System for transporting ethernet frames over very high speed digital subscriber lines

#The present invention relates generally to data communication systems and more particularly relates to a system for transporting Ethernet frames over Very high speed Digital Subscriber Lines (VDSL).

#There is a growing need among both individuals and enterprises for access to a commonly available, cost effective network that provides speedy, reliable services. There is high demand for a high-speed data network, one with enough bandwidth to enable complex two-way communications. Such an application is possible today if; for example, access is available to a university or a corporation with sufficient finances to build this type of network. But for the average home computer user or small business, access to high speed data networks is expensive or simply impossible. Telephone companies are therefore eager to deliver broadband services to meet this current explosion in demand.

#One of the problems is that millions of personal computers have found their place in the home market. Today, PCs can be found in approximately 43% of all United States households and a full 50% of United States teenagers own computers. Virtually every PC sold today is equipped with a modem, enabling communication with the outside world via commercial data networks and the Internet. Currently, people use their PCs to send and receive e-mail, to access online services, to participate in electronic commerce and to browse the Internet. The popularity of the Internet is such that there are an estimated 50 million users around the globe. These figures indicate that in the past few years the personal computer has fueled a dramatic increase in data communications and the corresponding demands on the data networks that carry the traffic.

#The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an Ethernet to VDSL CPE coupled to a DSLAM over a VDSL transport facility;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the DSL Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) in more detail;

#The following notation is used throughout this document.

#Term Definition ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ANSI American National Standards Institute CAD Computer Aided Design CAP Carrierless Amplitude Modulation/Phase Modulation CPE Customer Premise Equipment CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check DBS Direct Broadcast Satellite DSL Digital Subscriber Loop DSLAM Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor EDI Ethernet Data in EDO Ethernet Data Out EEE Ethernet Encapsulation/Extraction EI Ethernet In EO Ethernet Out EOF End Of Frame ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute FDM Frequency Division Multiplexing FEXT Far End Crosstalk FIFO First In First Out FTTB Fiber to the Building FTTC Fiber to the Curb FTTCab Fiber to the Cabinet FTTEx Fiber to the Exchange FTTH Fiber to the Home FTTN Fiber to the Node HFC Hybrid Fiber Coax IFG Interframe Gap ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network MMDS Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service MPEG Motion Picture Entertainment Group NEXT Near End Crosstalk ONU Optical Network Unit PC Personal Computer POTS Plain Old Telephone Service QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation QoS Quality of Service RF Radio Frequency RFI Radio Frequency Interference SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol SOC Start Of Cell SOF Start Of Frame TIPI Transport Independent Parallel In TIPO Transport Independent Parallel Out USSB US Satellite Broadcasting UTP Unshielded Twisted Pair VDO VDSL Data Out VDSL Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line WWW World Wide Web

#The present invention is a system for transporting Ethernet frames over Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) frames. The VDSL frames are transmitted over a point to point VDSL link where they are subsequently extracted and forwarded as standard Ethernet frames. A block diagram illustrating an Ethernet over VDSL transport facility is shown in FIG. 1. The system, generally referenced 10, comprises an Ethernet to VDSL Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) 14 coupled to a DSL Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) 18 over a VDSL transport facility 16. The Ethernet to VDSL CPE 14 functions to receive a 10BaseT Ethernet signal 12 and encapsulate the Ethernet frame into a VDSL frame for transmission over the VDSL facility 16. Likewise, the Ethernet to VDSL CPE 14 also functions to receive a VDSL signal and extract Ethernet frames therefrom for output as standard 10BaseT Ethernet signals 12.