ATM packet demultiplexer for use in full service network having distributed architecture

A network for transporting video signals from a plurality of video sources to a plurality of video information users having digital entertainment terminals adapted to decode compressed data streams in accordance with stored connection block descriptors, the network comprising:

• (I) a first collection node for receiving first video signals and ATM cell streams carrying compressed video packets from a first group of said video sources, said first video collection node comprising at least one ATM edge device for grooming said ATM cell streams from said first group of video sources into condensed ATM cell streams, encoders for outputting first digital video signals in response to said first video signals, and an optical multiplexer receiving said condensed ATM cell streams and said first digital video signals and outputting an optical transport signal;
• (II) a plurality of optical fibers for carrying said optical transport signal;
• (III) a plurality of video node hubs, each comprising a drop-and-continue optical multiplexer that receives said optical transport signal on a corresponding incoming optical fiber and outputs said optical transport signal on a corresponding outgoing optical fiber, said video node hubs and said optical fibers coupled to said video node hubs being arranged to form a unidirectional broadcast ring, each of said video node hubs further comprising:
• (A) a plurality of ATM packet demultiplexers for reassembling said compressed packets from said corresponding plurality of condensed ATM cell streams carried by said optical transport signal and outputting said reassembled compressed packets on digital data streams, said reassembled compressed packets each having reassigned identifier values in accordance with a predetermined provisioning,
• (B) a plurality of modulators corresponding to said ATM packet demultiplexers for converting said digital data streams to corresponding first RF signals having specified channel bandwidths,
• (C) a second collection node for receiving second video signals from a second group of video sources, said second collection node comprising RF modulators for modulating said received second video signals to second RF signals, and
• (D) an RF combiner for combining said first and second RF signals into a hub RF signal;
• (IV) a plurality of video end offices corresponding to each of said video node hubs, said video end offices corresponding to said each video node hub receiving said hub RF signal from the corresponding video node hub, each of said video end offices comprising:
• (A) a third collection node for receiving third signals from a third group of sources and subscriber signaling information, said third collection node comprising:
• (1) an MPEG packet router for outputting said third signals and subscriber signaling information including connection block descriptors as MPEG packet streams arranged on the basis of PID values controlled by said MPEG packet router in accordance with network routing information, and
• (2) RF modulators for modulating said MPEG packet streams to respective third RF signals, each of said RF modulators having a channel frequency selected from a range of RF channels including high-bandwidth data channels and low-bandwidth signaling channels, said MPEG router supplying said MPEG packet streams to said modulators in accordance with said network routing information, and
• (3) an RF combiner for combining said corresponding hub RF signal and said third RF signals into an end office RF signal;
• and
• (B) means for supplying said end office RF signals from said video end offices to corresponding video information users, a selected group of said video information users being able to selectively decode said MPEG packet streams in accordance with said subscriber connection block descriptors supplied to said selected group.

A network for transporting signals to a plurality of information users, comprising:

• (I) a broadcast provider interface for receiving a plurality of broadcast signals from a plurality of broadcast information providers, said broadcast provider interface comprising:
• (A) means for combining a first group of said broadcast signals into consolidated broadcast signals output as ATM cell streams, each cell having a specified VPI/VCI value,
• (B) a digital encoder for encoding a second group of said broadcast signals into digital broadcast signals, and
• (C) a multiplexer receiving said ATM cell streams and said digital broadcast signals and outputting multiplexed optical signals onto a unidirectional optical fiber;
• (II) a plurality of broadcast headend nodes, each of said broadcast headend nodes receiving said multiplexed optical signals on a input fiber and outputting said multiplexed optical signals on an output fiber and being arranged to form a broadcast ring with said broadcast provider interface, each of said broadcast headend nodes comprising:
• (A) an ATM converter for recovering said first group of broadcast signals from said ATM cell streams in accordance with said specified VPI/VCI values,
• (B) a decoder for recovering said second group of broadcast signals from said multiplexed optical signals,
• (C) receiver means for receiving a third group of broadcast signals, and
• (D) a plurality of modulators for modulating said first, second and third group of broadcast signals into a combined RF signal having respective channel frequencies;
• (III) a plurality of video central offices arranged in groups, each group being served by a corresponding one of said broadcast headend nodes, each of said video central offices receiving said combined RF signal from said corresponding broadcast headend node and an ATM cell stream and comprising:
• (A) means for receiving local broadcast signals and outputting said local broadcast signals at central office RF channel frequencies,
• (B) an ATM demultiplexer for recovering video user data from said ATM cell stream for at least one of said users in accordance with routing information, said ATM demultiplexer comprising an ATM-to-MPEG processor for outputting the recovered video user data as a plurality of packet data streams, each of said packet data streams being arranged on the basis of data packets having an identifier address controlled by said ATM-to-MPEG processor on the basis of the VPI/VCI of corresponding ATM cells and said routing information, said packet data streams being arranged for output at an RF channel frequency selected from a range of RF channels, comprising high-bandwidth data channels and low-bandwidth signaling channels, in accordance with said second routing information,
• (C) a combiner for combining said output local broadcast signals with the combined RF signal from the corresponding headend node and the RF channels carrying said video user data packet streams to output a central office RF signal;
• and
• (IV) a local distribution network for supplying said central office RF signal for each of said video central offices to corresponding subscribers.

