Dynamic bandwidth allocation within a communications channel
First Claim
1. A method for dynamically allocating bandwidth, the method comprising:
- allocating a bandwidth in a plurality of data channels, wherein the plurality of data channels includes at least one switched data channel and a dedicated data channel, wherein the at least one switched data channel includes a first portion of the bandwidth, and wherein the dedicated data channel includes a second portion of the bandwidth;
detecting at least one signaling bit that is indicative of whether the at least one switched data channel is idle, wherein the at least one signaling bit is carried on at least one of the at least one switched data channel and a dedicated signaling channel; and
reallocating the bandwidth, wherein when the at least one switched data channel is idle, the first portion of the bandwidth of the at least one switched data channel is reallocated to the dedicated data channel such that the dedicated data channel includes the first and second portions of the bandwidth, and wherein when the at least one switched data channel is busy, the first portion of the bandwidth is reallocated to the at least one switched data channel from the dedicated data channel.
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Abstract
A communications device is presented that allows dynamic bandwidth allocation of an unswitched data path based upon the current utilization of one or more switched data channels. The device operates over the local loop of a digital communications carrier, such as a T1 line, that has a variety of time division multiplexed channels. Each data channel can be configured to operate as a channel dedicated to carrying unswitched data on the unswitched data path, or as a switched channel. Switched channels maintain status information about their current status, allowing switched data communication when the channel'"'"'s status is active, and permitting the unswitched data path to utilize the channel when the channel'"'"'s status is idle. In one embodiment, channel status information is passed to a remote unit by altering a redundant robbed-bit signaling bit in a multiframe. In a second embodiment, channel status is determined by monitoring switching information that is already transmitted about the channel. In the second embodiment, a preset time delay is required to properly synchronize bandwidth switching. Unswitched data is transmitted over the switched data channels utilizing all bit locations other than the locations taken by the four robbed-bit signaling bits. A method for dynamically reallocating the bandwidth of an unswitched data path utilizing these same techniques is also presented.
74 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for dynamically allocating bandwidth, the method comprising:
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allocating a bandwidth in a plurality of data channels, wherein the plurality of data channels includes at least one switched data channel and a dedicated data channel, wherein the at least one switched data channel includes a first portion of the bandwidth, and wherein the dedicated data channel includes a second portion of the bandwidth;
detecting at least one signaling bit that is indicative of whether the at least one switched data channel is idle, wherein the at least one signaling bit is carried on at least one of the at least one switched data channel and a dedicated signaling channel; and
reallocating the bandwidth, wherein when the at least one switched data channel is idle, the first portion of the bandwidth of the at least one switched data channel is reallocated to the dedicated data channel such that the dedicated data channel includes the first and second portions of the bandwidth, and wherein when the at least one switched data channel is busy, the first portion of the bandwidth is reallocated to the at least one switched data channel from the dedicated data channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for dynamically allocating bandwidth, the method comprising:
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allocating a bandwidth in a plurality of data channels, wherein the plurality of data channels includes at least one switched data channel and a dedicated data channel, wherein the at least one switched data channel includes a first portion of the bandwidth, and wherein the dedicated data channel includes a second portion of the bandwidth;
monitoring at least one signaling bit that is indicative of whether the at least one switched data channel is idle, wherein the at least one signaling bit is carried on at least one of the at least one switched data channel and a dedicated signaling channel; and
reallocating the bandwidth after a predetermined time after the act of monitoring is executed, wherein when the at least one switched data channel is idle, the first portion of the bandwidth of the at least one switched data channel is reallocated to the dedicated data channel such that the dedicated data channel includes the first and second portions of the bandwidth, and wherein when the at least one switched data channel is busy, the first portion of the bandwidth is reallocated to the at least one switched data channel from the dedicated data channel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for increasing bandwidth of data transfer on a switched data channel, wherein the switched data channel transmits data as frames, wherein a reserved bit in each frame is reserved for a robbed-bit signaling bit, the method comprising:
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a) defining one or more blocks of un-switched data;
b) using an unused reserved bit of a first frame to establish a communication protocol for a block of un-switched data;
c) using unused reserved bits of frames subsequent to the first frame to transmit portions of the block of un-switched data; and
d) repeating b through c for subsequent blocks of un-switched data.
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Specification