EP0159810A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Broadband digital transmission systems
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
•
Filing: 1985-03-20
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2005-03-20
Abstract
Abstract @ A broadband digital transmission system enables high bit rate data stream to be transmissed over low bit rate telephone networks. A high bit rate stream of data from a source 2 is distributed by a distributor 4 into six separate streams to provide six low bit rate streams of data. A call unbit 6 establishes six channel communication with a receiver 20 and the six data streams are fed in parallel along the six channels. A reassembler 34 receives the six low bit rate streams and reconstructs them to produce the original high bit rate stream of data.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Robert Dr. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:16
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L25/00; H04L25/02; H04L25/14; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/06; H04J3/062; H04J3/0626
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A digital data transmission system comprising a distributor for distributing the data in a data stream equally to N different outputs (where N is an integer); means including a call unit at a first location and a receiver unit at a second location for establishing N channels of communication between said first location and said second location, each channel for carrying the data from a corresponding one of said outputs from said first location to second location; a reassembler at said second location to reassemble the distributed data received from said N channels into said data stream in its pre-distributed form; variable delay means at said second location, coupling each of said channels from said receiver unit to said reassembler; and a control unit coupled to the output of the reassembler for varying the delays of said variable delay means, the call unit being operable during an initial pre-data transmission period to transmit synchronisation signals along each of said channels and the control unit being operable during said pre-data transmission period to vary the said delays in response to the output from said reassembler in a sense to equalise the transmission time along the different channels between the call unit and the reassembler.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
203 words
A digital data transmission system comprising a distributor for distributing the data in a data stream equally to N different outputs (where N is an integer); means including a call unit at a first location and a receiver unit at a second location for establishing N channels of communication between said first location and said second location, each channel for carrying the data from a corresponding one of said outputs from said first location to second location; a reassembler at said second location to reassemble the distributed data received from said N channels into said data stream in its pre-distributed form; variable delay means at said second location, coupling each of said channels from said receiver unit to said reassembler; and a control unit coupled to the output of the reassembler for varying the delays of said variable delay means, the call unit being operable during an initial pre-data transmission period to transmit synchronisation signals along each of said channels and the control unit being operable during said pre-data transmission period to vary the said delays in response to the output from said reassembler in a sense to equalise the transmission time along the different channels between the call unit and the reassembler.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to Claim 2, wherein the call unit is operable during an initial pre-data transmission period to transmit unique channel identifying signals along each channel and wherein the receiver unit is operable to identify said channels from said channel identifying signals and to couple said channels in the correct cyclical order to said reassembler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system according to Claim 2, wherein the call unit is arranged to transmit said synchronisation signals and said channel identifying signals in the form of successive blocks of code data, alternate items of data in the block constituting said channel identifying signals, and intervening items of data comprising successive counts of a counting period and constituting said synchronisation signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the control unit transmits a signal to the distributor to start the transmission of data when the correct channel sequence and synchronisation of the channels have been established.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
20 words
A system according to any preceding Claim, wherein the distributor acts to distribute successive blocks of data to said outputs.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the distributor acts to distribute successive bits of said data to said outputs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A digital data transmission system for transmitting digital data streams between two locations comprising a system as claimed in claim 1 disposed at each of said two locations, each control unit being coupled to its associated co-located call unit and being arranged upon detection of correctly reassembled synchronisation signals, to command its associated call unit to transmit a signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said signal is a predetermined bit of each of a series of bytes constituting said synchronisation signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said series of bytes comprises successive counts of a counting period.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
47 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein each control unit is arranged to command its associated call unit to start the transmission of data upon receipt of a said signal if its associated call unit is already transmitting a said signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
. p system as claimed in claim 10 wherein each control unit is arranged to commmand its associated call unit to start the transmission of data upon loss of reception of correctly reassembled synchronisation signals together with a said signal.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of transmitting a digital data stream comprising the steps of establishing N channels (where N is an integer) of communication from a first to a second location, transmitting synchronising signals along each channel during an initial pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the second location into a data determining from said synchronising signals in the reassembled data stream any differences in the transmission times along said channels, equalising said transmission times, cyclically distributing the data into N streams, and transmitting each said stream along a corresponding one of said channels.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of transmitting a digital data stream comprising the steps of establishing N channels (where N is an integer) of communication from a first to a second location, transmitting synchronising signals along each channel during an initial pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the second location into a data determining from said synchronising signals in the reassembled data stream any differences in the transmission times along said channels, equalising said transmission times, cyclically distributing the data into N streams, and transmitting each said stream along a corresponding one of said channels.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to Claim 12, including the steps of transmitting unique channel identifying signals along each channel during an initial pre-data stream transmission period and rearranging the channels in the correct cyclical order at the second location prior to the reassembly step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to Claim 13, wherein said synchronising signals and said channel identifying signals are transmitted in the form of successive blocks of code data, wherein alternate items of data in the block constitute said channel identifying signals and intervening items of data comprise successive counts of a counting period and constitute said synchronising signals.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
