System and method for message transmission based on intelligent network element device identifiers

• US 20020124111A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PhyFlex Networks, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PhyFlex Networks, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Inventors: Rege, Kiran M., Tandon, Manas, Desai, Gautam
• Application Number:
  US09/952,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5605 Fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5606 Metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5651 Priority, marking, classes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5679 Arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 : Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 : for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 : Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 : relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 : Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 : by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 : at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 : Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 : Real time traffic
• 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 47/829 : Topology based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 : Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 : using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Hybrid fiber/coax networks employ the existing cable plant used for cable TV and transmit data signals in a frequency bandwidth above that which is used for cable TV. As this cable plant was deployed in a tree and branch topology, data transmissions may be susceptible to noise, variable transmission loss and frequency dispersion, particularly in the upstream direction. Further, due to the tree and branch topology, homes at the far end of the network experience much greater loss than do the homes that are near to the headend/ONU. The present system, which uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals, or messages, are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. Messages intended for an end user access device associated with the end user are identified using an ID of the end user and control bits. An end user access device then identifies and intercepts the message from the ID and the control bits. The intelligent network elements can be co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth than the typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connection between a home and the headend or optical network unit.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting messages in an access network comprising:

determining an address of an end user device;

applying the address to a message directed to an end user access device associated with the end user device;

transmitting the message to a network media provider;

determining the source of the message at the network media provider;

setting control bits in a predetermined manner if the source address matches one of a predetermined list of addresses;

mapping, at the network media provider, the address to an end user access device identifier corresponding to the end user device;

transmitting the message to the end user access device from the network media provider using the end user access device identifier; and

selectively intercepting the message at the end user access device if the control bits match the predetermined pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the end user access device is a network interface unit (NIU).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein mapping the address to the end user access device identifier further comprises mapping to a routing identifier (RID).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the address identifying the end user device is an IP address.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising writing the address of a sender node in the message.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the sender node is a server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the server is one of a network management server, a call admission control server, a QOS provisioning server, or a topology server.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the message from the network media provider further comprises transmitting from an optical network distribution switch (ONDS).

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the end user access device is the last element transporting the message before being received at the end user access device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the message further comprises transmitting in a downstream direction.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the network media provider is an optical network distribution switch (ONDS).

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the end user access device is the last element transporting the message before being received at the end user access device.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is operable to be transported in a downstream direction.

11. A system for transmitting messages in an access network comprising:

an address, the address indicative of an end user device;

a message, the message adapted to be directed to an end user access device corresponding to the address;

a network media provider operable to transmit the message, the network media provider operable to determine the source of the message;

at least one control bit in the message and adapted to be set in a predetermined manner if the source address matches one of a predetermined list of addresses;

mapping, at the network media provider, the address to an end user access device identifier corresponding to the end user device, the network media provider further operable to map the address to the end user access device identifier and transmit the message to the end user access device using the end user access device identifier, and the end user access device further operable to selectively intercept the message at the if the control bits match the predetermined pattern.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the end user access device is a network interface unit (NIU).

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the end user access device identifier is a routing identifier (RID).

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the address identifying the end user device is an IP address.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the network media provider is further operable to write the address of a sender node in the message.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the sender node is a server.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the server is one of a network management server, a call admission control server, a QOS provisioning server, or a topology server.

21. A computer program product having computer program code for transmitting messages in an access network comprising:

computer program code for determining an address of an end user device;

computer program code for applying the address to a message directed to an end user access device associated with the end user device;

computer program code for transmitting the message to a network media provider;

computer program code for determining the source of the message at the network media provider;

computer program code for setting control bits in a predetermined manner if the source address matches one of a predetermined list of addresses;

computer program code for mapping, at the network media provider, the address to an end user access device identifier corresponding to the end user device;

computer program code for transmitting the message to the end user access device from the network media provider using the end user access device identifier; and

computer program code for selectively intercepting the message at the end user access device if the control bits match the predetermined pattern.

22. A computer data signal including program code for transmitting messages in an access network comprising:

program code for determining an address of an end user device;

program code for applying the address to a message directed to an end user access device associated with the end user device;

program code for transmitting the message to a network media provider;

program code for determining the source of the message at the network media provider;

program code for setting control bits in a predetermined manner if the source address matches one of a predetermined list of addresses;

program code for mapping, at the network media provider, the address to an end user access device identifier corresponding to the end user device;

program code for transmitting the message to the end user access device from the network media provider using the end user access device identifier; and

program code for selectively intercepting the message at the end user access device if the control bits match the predetermined pattern.

23. A system for transmitting messages in an access network comprising:

means for determining an address of an end user device;

means for applying the address to a message directed to an end user access device associated with the end user device;

means for transmitting the message to a network media provider;

means for determining the source of the message at the network media provider;

means for setting control bits in a predetermined manner if the source address matches one of a predetermined list of addresses;

means for mapping, at the network media provider, the address to an end user access device identifier corresponding to the end user device;

means for transmitting the message to the end user access device from the network media provider using the end user access device identifier; and

means for selectively intercepting the message at the end user access device if the control bits match the predetermined pattern.