In a network providing video services to a plurality of information users distributed throughout a serving area and comprising a broadcast network interface for receiving broadband data from a plurality of information providers, a plurality of video network hubs coupled to each other and said broadcast network interface via optical fibers, a plurality of video end offices arranged in groups served by a corresponding one of said video network hubs, said information users being arranged in groups served by a corresponding one of said video end offices, a method for transporting data to said information users, comprising the steps of:

• grooming a first group of received broadband data carried as ATM cell streams from said information providers to obtain groomed ATM data streams;
• combining said groomed ATM data streams with a second group of said received broadband data to obtain a consolidated broadband data stream;
• outputting said consolidated broadband data stream from said broadcast network interface to each of said video network hubs;
• in each of said video network hubs:
• recovering said broadband data from said groomed ATM data streams carried by said consolidated broadband data stream,
• outputting said recovered broadband data at a first channel frequency range and said second group of said received broadband data carried by said consolidated broadband data stream at a second channel frequency range,
• combining the broadband data at said first and second channel frequency ranges with a third group of received broadcast data at a third channel frequency range to obtain a combined spectrum signal, and
• supplying said combined spectrum signal to said video end offices corresponding to said each video network hub;
• in each of said video end offices:
• (1) receiving second ATM streams carrying local user data,
• (2) performing ATM cell adaptation layer processing on said second ATM streams on the basis of the corresponding ATM cell identifier values to obtain compiled ATM cell payload data,
• (3) performing MPEG processing of said compiled ATM cell payload data in an MPEG router to obtain MPEG streams having PID values assigned on the basis of the ATM cell identifier value of the corresponding compiled ATM cell payload data and network routing information,
• (4) selectively outputting said MPEG streams from said MPEG router to RF modulators having a fourth channel frequency range comprising low-bandwidth channels and high-bandwidth channels, on the basis of said assigned PID values and said network routing information,
• (5) combining the supplied spectrum signal from the corresponding video network hub with the output of said modulators operating within said fourth channel frequency range to obtain a combined video end office signal, and
• (6) supplying said combined video end office signal to said corresponding group of information users.

A network comprising:

• a broadcast provider interface receiving digital signals from a plurality of broadcast information providers, said broadcast provider interface comprising:
• (1) means for combining ATM cell streams having specified VPI/VCI values and each containing one of the digital signals into a consolidated broadcast signal, and
• (2) means for optically transmitting the consolidated broadcast signal;
• a plurality of broadcast headend nodes receiving the optically transmitted consolidated broadcast signal, each broadcast headend node comprising:
• (i) at least one ATM converter receiving two or more ATM cell streams having specified VPI/VCI values and recovering two or more of the digital signals from the received ATM cell streams,
• (ii) at least two modulators, each modulator modulating a recovered digital signal onto an assigned channel,
• (iii) a combiner combining modulated channel signals from the modulators into a first combined spectrum signal, and
• (iv) means for optically transmitting the first combined spectrum signal;
• groups of central offices, each group of central offices receiving an ATM stream of data and the first combined spectrum signal from a broadcast headend node servicing the group, each central office comprising:
• (a) means for selectively outputting said data carried by said ATM stream as a MPEG packet stream within a specified spectrum channel, said MPEG packet stream having a PID value, said PID value and said specified spectrum channel being selected on the basis of an identifier of said ATM stream and network routing information, said specified spectrum channel being selected from one of a plurality of narrowband signaling channels and broadband data channels;
• (b) a combiner combining the MPEG packet stream with the received first combined spectrum signal to form a second combined spectrum signal, and
• (c) means for transmitting the second combined spectrum signal;
• and
• for each central office, a local distribution network transporting the second combined spectrum signal from that central office to a group of user terminals.

An ATM demultiplexer for supplying broadband data and narrowband data, received as corresponding ATM cell streams having respective VPI/VCI values, to a user, comprising:

• an ATM processor receiving said ATM cell streams carrying said broadband data and said narrowband data, said ATM processor assembling payload data units (PDU'S) from said ATM cell streams on the basis of said corresponding VPI/VCI, said ATM processor outputting PDU's carrying said broadband data on a first signal path and PDU's carrying said narrowband data on a second signal path;
• an in-band MPEG processor for processing said PDU's carrying said broadband data from said first signal path into a first MPEG stream of said broadband data, said first MPEG stream having PID values assigned on the basis of said corresponding VPI/VCI and routing information;
• an out-of-band MPEG processor for processing said PDU's carrying said narrowband data from said second signal path into a second MPEG stream of said narrowband data, said second MPEG stream being output on a downstream signaling channel corresponding to said user, and having PID values assigned, on the basis of said corresponding VPI/VCI and said routing information;
• and
• a transport multiplexer for outputting, in accordance with said corresponding VPI/VCI and said routing information, said first MPEG stream for modulation on a high-bandwidth channel selectable by said user.

A network for distributing programs and signaling information, comprising:

• an ATM processor, wherein:
• (1) the ATM processor receives first, second and third ATM cell streams identified by first, second and third VPI/VCI values, respectively, the first and second ATM cell streams containing program information, the third ATM cell stream containing signaling information;
• (2) the ATM processor converts data from ATM cells from the first, second and third ATM cell streams, into first, second and third streams of packets of data and applies at least a first packet identifier to the first stream of packets, a second packet identifier to the second stream of packets and a third packet identifier to the third stream of packets, the first, second and third packet identifiers corresponding respectively to the first, second and third VPI/VCI value;
• and (3) the ATM processor outputs the first and second streams of packets through a program output port and outputs the third stream of packets through a signaling output port;
• a first modulator for modulating the first and second streams of packets output through the program output port into a first channel signal;
• a second modulator for modulating the third stream of packets into a second channel signal;
• means for broadcasting the first and second channel signals to a plurality of digital entertainment terminals capable of processing both program information and signaling information.