System and method for multichannel communication

A method executed in a line interface module, for enabling communication among a plurality of internal devices over an existing physical medium of a premises as well as communicating between the internal devices and external devices on an external network that is coupled to said, comprising:

• receiving an allocation request from an internal device, which request includes an identification of a destination device, a data transmission type, and a bandwidth;
• if capacity is available, allocating a channel to the internal device based on the allocation request, and informing said internal device of the allocation;
• if the destination device is an external device reachable only through the external network, the method further comprises:
• receiving first communication signals from the internal device;
• multiplexing the first communication signals onto a single signal bus;
• and
• transmitting the multiplexed first communication signals to the external device through the external network
• receiving second communication signals from the external network;
• demultiplexing the second communication signals;
• extracting an internal destination address from the demultiplexed second communication signals;
• and
• transmitting the demultiplexed communication signals to an internal device that corresponds to the internal destination address.

A line interface device that provides communication among a plurality of internal devices over an existing physical medium of a premises and provides communication between the internal devices and external devices via an external network, comprising:

• an internal network interface;
• an external network interface;
• and
• a controller coupled to the internal network interface and the external network interface, the controller providing a plurality of channels on the existing physical medium, receiving an allocation request from an internal device for communicating with another internal device without the use of said external network, and allocating one of the channels to the internal device based on the allocation request;
• wherein the controller retrieves allocation data from an allocation database, identifies an unused channel of the plurality of channels, and sends a request response to the internal device.

A line interface device that provides communication among a plurality of internal devices over an existing physical medium of a premises and provides communication between the internal devices and external devices via an external network, comprising:

• an internal network interface;
• a network interface;
• and
• a controller coupled to the internal network interface and the network interface, the controller providing a plurality of channels on the existing physical medium, receiving an allocation request from an internal device, and allocating one of the channels to the internal device based on the allocation request
• wherein the controller retrieves allocation data from an allocation database, identifies an unused channel of the plurality of channels, and sends a request response to the internal device;
• wherein the allocation request includes an identification of a destination device, a data transmission type and a bandwidth;
• and
• wherein if the destination device is another internal device, the controller sends to the destination device a message indicating an identification of the requesting internal device and a channel that has been allocated.

A line interface device that provides communication among a plurality of internal devices over an existing physical medium of a premises and provides communication between the internal devices and external devices via an external network, comprising:

• an internal network interface;
• a network interface;
• and
• a controller coupled to the internal network interface and the network interface, the controller providing a plurality of channels on the existing physical medium, receiving an allocation request from an internal device, and allocating one of the channels to the internal device based on the allocation request
• wherein the controller retrieves allocation data from an allocation database, identifies an unused channel of the plurality of channels, and sends a request response to the internal device;
• wherein the allocation request includes an identification of a destination device, a data transmission type and a bandwidth;
• and
• wherein if the destination device is an external device reachable only through the external network, the network interface receives first communication signals from the internal device, multiplexes the first communication signals onto a single signal bus, and transmits the multiplexed first communication signals to the external device through the external network.