US 5,650,994 A · Operation support system for service creation and network provisioning for video dial tone networks

A communication network for transporting information for subscribers including a plurality of information providers and a plurality of information users, the communication network comprising:

a backbone subnetwork capable of providing point-to-point two-way communication for interactive data along assigned virtual paths;
an access subnetwork for distributing interactive and broadcast information to said information users, comprising:
(a) a plurality of node hubs, each receiving a consolidated broadcast signal and comprising first means for integrating said received broadcast signal with a corresponding local-source broadcast signal in accordance with first provisioning data and outputting a localized broadcast signal,
(b) a plurality of end offices arranged in groups, each of said groups receiving said localized broadcast signal from a corresponding one of said node hubs, each one of said end offices comprising second means for integrating said received localized broadcast signal with interactive data designated for a specified subscriber served by said corresponding end office and being supplied to said one end office by said backbone subnetwork, said second means outputting said designated interactive data on an assigned local transmission path corresponding to said specified subscriber, said integrated localized broadcast signal and said designated interactive data on said assigned local transmission path being output as a local distribution signal generated in accordance with end office provisioning data,
(c) means for distributing said local distribution signal including said designated interactive data to terminal devices of said information users served by said one end office, and
(d) an access subnetwork controller controlling routing of said integrated localized broadcast signal and said designated interactive data throughout said access subnetwork, said access subnetwork controller assigning said assigned local transmission path in response to a session request and in accordance with access subnetwork provisioning data including said first provisioning data and said end office provisioning data;
a broadcast subnetwork comprising:
(1) a broadcast consolidation section for consolidating incoming data streams from respective information providers, in accordance with a translation table, into the consolidated broadcast signal, and
(2) fiber optic means for transporting said consolidated broadcast signal to said node hubs;
a control subnetwork for controlling said transport of said information for said subscribers in accordance with said provisioning of network resources, said control subnetwork outputting control signals to said access subnetwork controller and said backbone subnetwork in response to subscriber service requests;
and
an operational support system, interfaced at least to the control subnetwork, for provisioning network resources in accordance with activation requests from said subscribers to obtain said assigned virtual paths, said first provisioning data, said subnetwork provisioning data, and said translation table.

9 more elements

A network for transporting broadband data for subscribers including a plurality of information providers and plurality of information users each having digital entertainment terminals, comprising:

a control subnetwork for controlling setup and tear-down of broadband communication paths, said control subnetwork adapted to access a level 2 gateway to provide connection requests to said information providers;
a backbone subnetwork for providing point-to-point, two-way communication sessions for broadband interactive multimedia communications signals throughout said network, said backbone subnetwork adapted to provide said broadband communication sessions between at least one of said information users and said level 2 gateway, said backbone subnetwork comprising a virtual circuit controller for maintaining communication paths during said communication sessions;
a broadcast subnetwork for consolidating a plurality of broadcast information signals from information providers and distributing said consolidated broadcast information signals throughout a serving area of said network;
an access subnetwork receiving said consolidated broadcast information signals from said broadcast subnetwork and said broadband interactive multimedia communications signals from said backbone subnetwork for transmission to said digital entertainment terminals, and transmitting signals from said digital entertainment terminals to said backbone subnetwork, said access subnetwork comprising an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork in response to an access control message from said control subnetwork, to provide two-way communications between said at least one information user and said level 2 gateway and to control access by the digital entertainment terminals to the consolidated broadcast information signals;
and
a service creation and activation system outputting network creation messages for said control subnetwork, said backbone subnetwork, said broadcast subnetwork, and said access subnetwork, said service creation and activation system generating an assignable inventory database in accordance with acknowledgements of said network creation messages, said service creation and activation system provisioning network resources from said inventory database in response to a service activation request for a subscriber.

