Virtual ethernet ports with automated router port extension

A network node device for use in a transport network and for providing a plurality of user networks with an interface to the transport network, the network node device comprising a plurality of router port extension functional units, each router port extension functional unit being coupled to one of the user networks, each router port extension functional unit comprising:

• a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a first data packet from the transport network, said virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a second data packet to the transport network;
• and
• a LAN agent that is operable to receive said second data packet from the user network, said LAN agent also being operable to transmit said first data packet to the user network;
• wherein each of the router port extension functional units has an associated virtual port and wherein all of said virtual ports are multiplexed to a single LAN communication port.

A transport network access system for use in a transport network and for providing a plurality of user networks with an interface to the transport network, the network access system comprising a plurality of router port extension functional units, each router port extension functional unit being coupled to one of the user networks, each router port extension functional unit comprising:

• a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a first data packet from the transport network, said virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a second data packet to the transport network;
• and
• a LAN agent that is operable to receive said second data packet from the user network, said LAN agent also being operable to transmit said first data packet to the user network;
• wherein each of the router port extension functional units has an associated virtual port and wherein all of said virtual ports are multiplexed to a single LAN communication port.

A method for use with a transport network access system comprising a plurality of router port extension functional units, the transport network access system being coupled to a transport network, each router port extension functional unit being coupled to one of a plurality of user networks, each router port extension functional unit comprising (a) a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a first data packet from the transport network, the virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a second data packet to the transport network, and (b) a LAN agent that is operable to receive said second data packet from the user network, the LAN agent also being operable to transmit said first data packet to the user network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, with the LAN agent, an upstream data packet from the user equipment;
• encapsulating, with the router port extension functional unit, said received upstream data packet into an encapsulation format that is compatible for transmission on said network;
• and
• routing, with the virtual channel agent, said encapsulated data packet onto at least one of a plurality of data communication paths on the transport network for further transmission to a wide area network access device;
• wherein each of the router port extension functional units has an associated virtual port and wherein all of said virtual ports are multiplexed to a single LAN communication port.

A method for extending a plurality of sub-interfaces of a router port of a wide area network access device to a plurality of user networks using a transport network comprising a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths, wherein at least one of said network nodes comprises an access device, the access device including a plurality of router port extension functional units wherein each router port extension functional unit is coupled to one of the user networks, each router port extension functional unit comprising (a) a virtual channel agent and (b) a LAN agent, wherein each of the router port extension functional units has an associated virtual port and wherein all of said virtual ports are multiplexed to a single LAN communication port, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, with the virtual channel agent of a first router port extension functional unit, a downstream data packet from the router port;
• decapsulating, in said first router port extension functional unit, said received downstream data packet so that the transport network encapsulation format is removed from said received data packet;
• transmitting, with the LAN agent of the first router port extension functional unit, an ARP message over a first user LAN requesting the address for the recipient of the received downstream data packet;
• receiving, with the LAN agent of the first router port extension functional unit, an ARP response from a device on the first user LAN;
• encapsulating, in the first router port extension functional unit, the decapsulated data packet into a LAN encapsulation format data packet using the address received from the ARP response as the destination address for the data packet;
• transmitting, with the LAN agent of the first router port extension functional unit, the LAN encapsulated data packet onto said first user LAN;
• and
• repeating the foregoing steps with a second user LAN using a second router port extension functional unit.

A method for extending a plurality of sub-interfaces of a router port of a wide area network access device to a plurality of user networks using a transport network comprising a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths, wherein at least one of said network nodes comprises an access device, the access device including a plurality of router port extension functional units wherein each router port extension functional unit is coupled to one of the user networks, each router port extension functional unit comprising (a) a virtual channel agent and (b) a LAN agent, wherein each of the router port extension functional units has an associated virtual port and wherein all of said virtual ports are multiplexed to a single LAN communication port, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, with the LAN agent of a first router port extension functional unit, a first upstream data packet from a first user LAN;
• decapsulating, in the first router port extension functional unit, said received first data packet so that the LAN encapsulation format is removed from said received first data packet;
• encapsulating, in the first router port extension functional unit, the first decapsulated data packet into the transport network encapsulation format;
• transmitting, with the virtual channel agent of the first router port extension functional unit, the first transport network encapsulated data packet onto the transport network;
• and
• repeating the foregoing steps with a second user LAN using a second router port extension functional unit.