44 words
A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14 including the step of transmitting a signal from the second location to the first location to indicate that the N streams are correctly reassembled and that said cyclical distribution and transmission can begin.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
74 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 15 comprising the steps of incorporating a check signal into the data stream at the first location prior to the cyclical distributor into N streams, the check signal being such that upon reassembly at the second location a determination can be made of the correct establishment of the N channels; monitoring the reassembled check signal; and determining whether the N channels are correctly established.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 including the steps detecting of incorrect reassembly of the check signal, and signalling to the first location to cease transmission of data and start transmission of the synchronising signals.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
275 words
A method of transmitting digital data streams between a first and a second location, comprising the steps of establishing N channels (where N is an integer) of communication from the first to the second location, transmitting synchronisation signals along each channel during an initial pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the second location with a single stream, determining from said synchronisation signals in the reassembled stream any differences in the transmission times along said channels, equalising said transmission times, establishing N corresponding channels of communication from the second location to the first location, transmitting a signal from the second location to the first location to indicate that the N stream received at the second location are correctly reassembled, transmitting synchronisation signals along each of said corresponding channels during a corresponding pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the first location into a single stream, determining from said synchronisation signals in the reassembled stream any differences in the transmission times along said corresponding channels, equalising said transmision times, transmitting a signal from the first location to the second location to indicate that N streams received at the first location are correctly reassembled, determining at whichever one of the locations is the first to detect that the stream is correctly reassembled that a said signal has been received from the other location and thereupon cylically distributing the data at said one location into N streams and transmitting each said stream along a corresponding one of said channels, and determining at said other location that reception of synchronisation signals has ceased and thereupon effecting corresponding steps of distributing and transmitting data.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
275 words
A method of transmitting digital data streams between a first and a second location, comprising the steps of establishing N channels (where N is an integer) of communication from the first to the second location, transmitting synchronisation signals along each channel during an initial pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the second location with a single stream, determining from said synchronisation signals in the reassembled stream any differences in the transmission times along said channels, equalising said transmission times, establishing N corresponding channels of communication from the second location to the first location, transmitting a signal from the second location to the first location to indicate that the N stream received at the second location are correctly reassembled, transmitting synchronisation signals along each of said corresponding channels during a corresponding pre-data stream transmission period, reassembling the N streams received at the first location into a single stream, determining from said synchronisation signals in the reassembled stream any differences in the transmission times along said corresponding channels, equalising said transmision times, transmitting a signal from the first location to the second location to indicate that N streams received at the first location are correctly reassembled, determining at whichever one of the locations is the first to detect that the stream is correctly reassembled that a said signal has been received from the other location and thereupon cylically distributing the data at said one location into N streams and transmitting each said stream along a corresponding one of said channels, and determining at said other location that reception of synchronisation signals has ceased and thereupon effecting corresponding steps of distributing and transmitting data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein each said signal is a predetermined bit of each of a series of bytes constituting said synchronisation signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said series of bytes comprise successive counts of a counting period.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
95 words
A method according to any one of claims 17 to 20 comprising the steps of incorporating respective check signals into the data streams at the first and second locations prior to the cyclical distribution into N streams, the check signals being such that upon reassembly at the receiving location a determination can be made of the correct establishment of the N channels; monitoring the respective reassembled check signals to determining whether the N channels remain correctly established; and if incorrect establishment occurs, ceasing transmission of the data and starting the transmision of the synchronising signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3A and 3B of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A digital data transmission system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3A and 3B of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
16 words
A method of transmitting digital data substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
16 words
A method of transmitting digital data substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0016677A1
Cited
GB2074420A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.