Method and apparatus for extending point-to-point/asynchronous transfer mode services to client computer systems

• US 6,795,438 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1998
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Brabenac, Charles L., Andersen, David B., Kahn, Kevin C., Tai, Tsung-Yuan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US09/182,585
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 370/419, 370/451, 370/469, 370/471, 370/474, 370/476, 370/389, 370/395.2, 370/395.6, 370/395.61, 370/395.5, 370/395.51, 370/395.52, 370/464, 709/203, 709/227, 375/222
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

A method for managing an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell includes transmitting an ATM cell from a server system to a broadband modem. The ATM cell is forwarded from the broadband modem to a client system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell from a first computer system to a broadband modem access protocol (BMAP)-compliant broadband modem, wherein the broadband modem is identified and selected from a plurality of broadband modems using a modem identification unit of a BMAP unit;

receiving the ATM cell at the broadband modem;

receiving a signal for the ATM cell from a second computer system coupled with the first computer system via the broadband modem; and

forwarding the ATM cell to the second computer system from the broadband modem in response to the signal received from the second computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing ATM signaling at the second computer system, performing at least one of the following:

cell construction, cell reception and header validation, cell relaying, forwarding and copying, cell multiplexing and demultiplexing, and cell payload type discrimination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadband modem comprises an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadband modem comprises a cable modem.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking a header error control (HEC) field in the ATM cell for corruption before forwarding the ATM cell to the second computer system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising reassembling the ATM cell at the second computer system to retrieve data from a payload section of the ATM cell.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing segmentation procedures at the second computer system to construct data into a payload of section of the ATM cell to retrieve and forward the data to the first computer system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ATM cell is forwarded to the second computer system via one of the following:

an Ethernet connection, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, and an IEEE 1394 connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the BMAP unit comprises a modem identification corresponding to the broadband modem.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the BMAP unit is implemented using one or more of the following:

software and hardware.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a first computer system coupled with a transmission medium, the first computer system to transmit an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell to a broadband modem access protocol (BMAP)-compliant broadband modem, wherein the broadband modem is identified and selected from a plurality of broadband modems using a modem identification unit of a BMAP unit;

the broadband modem to receive the ATM cell from the first computer system and to receive a signal for the ATM cell from a second computer system; and

the second computer system coupled with the first computer system via the broadband modem, the second computer system to receive the ATM cell from the first computer system via the broadband modem in response to the broadband modem receiving the signal from the second computer system.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the broadband modem is coupled with the second computer system via a first connection.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first connection comprises at least one of the following:

an Ethernet connection, a Universal Serial Bus, and an IEEE 1394.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first computer system is coupled with the transmission medium via a second connection.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second connection comprises at least one of the following:

an Ethernet connection, a Universal Serial Bus, and an EEEE 1394.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second connection comprises an intermediary.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the intermediary comprises a telephone service provider.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the intermediary is communicated via at least one of the following:

Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), and frame relay networking protocol.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of the following:

twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, and fiber optics.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the broadband modem comprises at least one of the following:

an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem and a cable modem.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the BMAP unit comprises a modem identification corresponding to the broadband modem.

22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the BMAP unit is implemented using one or more of the following:

software and hardware.

23. A system, comprising:

a server computer system coupled with a coaxial cable, the server computer system to transmit an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) sell to a broadband modem access protocol (BMAP)-compliant broadband modem, wherein the broadband modem is identified and selected from a plurality of broadband modems using a modem identification unit of a BMAP unit;

the broadband modem to receive the ATM cell from the server computer system and to receive a signal for the ATM cell from a client computer system;

the client computer system coupled with the server computer system via the broadband modem, the client computer system to receive the ATM cell from server computer system via the broadband modem in response to the broadband modem receiving the signal from the client computer system;

a first connection to couple the client computer system with the broadband modem; and

a second connection to couple the server computer system with the broadband modem.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the server computer system comprises an Internet service provider (ISP).

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the client computer system comprises a personal computer (PC).

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the BMAP unit comprises a modem identification corresponding to the broadband modem.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the BMAP unit is implemented using one or more of the following:

software and hardware.

28. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

transmit an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell from a first computer system to a broadband modem access protocol (BMAP)-compliant broadband modem, wherein the broadband modem is identified and selected from a plurality of broadband modems using a modem identification unit of a BMAP unit;

receive the ATM cell at the broadband modem;

receive a signal for the ATM cell from a second computer system coupled with the first computer system via the broadband modem; and

forward the ATM cell to the second computer system from the broadband modem in response to the signal received from the second computer system.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the sets of instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to perform ATM signaling at the second computer system, performing at least one of the following:

cell construction, cell reception and header validation, cell relaying, forwarding and copying, cell multiplexing and demultiplexing, and cell payload type discrimination.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the broadband modem comprises an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the broadband modem comprises a cable modem.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the BMAP unit comprises a modem identification corresponding to the broadband modem.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the BMAP unit is implemented using one or more of the following:

software and hardware.