Extension of an ethernet backhaul system for wireless base stations over a cable television distribution network

• US 7,773,555 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Harold W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman; Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Thinh D
• Application Number:
  US11/103,206
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/335, 370/342, 370/338, 370/386, 370/463
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/68 Pseudowire emulation, e.g. IETF WG PWE3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

Base stations exchange first information with first users over first wireless communication links. A mobile switching center provides mobile telephone service. An Internet access system provides Internet access service. A data system provides a data service. An Ethernet backhaul system uses an Ethernet format to exchange the first information between the first base stations and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system. A second base station exchanges second information with second users over second wireless communication links. A first interface is exchanges the second information with the second base station. A second interface exchanges the second information with the first interface over a cable television distribution network. The Ethernet backhaul system uses the Ethernet format to exchange the second information between the second interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of first base stations configured to exchange first information with first users over first wireless communication links;

a mobile switching center configured to provide mobile telephone service;

an Internet access system configured to provide Internet access service;

a data system configured to provide a data service;

a first pseudo-wire system configured to exchange the first information with the first base stations over first T1 connections, aggregate the first information of the first users, and exchange the first information with an Ethernet backhaul system using an Ethernet format;

the Ethernet backhaul system configured to use the Ethernet format to exchange the first information between the first pseudo-wire system and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system;

and a second base station configured to exchange second information with second users over second wireless communication links;

a second pseudo-wire system configured to exchange the second information with the second base station over a second T1 connection, aggregate the second information of the second users, and exchange the second information with a second interface over a cable television distribution network using the Ethernet format;

wherein the second pseudo-wire system is configured to aggregate a first portion of the second information for exchange with the mobile switching center, aggregate a second portion of the second information for exchange with the Internet access system, and aggregate a third portion of the second information for exchange with the data system;

wherein the second pseudo-wire system is configured to increase a first bandwidth allocated to the first portion, decrease a second bandwidth allocated to the second portion, and decrease a third bandwidth allocated to the third portion over the Ethernet backhaul system when transmitted idle blocks over the Ethernet backhaul system reach a threshold level;

and the Ethernet backhaul system configured to use the Ethernet format to exchange the second information between the second interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface further comprise DOCSIS modems.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface further comprise DOCSIS version 2.0 modems.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface are configured to exchange the second information over a cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface.

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface are configured to exchange the second information over a six megahertz cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein:

the second pseudo-wire system is configured to exchange third information with a first user site over a third T1 connection;

the second interface is configured to exchange the third information with the second pseudo-wire system over the cable television distribution network in the Ethernet format; and

the Ethernet backhaul system is configured to use the Ethernet format to exchange the third information between the second interface and a second user site.

7. The communication system of claim 6 wherein the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface are configured to exchange the third information over a cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire system and the second interface.

8. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

in a plurality of first base stations, exchanging first information with first users over first wireless communication links;

in a mobile switching center, providing a mobile telephone service;

in an Internet access system, providing an Internet access service;

in a data system, providing a data service;

in a first pseudo-wire interface, exchanging the first information with the first base stations over first T1 connections, aggregating the first information of the first users, and exchanging the first information with an Ethernet backhaul system using an Ethernet format;

in the Ethernet backhaul system, using the Ethernet format to exchange the first information between the first pseudo-wire interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system; and

in a second base station, exchanging second information with second users over second wireless communication links;

in a second pseudo-wire interface, exchanging the second information with the second base station over a second T1 connection, aggregating the second information of the second users, and exchanging the second information with a second interface over a cable television distribution network using the Ethernet format; and

in the Ethernet backhaul system, using the Ethernet format to exchange the second information between the second interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system;

wherein using the Ethernet format to exchange the second information between the second pseudo-wire interface and the mobile switching center, the Internet access system, and the data system comprises aggregating a first portion of the second information for exchange with the mobile switching center, aggregating a second portion of the second information for exchange with the Internet access system, and aggregating a third portion of the second information for exchange with the data system; and

wherein in the second pseudo-wire interface, increasing a first bandwidth allocated to the first portion, decreasing a second bandwidth allocated to the second portion, and decreasing a third bandwidth allocated to the third portion over the Ethernet backhaul system when transmitted idle blocks over the Ethernet backhaul system reach a threshold level.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface further comprise DOCSIS modems.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface further comprise DOCSIS version 2.0 modems.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein exchanging the second information between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface over the cable television distribution network comprises exchanging the second information over a cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein exchanging the second information between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface over the cable television distribution network comprises exchanging the second information over a six megahertz cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

in the second pseudo-wire interface, exchanging third information with a first user site;

in the second interface, exchanging the third information with the second pseudo-wire interface over the cable television distribution network; and

in the Ethernet backhaul system, using the Ethernet format to exchange the third information between the second interface and a second user site.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein exchanging the third information between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface over the cable television distribution network comprises exchanging the third information over a cable television channel that is provisioned through the cable television distribution network between the second pseudo-wire interface and the second interface.