DSL automatic protocol detection system

• US 6,778,505 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bullman, William R., McCurdy, Scott L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferris, Derrick W
• Application Number:
  US09/599,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/254, 370/419, 370/437, 370/466, 370/467, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222
• US Class Current: 370/254
• 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 12/2883 ATM DSLAM

Abstract

An application implemented at customer premises equipment automatically detects the network-layer protocol used at the head end of a DSL connection and configures the DSL modem driver for that protocol. The application sets the DSL modem driver to one of the possible protocols for the type (e.g., WAN or LAN) of driver being used and attempts to connect to a server at the head end. If a response is received from the head end, then the application reads the headers on the responsive message to determine whether the protocol at the head end is consistent with the protocol that the DSL modem is set to. If the protocols are consistent, then the settings are loaded onto the driver. If no response is received from the head end when the application attempts to connect to the server, then the application initiates a series of commands for the purpose of eliciting a response from the head end. If the protocol is not consistent or no response is elicited, then the DSL modem is set to another protocol, and the application again attempts to connect to the server at the head end. These steps are repeated until either the correct head-end network-layer protocol is found, or the possible protocols are exhausted.

Claims

1. A method, implemented by customer premises equipment (CPE), for automatically and remotely determining a digital subscriber line (DSL) network-layer protocol of a head end of a DSL link between the CPE and the head end, comprising the steps of:

(a) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using a selected network-layer protocol;

(b) determining whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end based on results of step (a); and

(c) when the selected network-layer protocol is not the network-layer protocol of the head end, then selecting an other network-layer protocol and repeating steps (a) and (b), wherein the selected network-layer protocol is one of LAN RFC1483 VC MUX ROUTED, LAN RFC1483 VC MUX BRIDGED, LAN RFC1483 LLC SNAP ROUTED, and LAN RFC1483 LLC SNAP BRIDGED.

2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end, then saving the selected network-layer protocol for use in configuring the CPE.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein step (d) further comprises the step of optimizing physical-layer settings for the CPE configured with the selected network-layer protocol.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein, optimizing the physical-layer settings comprises the steps of:

(d1) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using the selected network-layer protocol at each transmit gain level in a sequence of different transmit gain levels;

(d2) determining whether physical and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layers are up for each different transmit gain level;

(d3) if the physical and ATM layers are up for a particular transmit gain level, then recording the physical-layer settings for the particular transmit gain level; and

(d4) optimizing the physical-layer settings by selecting a best connect rate for the different transmit gain levels.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

step (a) comprises configuring a DSL CPE for the selected network-layer protocol; and

step (b) comprises reading network-layer protocol headers of communications received from the head end to determine whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of attempting to transmit one or more messages to a remote server via the head end to elicit a response from the remote server transmitted via the head end so that a network-layer protocol header in the response can be read to determine the network-layer protocol of the head end.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

(b1) determining whether physical and ATM layers at the CPE are up;

(b2) if the physical and ATM layers are up, then determining whether a network-layer protocol at the CPE is up;

(b3) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is up, then saving information about the network-layer protocol; and

(b4) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is not up, then implementing a query procedure to attempt to elicit a response from a remote server via the head end and, when the response is received, determining whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end.

8. The invention of claim 1, wherein step (c) is implemented and then steps (a) and (b) are repeated without having to restart an operating system at the CPE when not switching between LAN and WAN modes.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) disabling a DSL modem driver at the CPE;

(c2) changing a network-layer protocol in the DSL modem driver to the other network-layer protocol; and

(c3) re-enabling the DSL modem driver with the other network-layer protocol.

10. The invention of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) are repeated for each selected network-layer protocol at two or more different transmit gain levels.

11. The invention of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end, then saving the selected network-layer protocol for use in configuring the CPE, wherein;

step (d) further comprises the step of optimizing physical-layer settings for the CPE with the selected network-layer protocol by;

(d1) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using the selected network-layer protocol at each transmit gain level in a sequence of different transmit gain levels;

(d2) determining whether physical and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layers are up for each different transmit gain level;

(d3) if the physical and ATM layers are up for a particular transmit gain level, then recording the physical-layer settings for the particular transmit gain level; and

(d4) optimizing the physical-layer settings by selecting a best connect rate for the different transmit gain levels;

step (a) comprises the step of configuring the DSL modem driver at the CPE for the selected network-layer protocol; and

step (b) comprises the step of reading network-layer protocol headers of communications received from the head end to determine whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (b) comprises the step of attempting to transmit one or more messages to a remote server via the head end to elicit a response from the remote server transmitted via the head end so that a network-layer protocol header in the response can be read to determine the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (b) comprises the steps of;

(b1) determining whether physical and ATM layers at the CPE are up;

(b2) if the physical and ATM layers are up, then determining whether a network-layer protocol at the CPE is up;

(b3) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is up, then saving information about the protocol; and

(b4) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is not up, then implementing a query procedure to attempt to elicit a response from a remote server via the head end and, if the response is received, then determining whether the selected protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (c) is implemented and then steps (a) and (b) are repeated without having to restart an operating system at the CPE when not switching between LAN and WAN modes;

step (c) comprises the steps of;

(c1) disabling the DSL modem driver at the CPE;

(c2) changing a network-layer protocol in the DSL modem driver to the other network-layer protocol; and

(c3) re-enabling the DSL modem driver with the other network-layer protocol; and

step (a) and (b) are repeated for each selected network-layer protocol at two or more different transmit gain levels.

12. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method, implemented by customer premises equipment (CPE), for automatically and remotely determining a digital subscriber line (DSL) network-layer protocol of a head end of a DSL link between the CPE and the head end, comprising the steps of:

(a) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using a selected network-layer protocol;

(b) determining whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end based on results of step (a); and

(c) when the selected network-layer protocol is not the network-layer protocol of the head end, then selecting an other network-layer protocol and repeating steps (a) and (b), wherein the selected network-layer protocol is one of LAN RFC1483 VC MUX ROUTED, LAN RFC1483 VC MUX BRIDGED, LAN RFC1483 LLC SNAP ROUTED, and LAN RFC1483 LLC SNAP BRIDGED.

13. The invention of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end, then saving the selected network-layer protocol for use in configuring the CPE.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein step (d) further comprises the step of optimizing physical-layer settings for the CPE configured with the selected DSL protocol.

15. The invention of claim 13, wherein, optimizing the physical-layer settings comprises the steps of:

(d1) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using the selected network-layer protocol at each transmit gain level in a sequence of different transmit gain levels;

(d2) determining whether physical and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layers are up for each different transmit gain level;

(d3) if the physical and ATM layers are up for a particular transmit gain level, then recording the physical-layer settings for the particular transmit gain level; and

(d4) optimizing the physical-layer settings by selecting a best connect rate for the different transmit gain levels.

16. The invention of claim 12, wherein:

step (a) comprises the step of configuring a DSL modem driver at the CPE for the selected network-layer protocol; and

step (b) comprises the step of reading network-layer protocol headers of communications received from the head end to determine whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end.

17. The invention of claim 12, wherein step (b) comprises the step of attempting to transmit one or more messages to a remote server via the head end to elicit a response from the remote server transmitted via the head end so that a network-layer protocol header in the response can be read to determine the network-layer protocol of the head end.

18. The invention of claim 12, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

(b1) determining whether physical and ATM layers at the CPE are up;

(b2) if the physical and ATM layers are up, then determining whether a network-layer protocol at the CPE is up;

(b3) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is up, then saving information about the protocol; and

(b4) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is not up, then implementing a query procedure to attempt to elicit a response from a remote server via the head end and, if the response is received, then determining whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end.

19. The invention of claim 12, wherein step (c) is implemented and then steps (a) and (b) are repeated without having to restart an operating system at the CPE when not switching between LAN and WAN modes.

20. The invention of claim 19, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) disabling a DSL modem driver at the CPE;

(c2) changing a network-layer protocol in the DSL modem driver to the other network-layer protocol; and

(c3) re-enabling the DSL modem driver with the other network-layer protocol.

21. The invention of claim 12, wherein steps (a) and (b) are repeated for each selected network-layer protocol at two or more different transmit gain levels.

22. The invention of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end, then saving the selected network-layer protocol for use in configuring a DSL modem driver at the CPE, wherein;

step (d) further comprises the step of optimizing physical-layer settings for the DSL modem driver configured with the selected network-layer protocol by;

(d1) attempting to initiate a DSL connection over the DSL link to the head end using the selected network-layer protocol at each transmit gain level in a sequence of different transmit gain levels;

(d2) determining whether physical and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layers are up for each different transmit gain level;

(d3) if the physical and ATM layers are up for a particular transmit gain level, then recording the physical-layer settings for the particular transmit gain level; and

(d4) optimizing the physical-layer settings by selecting a best connect rate for the different transmit gain levels;

step (a) comprises the step of configuring the DSL modem driver at the CPE for the selected network-layer protocol; and

step (b) comprises the step of reading network-layer protocol headers of communications received from the head end to determine whether the selected network-layer protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (b) comprises the step of attempting to transmit one or more messages to a remote server via the head end to elicit a response from the remote server transmitted via the head end so that a network-layer protocol header in the response can be read to determine the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (b) comprises the steps of;

(b1) determining whether physical and ATM layers at the CPE are up;

(b2) if the physical and ATM layers are up, then determining whether a network-layer protocol at the CPE is up;

(b3) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is up, then saving information about the protocol; and

(b4) if the network-layer protocol at the CPE is not up, then implementing a query procedure to attempt to elicit a response from a remote server via the head end and, if the response is received, then determining whether the selected protocol is the network-layer protocol of the head end;

step (c) is implemented and then steps (a) and (b) are repeated without having to restart an operating system at the CPE when not switching between LAN and WAN modes;

step (c) comprises the steps of;

(c1) disabling the DSL modem driver at the CPE;

(c2) changing a network-layer protocol in the DSL modem driver to the other network-layer protocol; and

(c3) re-enabling the DSL modem driver with the other network-layer protocol; and

step (a) and (b) are repeated for each selected network-layer protocol at two or more different transmit gain levels.