Enhanced performance VoDSL

• US 6,560,225 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Tate, Christopher N., Humphrey, Leslie D., Czajkowski, Igor K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US09/437,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/351-354, 370/228-230, 370/238, 370/465-468, 370/371-377, 370/386-389, 379/93.25, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/9, 379/27.01, 379/27, 375/235, 375/286, 455/403, 455/450, 455/433
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5615 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5665 Interaction of ATM with other protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6427 Subscriber Access Module; Concentrator; Group equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6478 Digital subscriber line, e.g. DSL, ADSL, HDSL, XDSL, VDSL
• 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

Voice over Digital Subscriber Line (VoDSL) is an emerging technology, and as such requires subscriber acceptance and take-up both for the future development of this technology and to repay access network operator investment in VoDSL equipment. The present invention provides an improved equipment architecture and improved methods of separating VoDSL equipment to enhance performance and/or enable the provision of improved services. In one aspect the invention provides a Digital Access System (DAS) Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) comprising: an internal packet switched network comprising a switch; a DAS modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that in use the internal network is coupled to an external packet switched network by a DAS link over an access network; a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and one or more internal network interfaces to customer appliances connected to the CPE in order to complete calls between said appliances and entities on the external network; wherein the CPE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first layer dependent on parameters corresponding to a second layer.

Claims

1. Digital Access System (DAS) Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) comprising:

an internal packet switched network comprising a switch;

a DAS modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that in use the internal network is coupled to an external packet switched network by a DAS link over an access network;

a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and one or more internal network interfaces to customer appliances connected to the CPE in order to complete calls between said appliances and entities on the external network;

and means for enabling cross-layer cognizance between the modem and the controller, the means being arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first layer dependent on parameters corresponding to a second layer.

2. A CPE as claimed in claim 1, wherein said DAS is Voice over Digital Subscriber Line (VoDSL).

3. A CPE as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said layers is the physical layer.

4. A CPE as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for enabling cross-layer cognizance is arranged to optimize quality of service for one or more derived digital embedded voice calls carried by said DSL link CPE performance.

5. A CPE as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cross-layer cognizance means comprises means for forwarding packet transfer path and/or voice call state information from the controller to the modem and forwarding DSL link information from the modem to the controller.

6. A CPE as claimed in claim 5 wherein said forwarding means comprises an application programmers interface enabling function associated with the modem and a corresponding application programmers interface enabling function associated with the controller which together form an application programmers interface (API).

7. A CPE as claimed in claim 6 wherein said API is established over a packet transfer path on said internal network.

8. A CPE as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cross-layer cognizance means comprises a computer function arranged to reconfigure the modem and the controller dependent on said forwarded information.

9. A CPE as claimed in claim 8, wherein said CPE comprises said computing function.

10. A CPE as claimed in claim 8, wherein said computing function is external to said CPE.

11. A CPE as claimed in claim 10, wherein said computing function is associated with a Personal Computer connected to said network-data interface.

12. A CPE as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controller is a control processor.

13. A CPE as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of said layers is the link layer.

14. A CPE as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said link layers is ATM.

15. A CPE as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of said layers is a layer corresponding to end to end voice call control and admission across said DSL link.

16. DAS Line Terminating Equipment (LTE) comprising:

an internal packet switched network comprising a switch and forming part of an external packet switched network;

a DAS modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that in use the internal network is coupled to a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) internal packet switched network by a DAS link over an access network;

a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and gateways or destinations on the external network;

wherein the LTE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first layer dependent on parameters corresponding to a second layer.

17. A LTE as claimed in claim 16, wherein said DAS is VoDSL.

18. A LTE as claimed in claim 17 wherein one of said layers is the physical layer.

19. A LTE as claimed in claim 18 further comprising means for enabling cross-layer cognizance between the modem and the controller in order to optimize LTE performance.

20. A LTE as claimed in claim 17, wherein one of said layers is the link layer.

21. A LTE as claimed in claim 20, wherein one of said link layers is ATM.

22. A LTE as claimed in claim 17, wherein one of said layers is a layer corresponding to end to end voice call control and admission across said DSL link.

23. An access network comprising:

a physical medium connecting DAS Line Terminating Equipment (LTE) to Customer Premises Equipment (CPE);

said LTE comprising;

an internal packet switched network comprising a switch and forming part of an external packet switched network;

a DAS modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that the internal network is coupled to a CPE internal packet switched network by a DAS link over said physical medium;

a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and gateways or destinations on the external network;

wherein the LTE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first layer dependent on parameters corresponding to a second layer; and

said CPE comprising;

said CPE internal packet switched network comprising a CPE switch;

a CPE DAS modem connected to said CPE internal network and arranged such that the CPE internal network is coupled to said external packet switched network by said DAS link over said physical medium;

a CPE controller arranged to control said CPE switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said CPE modem and one or more internal network interfaces to customer appliances connected to the CPE in order to complete calls between said appliances and entities on the external network;

wherein the CPE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a third layer dependent on parameters corresponding to a fourth layer.

24. An access network as claimed in claim 23, wherein said DAS is VoDSL.

25. An access network as claimed in claim 24, wherein said third layer is said first or second layer and wherein said fourth layer is said second or first layer.

26. A method of operating a VoDSL CPE or LTE comprising:

an internal packet switched network comprising a switch;

a DSL modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that in use the internal network is coupled to an external packet switched network by a DSL link over an access network;

a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and one or more internal network interfaces to customer appliances connected to the CPE in order to complete calls between said appliances and entities on the external network;

the method comprising;

determining parameters corresponding to a first layer;

reconfiguring parameters corresponding to a second layer dependent on said first layer parameters.

27. A method of operating a VoDSL CPE or LTE for delaying modem retraining when voice calls in progress, said CPE comprising:

an internal packet switched network comprising a switch;

a DSL modem connected to said internal network and arranged such that in use the internal network is coupled to an external packet switched network by a DSL link over an access network;

a controller arranged to control said switch in order to establish packet transfer paths between said modem and one or more internal network interfaces to customer appliances connected to the CPE in order to complete calls between said appliances and entities on the external network;

the method comprising;

determining whether the margin has fallen below a first predetermined threshold;

if so, determining whether voice calls are in progress;

is not, begin retraining the DSL modem;

if, so determining whether margin has fallen below a second predetermined threshold;

if so, begin retraining the DSL modem.

28. A digital Access System (DAS) Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) physical layer;

a packet switching layer; and

a data/voice layer,

wherein said CPE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first of said layer dependent on parameter corresponding to a second of said layer.

29. A DAS Line Terminating Equipment (LTE) comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) physical layer;

a packet switching layer; and

a data/voice layer,

wherein said CPE is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first of said layer dependent on parameter corresponding to a second of said layer.

30. A DAS network comprising CPE and LTE each comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) physical layer;

a packet switching layer; and

a data/voice layer,

wherein said network is arranged to reconfigure parameters corresponding to a first layer of one of said CPE and LTE dependent on a parameter corresponding to a second layer of one of said CPE and LTE.