Delay reduction method for telephony systems with multiple packet generators

• US 8,189,592 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rabenko, Theodore F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jae Y
• Application Number:
  US11/492,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9094 Arrangements for simultaneous transmit and receive, e.g. simultaneous reading/writing from/to the storage element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A telephony system and method is provided that reduces delay and provides better utilization of upstream bandwidth in delivering packet telephony services to a plurality of subscriber lines via a cable modem system. An exemplary system includes a plurality of voice processing modules, a host processor, and a buffer. Each voice processing module receives digital voice signals from a separate set of subscriber lines, compresses the digital voice signals to generate a voice packet, and transfers the voice packet to the buffer. The host processor then assembles a packet by concatenating the voice packets and transmits the assembled packet for delivery over a data network. Because the plurality of voice processing modules process the voice packets in parallel, delay is reduced in the assembly and transmission of the assembled packet.

Claims

1. A method for communicating over a network within a fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at periodic time intervals, the method comprising:

receiving, by a host processor, a first packet from a first processing module configured to receive first analog signals formed from a first subscriber line, to convert the first analog signals into first digital signals, and to generate the first packet from at least the first digital signals within a first periodic time interval;

receiving, by the host processor, a second packet from a second processing module configured to receive second analog signals formed from a second subscriber line, to convert the second analog signals into second digital signals, and to generate the second packet from at least the second digital signals, in parallel with generating the first packet by the first processing module, such that generating the second packet is performed substantially concurrently as generating the first packet within the first periodic time interval;

assembling, by the host processor, a transmission packet comprising at least the first packet and the second packet, wherein receiving the first packet, receiving the second packet, and assembling the transmission packet are performed within the first periodic time interval in time for transmission at a fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at a second periodic time interval occurring immediately after the first periodic time interval, wherein the periodic time intervals have a substantially same periodicity, and wherein the transmission packet is guaranteed to include all packets generated by each processing module within the first periodic time interval;

storing the transmission packet in a memory; and

transmitting the transmission packet from the memory during the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the second periodic time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the host processor, additional packets from one or more additional processing modules configured to receive additional analog signals formed from additional subscriber lines, to convert the additional analog signals into additional digital signals, and to generate the additional packets from at least the additional digital signals,

wherein the transmission packet further comprises the additional packets, and

wherein the generating the additional packets is also performed in time for transmission at the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the second periodic time interval.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of packets in the transmission packet is determined by the width of the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the periodic time intervals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the host processor, the first packet from the first processing module comprises:

receiving the first packet from the first processing module further configured to compress the first digital signals to generate the first packet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the periodic time intervals is defined by a cable modem termination system.

6. A system for communicating over a network within a fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at periodic time intervals, the system comprising:

a first voice and audio processing module (VAPM) hardware device configured to receive first analog signals formed from a first subscriber line, to convert the first analog signals into first digital signals, and to generate a first packet from at least the first digital signals within a first periodic time interval;

a second VAPM hardware device configured to receive second analog signals formed from a second subscriber line, to convert the second analog signals into second digital signals, and to generate a second packet from at least the second digital signals, in parallel with generating the first packet by the first VAPM such that generating the second packet is performed substantially concurrently as generating the first packet within the first periodic time interval;

an assembling module configured to assemble a transmission packet comprising at least the first packet and the second packet, wherein the generating the first packet, the generating the second packet, and the assembling the transmission packet are performed within the first periodic time interval in time for transmission at a fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at a second periodic time interval occurring immediately after the first periodic time interval, wherein the periodic time intervals have a substantially same periodicity, and wherein the transmission packet is guaranteed to include all packets provided by each hardware device;

a memory configured to store the transmission packet; and

a transmitter hardware device configured to transmit the transmission packet from the memory during the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the second periodic time interval.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a third VAPM hardware device configured to receive additional analog signals formed from one or more additional subscriber lines, to convert the additional analog signals into additional digital signals, and to generate additional packets from at least the additional digital signals,

wherein the transmission packet further comprises the additional packets, and

wherein the generating the additional packets is also performed in time for transmission at the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the second periodic time interval.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the number of packets in the transmission packet is determined by the width of the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the periodic time intervals.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first VAPM hardware device comprises:

a compressing module configured to compress the first digital signals to generate the first packet.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the fixed burst upstream transfer window occurring at the periodic time intervals is defined by a cable modem termination system.