Communication system and method for media access control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communication system comprising:
- an optical communication network interconnecting a headend and a plurality of network units;
wherein the headend has a media access controller for issuing data grants and grouping information requests,wherein a data grant is issued at least partially in response to previously received grouping information, andwherein at least some network units out of the plurality of network units are operable to;
receive a variable length data packet to be transmitted to the headend;
transmit grouping information reflecting at least a length of the variable length data packet; and
transmit a segmented group of fixed sized data cells, representing the variable length data packet, to the headend in response to data grants issued by the media access controller.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for upstream transmission and the media access control of upstream transmission of groups of fixed sized cells, such as ATM cells in a point to multipoint optical network, such as a passive optical network. The upstream media access control scheme is responsive to grouping information reflecting a parameter of a group of fixed sized cells. The parameter may reflect the length of the relevant payload of the group the fixed sized cells.
14 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A communication system comprising:
-
an optical communication network interconnecting a headend and a plurality of network units; wherein the headend has a media access controller for issuing data grants and grouping information requests, wherein a data grant is issued at least partially in response to previously received grouping information, and wherein at least some network units out of the plurality of network units are operable to; receive a variable length data packet to be transmitted to the headend; transmit grouping information reflecting at least a length of the variable length data packet; and transmit a segmented group of fixed sized data cells, representing the variable length data packet, to the headend in response to data grants issued by the media access controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A media access controller for controlling an access of a plurality of network units to a shared upstream channel, the media access controller being coupled to a receiver, for receiving grouping information from the plurality of network units,
wherein the grouping information reflects at least a length of a variable length data packet that is converted to a plurality of fixed sized cell groups to be upstream transmitted over the shared upstream channel, and wherein the media access controller comprises: -
at least one arbitration unit, coupled between the receiver and a grant allocator, for arbitrating between requests to upstream transmit fixed sized cell groups; and a grant allocator, for selecting data grants authorizing an upstream transmission of a group of fixed sized cells in response to the arbitration. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method for allocating upstream bandwidth of a shared upstream channel of an optical network, the optical network interconnecting a headend with a plurality of network units, the method comprising the steps of:
-
determining grouping information representing a length of a variable length data packet to be converted to a plurality of fixed sized cell groups to be upstream transmitted from at least one network unit; receiving upstream transmitted grouping information; and issuing data grants authorizing an identified network unit to transmit upstream data in response to previously received grouping information. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
-
Specification