Packet communications customer-station apparatus

• US 6,735,211 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Karasawa, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): HA, YVONNE QUY M
• Application Number:
  US09/532,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/379, 370/395.1, 370/401, 370/466, 370/901, 370/916, 370/412, 370/428, 370/535, 370/537, 370/538, 370/540, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.43, 370/468, 370/229, 370/235, 370/236
• US Class Current: 370/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5625 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0079 Operation or maintenance aspects

Abstract

A packet communications apparatus which can selectively generate a desired packet signal in response to a transmission permission received from an intranet apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an access control circuit for receiving a transmission permission signal from the intranet apparatus and generating a transmission command signal to instruct the transmission of the packet signal to a multiplexing circuit to each of a plurality of line units on the basis of the transmission permission signal. Each line unit includes a transmission control circuit for controlling so as to store each packet signal into a buffer on the basis of a header information and transmit the packet signal from the buffer to the multiplexing circuit on the basis of the received transmission command signal. Further, the packet signals including the same identification information are stored into the buffer as one packet signal group. The packet signals are supplied from the buffer to the multiplexing circuit on the basis of the received transmission command signal and identification information.

Claims

1. A packet communications apparatus for performing packet communications with an intranet apparatus via a communication line, comprising:

a plurality of line units each of which is connected to at least one terminal apparatus and includes a packetizing circuit for packetizing a terminal information signal received from said terminal apparatus to generate a packet signal including a header information segment and a buffer circuit for storing said packet signal;

a multiplexing circuit for multiplexing said packet signals stored in said buffer circuits of said plurality of line units and for generating a multiplexed signal;

a transmitting circuit for transmitting said multiplexed signal to said intranet apparatus over said communication line; and

an access control circuit for receiving a transmission permission signal from said intranet apparatus to designate one of said plurality of line units in accordance with the contents of said transmission permission signal, and for generating a transmission command signal to provide to each of said plurality of line units, the transmission command signal instructing the transmission of said packet signals stored in the buffer circuit of said designated line unit to said multiplexing circuit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of said plurality of line units includes a packet control circuit for receiving said transmission command signal, and

said packet control circuit includes a storage control circuit for storing each of said packet signals to said buffer circuit on the basis of said header information segment, and a transmission control circuit for controlling transmission of said packet signal from said buffer circuit to said multiplexing circuit on the basis of said received transmission command signal.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said header information segment includes an identification information segment indicating an identification of a call,

said storage control circuit stores the packet signals including the same identification information segment into said buffer circuit as one packet signal group, and

said transmission control circuit transmits said packet signals from said buffer circuit to said multiplexing circuit on the basis of said received transmission signal and said identification information segment.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission command signal includes a line unit designation information segment to designate one of said plurality of line units.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transmission command signal includes a packet signal group designation information segment to designate one of said packet signal groups stored in said plurality of line units.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said access control circuit includes means for storing a priority regarding each of said packet signal groups and generates said transmission command signal on the basis of said priority and said transmission permission signal.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a delay circuit for delaying said transmission command signal by a predetermined time and for relaying the delayed signal to each of said plurality of line units.

8. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said packet control circuit includes means for storing information regarding said packet signal group and corresponding areas of said buffer circuit in which the packet signals of said packet signal group are stored as an area information segment and means for updating said area information segment in accordance with the transmission of said packet signals, and

said storage control circuit stores a new packet signal into said buffer circuit on the basis of the updated area information segment.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission permission signal includes a line unit designation information segment which designates one of said plurality of line units.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission permission signal includes a data type designation information which designates a type of data to be transmitted, and said access control circuit selects at least one of said plurality of line units in accordance with the data type designation information.