US 8,411,696 B1 · Systems and methods for communicating with multiple distribution points of a network

Abstract

The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for communicating data. In one exemplary embodiment, a system has a high-speed channel, such as an optical fiber, between a network facility, such as a central office (CO), and a first intermediate point between the network facility and a plurality of customer premises (CP). Digital communication links, such as DSL links, are used to carry data between the first intermediate point, such as a feeder distribution interface (FDI), and a second intermediate point, such as the Distribution Point (DP). Non-shared links may then carry the data from the second intermediate point to the CPs. The links between the two intermediate points are bonded to create a high-speed, shared data channel that permits peak data rates much greater than what would be achievable without bonding. In some embodiments, multicast data flows may be prioritized and transmitted across a set of connections to each of the intermediate points. In addition, it is possible to power components at the intermediate points from one or more of the CPs.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A communication system, comprising:

an access multiplexer configured to receive a plurality of data flows destined for a plurality of customer premises (CP) transceivers at a plurality of customer premises;
a first distribution point having a first service unit coupled to the access multiplexer and to at least one of the CP transceivers;
a second distribution point having a second service unit coupled to the access multiplexer and at least one of the CP transceivers;
and
a plurality of point-to-multipoint (PTM) communication connections, each of the PTM communication connections extending from the access multiplexer to both the first service unit and the second service unit.

2 more elements

A communication system, comprising:

an access multiplexer configured to receive a plurality of data flows destined for a plurality of customer premises (CP) transceivers at a plurality of customer premises;
a first distribution point having a first service unit coupled to the access multiplexer via a plurality of first point-to-point (PTP) communication connections, each of the first PTP communication connections extending from the access multiplexer to the first distribution point and shared by each of at least a plurality of the CP transceivers;
a second distribution point having a second service unit, wherein unicast data packets from at least one of the data flows are transmitted from the access multiplexer to the second service unit;
a plurality of second PTP communication connections, each of the second PTP communication connections extending from the access multiplexer to the first service unit and shared by each of at least a plurality of the CP transceivers coupled to the first service unit;
and
a plurality of third PTP communication connections, each of the third PTP communication connections extending from the first service unit to the second service unit and shared by each of at least a plurality of the CP transceivers coupled to the second service unit, wherein multicast data packets from at least one of the data flows are transmitted across a plurality of the second PTP communication connections from the access multiplexer to the first distribution point and across the third PTP communication connections from the first distribution point to the second distribution point.

3 more elements

An access multiplexer for use in a communication system, comprising:

a first plurality of transceivers coupled to a first distribution point via a first bonding group comprising point-to-point (PTP) communication connections;
a second plurality of transceivers coupled to a second distribution point via a second bonding group comprising PTP communication connections;
a third plurality of transceivers coupled to the first and second distribution points via a third bonding group comprising point-to-multipoint (PTM) communication connections, each of the PTM communication connections extending from a respective one of the third plurality of transceivers to both the first and second distribution points;
a first bonding engine configured to fragment data packets of a first unicast data flow into first fragments and to transmit the first fragments to the first plurality of transceivers;
a second bonding engine configured to fragment data packets of a second unicast data flow into second fragments and to transmit the second fragments to the second plurality of transceivers;
a third bonding engine configured to fragment data packets of a first multicast data flow into third fragments and to transmit the third fragments to the third plurality of transceivers;
and
forwarding logic configured to forward the data packets of the first unicast data flow to the first bonding engine, to forward the data packets of the second unicast data flow to the second bonding engine, and to forward the data packets of the first multicast data flow to the third bonding engine.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for communicating with multiple distribution points of a network

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for communicating with multiple distribution points of a network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42