Integrated signalling for asynchronous networks

A method for providing network access to a plurality of end systems over a shared medium uplink of a multiple access asynchronous network segment to a satellite headend, which satellite headend is supported by a network controller, comprising the steps of temporarily allocating uplink resource to an end system using the satellite headend in response to said end system making a new request for uplink resource and subsequently allocating uplink resource to said end system using the network controller.

An Integrated Addressing and packet Segmentation And Reassembly (IASAR) system for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for a plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium, wherein the end systems and the intermediate system comprise means for inserting a Multiplexing Identifier (MID) address header designating an end system into the cells generated from a packet during packet segmentation.

A method for Integrated Addressing and Packet Segmentation and Reassembly (IASAR) for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for a plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium, comprising the steps of segmenting a packet to generate a group of cells and inserting a Multiplexing Identifier (MID) address header designating an end system into each cell payload of said group of cells.

A signalling system for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for a plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium uplink wherein the intermediate system comprises means for receiving a meta-signalling message from an end system containing the MAC address of that end system, means for allocating a signalling VC and/or a management VC and a Multiplexing Identifier (MID) value to that end system and means for transmitting a meta-signalling message to the end systems in the network segment containing the MAC address of that end system and the allocated VC(s) and MID value.

A signalling method for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for a plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium uplink, in which the intermediate system allocates a signalling VC and/or management VC and a Multiplexing Identifier (MID) value by means of an exchange of meta-signalling messages between the end system and the intermediate system, which meta-signalling messages contain the end system's MAC address.

A signalling system for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium uplink wherein each end system and the intermediate system comprise a signalling layer and an SSCOP layer arranged so that SSCOP connections between each end system and the intermediate system can be broken without affecting the operation of the signalling layers.

A signalling method for use in a multiple access asynchronous network segment for providing network access for a plurality of end systems to an intermediate system over a shared medium uplink wherein each end system and the intermediate system comprise a signalling layer and an SSCOP layer, comprising the steps of breaking SSCOP connections between each end system and the intermediate system without affecting the operation of the signalling layers.