SVC signaling system and method

• US 7,295,566 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Eich, Steven A., Holten, Jens Arne, Buckley, Clifford James, Hill, Gregory C., Chiu, Manfred F., Peck, Anthony Peter, Sudhakar, Yerrapalli R., Grimes, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US10/435,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 370/430, 370/389, 370/356, 370/352, 370/354, 370/395.1, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 370/397, 370/401, 370/419, 375220-222
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5618 Bridges, gateways [GW] or interworking units [IWU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/562 Routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5652 Cell construction, e.g. including header, packetisation, depacketisation, assembly, reassembly

Abstract

The Intelligent Multiservice Access System (IMAS) enables support for the next generation of virtual connections. Regardless of whether the communications lines coupled to the inputs and outputs of the IMAS are based on SVC, PVC, or a combination of PVC and SVC, the IMAS can support SVCs for a more flexible, timely, efficient, and manageable connection. In the more typical configuration, the loop side of the IMAS is PVC-based because the modems do not support SVC signaling, and the telecommunications backbone side is capable of supporting SVC signaling even though existing DSLAMs do not employ SVC signaling logic. With SVC support, the IMAS assists the ATM network in hand crafting an SVC-based connection almost immediately between end users when the originating end user wants to make a call to a destination end user, and tear down that virtual connection almost immediately when that call has completed. The SVC signaling is performed by a proxy signaling agent that resides in the IMAS to give the appearance to the ATM network in the telecommunications backbone that the loop side supports SVC signaling even though the line is PVC-based.

Claims

1. A digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), comprising:

a plurality of subscriber ports;

a plurality of telecommunications backbone ports; and

DSLAM logic coupled to the plurality of subscriber ports to enable a first set of the subscriber ports to operate using a first xDSL technology and to enable a second set of the subscriber ports to operate using a second xDSL technology.

2. A method of prioritizing delivery of ATM cells in a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), the DSLAM having a telecommunications backbone side, a DSL side, a buffer memory, and a central bus coupling the telecommunications backbone side and the DSL side, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, by the DSLAM, the existence of ATM cells in a downstream direction, in which the downstream direction is associated with a direction of data delivery from the telecommunications backbone side to the DSL side;

delivering, by the DSLAM, ATM cells in the downstream direction from the telecommunications backbone side to the DSL side via the central bus and the buffer memory;

detecting, by the DSLAM, the existence of ATM cells in an upstream direction, in which the upstream direction is associated with a direction of data delivery from the DSL side to the telecommunications backbone side; and

delivering, by the DSLAM, the ATM cells in the upstream direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the telecommunications backbone side includes a filter logic, and wherein the step of detecting the existence of ATM cells in the downstream direction includes:

detecting the existence of ATM cells in filter logic; and

detecting the existence of ATM cells in the buffer memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the DSL side includes a frame logic, wherein the step of delivering ATM cells in the downstream direction includes:

delivering ATM cells from the filter logic to the buffer memory; and

delivering ATM cells from the buffer memory to the framer logic.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the DSL side includes a framer logic, wherein the step of detecting the existence of ATM cells in the upstream direction includes:

detecting the existence of ATM cells in the buffer memory; and

detecting the existence of ATM cells in the framer logic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications backbone side includes a filter logic, and wherein the step of delivering ATM cells in the upstream direction includes:

delivering ATM cells from the buffer memory to the filter logic; and

delivering ATM cells from the framer logic to the buffer memory.