US 6,587,476 B1 · Ethernet frame encapsulation over VDSL using HDLC

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of encapsulating Ethernet frame data in HDLC frames for transmission over a VDSL transport facility. The HDLC frames are transmitted over a point to point VDSL link where they are subsequently extracted and forwarded as standard Ethernet frames. The VDSL facility transport system comprises one or more Ethernet to VDSL CPEs coupled to a DSLAM over a VDSL transport facility. The Ethernet to VDSL CPE functions to receive a 10BaseT Ethernet signal and encapsulate the Ethernet frame into a HDLC frame for transmission over the VDSL facility. In one embodiment, a single chip microcontroller on the CPE performs both Ethernet controller and HDLC controller functions. The DSLAM is adapted to receive HDLC frames from one or more CPEs, extract Ethernet frames therefrom and generate and output a standard Ethernet signal. Ethernet frames are encapsulated within HDLC frames and transmitted on the wire pair without regard to the state of the SOC signals. This overcomes the problems associated with synchronizing the transmission of the Ethernet data with the SOC signals.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of transporting Ethernet frames over a Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transport facility coupling a first communication device and a second communication device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an input Ethernet frame on said first communication device from a fist Ethernet compatible communication device coupled thereto;
encapsulating entire said received Ethernet frame within a High level Data Link Control (HDLC) frame;
transmitting said HDLC frame over said VDSL transport facility, wherein said Ethernet frame is transmitted over said VDSL transport facility without regard to VDSL transmit and receive start of cell (SOC) signals;
receiving said HDLC frame on said second communication device;
extracting said Ethernet frame from said received HDLC frame and generating an output Ethernet fame therefrom;
and
transmitting said output Ethernet frame to a second Ethernet compatible communication device coupled to said second communication device.

4 more elements

An Ethernet transport system for transporting Ethernet frames over one or more Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transport facilities, said system comprising:

a plurality of channels wherein each channel comprises an Ethernet to VDSL Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), each CPE comprising:
means for receiving an Ethernet frame from a first Ethernet source and entirely encapsulating it within a High level Data Link Control (HDLC) frame;
means for transmitting said HDLC frame onto one of said VDSL transport facilities, wherein said Ethernet frames arc transmitted over said VDSL transport facility without regard to VDSL transmit and receive start of cell (SOC) signals;
means for receiving said HDLC frame from one of said VDSL transport facilities;
means for extracting said Ethernet frame from said HDLC frame and forwarding it to said first Ethernet source;
an access multiplexor adapted to interface with said plurality of channels, said access multiplexor comprising:
an Ethernet switch having a plurality of ports;
means for receiving from each channel, HDLC frames from a corresponding VDSL transport facility;
means for extracting Ethernet frames from said HDLC frames and inputting them to a port on said Ethernet switch;
means for transmitting Ethernet frames from said port to a second Ethernet source;
means for receiving Ethernet frames from said second Ethernet source and inputting them to said Ethernet switch;
means for encapsulating entire said Ethernet frames output of said Ethernet switch into HDLC frames;
and
means for transmitting said HDLC frames onto one of said VDSL transport facilities, wherein said Ethernet frames are transmitted over said VDSL transport facility without regard to VDSL transmit and receive start of cell (SOC) signals.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ethernet frame encapsulation over VDSL using HDLC

Life of this patent

Ethernet frame encapsulation over VDSL using HDLC

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15