstream switch ports to send communications to the subscriber interface units through respective individual downstream passband communications channels;

connecting an upstream switch port to receive communications from the plurality of subscriber interface units through the plurality of upstream logical communication channels;

sending a channel request message from an individual subscriber interface unit to the headend;

assessing relative available capacities of the upstream and downstream communications channels in response to the step of sending the channel request message;

designating a particular downstream passband communications channel and corresponding ATM switch port for subsequent use in communicating between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend;

designating a particular upstream logical communications channel for subsequent use in communicating between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend;

said designating steps being determined based at least in part upon the assessed relative available capacities of the communications channels;

sending a channel assignment message from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit, the channel assignment message indicating the designated downstream and upstream communications channels;

tuning said individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the designated upstream and downstream communications channels in response to the channel assignment message; and

establishing one or more ATM virtual connections from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit through the designated communications channels.

22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the step of establishing one or more ATM virtual connections comprises:

requesting an ATM virtual connection at a specified bandwidth;

if no existing downstream communications channel has sufficient available capacity to provide the specified bandwidth, designating a new downstream communications channel to provide the specified bandwidth;

designating a new upstream communications channel if necessary to a provide the specified bandwidth;

sending a new channel assignment message from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit if new downstream or upstream communications channels are specified, said new channel assignment message indicating such new downstream or upstream communications channels; and

tuning said individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the new downstream and upstream communications channels if they are designated.

23. A method as recited in claim 21 and further comprising sharing at least one of the upstream logical communications channels among a group of the subscriber interface units using a time-division communications protocol.

24. A method of communicating between a headend and a plurality of subscriber interface units in an interactive video entertainment network, the headend having a plurality of ATM switch ports connected for data communications through respectively corresponding individual communications channels, the method comprising the following steps:

requesting an assignment of an individual subscriber interface unit to one or more communications channels;

assessing relative available capacities of the individual communications channels in response to the requesting step;

assigning said individual subscriber interface unit to one or more individual communications channels and corresponding ATM switch ports based at least in part upon the assessed relative available capacities of the communications channels;

setting said individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the one or more communications channels it is assigned to in response to the assigning step; and

establishing an ATM virtual connection between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend through the one or more communications channels and corresponding ATM switch ports said individual subscriber interface unit is assigned to in response to the assigning step.

25. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein the step of establishing an ATM virtual connection comprises:

requesting the ATM virtual connection at a specified bandwidth;

dynamically re-assigning said individual subscriber interface unit to one or more different communications channels and corresponding ATM switch ports if necessary to provide the specified bandwidth.

26. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein the communications channels are passband channels on a common transmission medium, the setting step comprising tuning said individual subscriber interface unit to the one more communications channels.

27. A method as recited in claim 24 and further comprising assigning more than one of the subscriber interface units to a single communications channel and corresponding ATM switch port.

28. A method as recited in claim 24 and further comprising assigning said individual subscriber interface unit to different communications channels for upstream and downstream communications, respectively.

29. A method as recited in claim 24 and further comprising setting the subscriber interface units to communicate with the headend over default communications channels prior to the assigning step.

30. A method of communicating between a headend and a plurality of subscriber interface units in an interactive video entertainment network, the headend having an ATM node switch with a plurality of downstream ATM switch ports, the method comprising the following steps:

connecting the downstream ATM switch ports to communicate through respective individual communications channels with the subscriber interface units;

sending a channel request message from an individual subscriber interface unit to the headend;

assessing relative available capacities of the individual communications channels in response to the step of sending the channel request message;

designating a downstream communications channel and corresponding downstream ATM switch port for subsequent use in communicating between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend, said designating being determined based at least in part upon the assessed relative available capacities of the communications channels;

sending a channel assignment message from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit, the channel assignment message indicating the designated downstream communication channel;

setting said individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the designated communications channel in response to the channel assignment message; and

establishing an ATM virtual connection from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit through the designated downstream communications channel and corresponding downstream ATM switch port.

31. A method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of establishing as ATM virtual connection comprises:

requesting the ATM virtual connection at a specified bandwidth;

if no existing downstream communications channel has sufficient available capacity to provide the specified bandwidth, designating a new downstream communications channel and corresponding downstream ATM switch port to provide the specified bandwidth;

sending a new channel assignment message from the headend to said individual subscriber interface unit if a new downstream communications channels is designated, said new channel assignment message indicating such new downstream communications channel; and

setting the individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the new downstream communications channel if it is designated.

32. A method as recited in claim 30 wherein the communications channels are passband channels on a common transmission medium, the setting step comprising tuning said individual subscriber interface unit to the designated downstream communications channel.

33. A method as recited in claim 30 and further comprising setting the subscriber interface units to communicate with the headend over default communications channels prior to the step of sending the channel request message.

34. A method as recited in claim 30 and further comprising:

designating an upstream communications channel for subsequent use in a communicating between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend, said designating being based at least in part upon the assessed relative available capacities of the communications channels;

indicating the designated upstream communications channel in the channel assignment message;

setting said individual subscriber interface unit to communicate with the headend over the designated upstream communications channel in response to the channel assignment message; and

establishing an ATM virtual connection from said individual subscriber interface unit to the headend through the designated upstream communications channel.

35. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein the upstream communications channels use a time-division communications protocol.

36. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein the upstream communications channels use a code-division communications protocol.

37. A method as recited in claim 34 and further comprising multiplexing a plurality of upstream communications channels on a single ATM switch port.

38. A method as recited in claim 34 and further comprising:

multiplexing a plurality of upstream communications channels on a single ATM switch port;

assigning an exclusive range of VPI/VCI values to each of said subscriber interface units having a virtual connection through said single ATM switch port; and

sending ATM data cells over the virtual connection between said individual subscriber interface unit and the headend, each cell having a VPI/VCI value which is within the range of VPI/VCI values assigned to said individual subscriber interface unit.

39. A method as recited in claim 30 and further comprising designating a single downstream communications channel for use by more than one of the subscriber interface units.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, further comprising:

assigning an exclusive range of VPI/VCI values to each of said subscriber interface units using said single downstream communications channel; and

sending ATM data cells over the virtual connection between the headend and said individual subscriber interface unit, each cell having a VPI/VCI value which is within the range of VPI/VCI values assigned to said individual subscriber interface unit.