3 more elements

In a network serving a plurality of subscribers including information providers and information users having digital entertainment terminals, wherein the network comprises:

a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions and having a virtual circuit controller controlling establishment of said sessions throughout the backbone subnetwork,
a broadcast subnetwork distributing broadband data from information providers throughout a serving area of said network,
an access subnetwork receiving said broadband data from said broadcast subnetwork and downstream signals of said sessions and distributing said received broadband data and downstream signals to said digital entertainment terminals of said information users, and receiving upstream signals from said digital entertainment terminals and supplying to said backbone subnetwork, said access subnetwork comprising an access subnetwork controller controlling said access subnetwork,
a control subnetwork controlling data transport throughout said network, and
an operational support system comprising an assignable inventory database;
a method comprising the steps of:
(1) receiving at said operational support system a subscriber activation request;
(2) establishing a connection between the network and a subscriber at a network interface;
(3) assigning a logical address to said connection;
(4) provisioning bandwidth on at least one digital channel from said assignable inventory database in accordance with said subscriber activation request and generating corresponding bandwidth assignment information;
(5) outputting from said operational support system an activation request, comprising said logical address and said bandwidth assignment information, to said control subnetwork;
(6) outputting from said control subnetwork connection said bandwidth assignment information to said access subnetwork controller;
(7) defining within said access subnetwork controller connection paths throughout said access subnetwork in accordance with said bandwidth assignment information and outputting connection block descriptors from said access subnetwork controller to said control subnetwork, said connection block descriptors identifying said connection paths;
(8) outputting from said operational support system broadcast provisioning data to said broadcast subnetwork controller in accordance with said subscriber activation request;
(9) returning acknowledgement messages to said operational support system;
(10) creating a subscriber profile in said operational support system in response to said acknowledgement messages;
and
(11) outputting from said operational support system a subscription acknowledgement to said subscriber.

15 more elements

In a network serving a plurality of subscribers including information providers and information users having digital entertainment terminals, wherein the network comprises:

a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions,
a broadcast subnetwork distributing broadband data from information providers throughout a serving area of said network,
an access subnetwork receiving said broadband data from said broadcast subnetwork and downstream signals of said sessions and distributing said received broadband data and downstream signals to said digital entertainment terminals of said information users, and receiving upstream signals from said digital entertainment terminals and supplying to said backbone subnetwork, said access subnetwork comprising an access subnetwork controller controlling said access subnetwork,
a control subnetwork controlling data transport throughout said network, and
an operational support system comprising an assignable inventory database and a living unit database;
a method for activating an information user comprising the steps of:
(1) receiving at said operational support system a user activation request via a service provider interface, said user activation request comprising a user identifier;
(2) accessing the living unit database to obtain a user connection status corresponding to said user identifier;
(3) establishing a user profile including an assigned user network address, and information from said user activation request and said user connection status;
(4) assigning user premises installation in accordance with said user connection status;
(5) provisioning bandwidth on at least one digital channel from said assignable inventory database in accordance with said user activation request and generating corresponding bandwidth assignment information;
(6) outputting from said operational support system a user connection request, comprising said assigned user network address and said bandwidth assignment information, to said control subnetwork;
(7) outputting from said control subnetwork connection said bandwidth assignment information to said access subnetwork controller;
(8) defining within said access subnetwork controller broadcast and signaling paths throughout said access subnetwork in accordance with said bandwidth assignment information and outputting connection block descriptors from said access subnetwork controller to said control subnetwork, said connection block descriptors identifying said broadcast and signaling paths;
(9) returning acknowledgement messages to said operational support system;
(10) generating in said operational support system an acknowledgement to said user activation request.

13 more elements

A communication network comprising:

a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information;
a plurality of broadband information sources;
a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions for interactive multimedia communications;
a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork;
a broadcast subnetwork distributing broadband information signals from at least one of the broadband information sources;
an access subnetwork providing dynamically allocated communications between one of the user terminals and the backbone subnetwork, and receiving broadcast information signals from the broadcast subnetwork and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals;
an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork to provide the communications between the one user terminal and the backbone subnetwork and to control terminal authorizations for reception of the broadcast information signals;
a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller, the access subnetwork controller and the user terminals to control set-up of at least some of the communications through the communication network;
and
an operational support system coupled to communicate with and supply provisioning data to the backbone subnetwork controller, the broadcast subnetwork, the access subnetwork controller and the gateway for provisioning services through the network and activating receipt of selected services through identified ones of the user terminals.

7 more elements

Operation support system for service creation and network provisioning for video dial tone networks

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Operation support system for service creation and network provisioning for video dial tone networks

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Abstract

Claims51