EP0337619A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Communication system
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1989-03-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A bidirectional broadband and telephony network controllable from the exchange end 15. An optical fibre 16 carries the services to customers premises 30, 31 via passive optical splitters 17, 18. Telephony from block 10 is provided on one wavelength, broadcast TV from block 11 on a second wavelength an bidirectional asynchronous time division information from block 40 on another wavelength using ATD (Asynchronous Time Division) techniques. Time-slots are allocated for information packets so they can travel without interference to and from receiving stations and the round trip delay between stations is adjusted to achieve this whilst maintaining minimum bandwidth requirements. Dynamic allocation of spare capacity is provided for bursty services.
Inventors
- 👤 John Leonard Adams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:24
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04J; H04J14/00; H04J14/08; H04J14/02; H04J14/0226; H04J14/0227; H04J14/0228; H04J14/023; H04J14/0232; H04J14/0241; H04J14/0242; H04J14/0245; H04J14/0247; H04J14/0249; H04J14/0252; H04J14/0278; H04J14/0282; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/06; H04J3/0635; H04J3/0682; H04J3/16; H04J3/1694
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A bidirectional broadband and telephony network controllable from the exchange or head end of the network including means (67) at the exchange or head end for allocating time slots for information packets to travel without interference to and from a plurality of receiving stations, wherein the allocating means includes means (70) for determing the round-trip delay between the exchange or head end and each of the receiving stations and means (70) for adjusting the round trip delay to ensure correct spacing of the information packets during passage through the network and includes means (71, 66) for interrogating stations and enforcing allocation thereto to ensure each stations minimum bandwidth requirements are fulfilled, and, means (71) for dynamically allocating spare capacity to each station for bursty services.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A bidirectional broadband and telephony network controllable from the exchange or head end of the network including means (67) at the exchange or head end for allocating time slots for information packets to travel without interference to and from a plurality of receiving stations, wherein the allocating means includes means (70) for determing the round-trip delay between the exchange or head end and each of the receiving stations and means (70) for adjusting the round trip delay to ensure correct spacing of the information packets during passage through the network and includes means (71, 66) for interrogating stations and enforcing allocation thereto to ensure each stations minimum bandwidth requirements are fulfilled, and, means (71) for dynamically allocating spare capacity to each station for bursty services.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
85 words
A network as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the means for allocating time slots including means (67) at the exchange or head end for generating a continuous series of cells, means (74) for transmitting said cells, means (61) for routing information to be carried to receiving stations in selected cells and means (68) for generating information within a header portion of a cell to allow a designated station access to transmit an information packet using that cell or retain an information packet from that cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A network as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the means for generating information includes means (61) for generating station identification information in the cell header indicative of a receiving station and means (61) for generating a connection number for receipt by each station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A network as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the allocating means includes means (68) for generating control information indicative of the presence and type of information contained in each cell for receipt by receiving stations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
a network as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the means for generating control information includes means (68) for generating a cell full/empty indicator, means (68, 71) for generating a reset/transmit indicator for service access, and means (61, 67) for generating a broadcast indicator to allow all customers to retain the received packet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A network as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 wherein the means for generating control information includes means (61, 67) for generating a priority indicator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A network as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 or 6 wherein the means for generating control information includes means for (66) for generating a change in allowed allocation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each station includes means (56, 52) for requesting an alteration in its amount of access for transmission determined by the exchange end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A network as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein at the exchange or head end, polling means (71) are provided for repeatedly polling each station to determine current user requirements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
A network as claimed in Claim 9 wherein each station includes means (56, 52) for requesting a change in transmission access and the exchange or head end includes means (66) for responding to the request to change allocation or to maintain or decrease allocation and generator means (66, 71) are provided for generating information to the requesting station indicative of any change.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A network as claimed in Claims 9 or 10 wherein the requesting means includes detector means (77, 76, 52) for checking the received allocation changes and means (52) for generating a further request if an error is detected.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A network as claimed in Claim 9 or 10 or 11 wherein the requesting means includes an allocation request store (78), an allocation check store (78) and an allocation modification store (78).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
A network as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 12 wherein the polling means (71) includes counter means (71) for decrementing the allocation of each station on handling each cell until its allocation is exhausted and means (66, 71) for resetting the counter means when no further stations have allocation remaining and/or no further cells from or for any station are waiting to be transmitted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A network as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 13 wherein the polling means (71) is configured to effect access via the telephony channel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means for determining the round trip delay includes means (70, 67) for transmitting ranging signals during a measuring period.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means for adjusting the round trip delay includes a phased locked loop (50) at each station locked to the local exchange to ensure synchronism and an elastic buffer (50) controllable by the exchange to ensure an equal number of bits in each round trip path from any station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A network as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein a telephony channel is provided and interface means (48) are provided thereto to convey information on the transmission requirement of a station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A network as claimed in Claim 17 wherein the interface includes means (48, 71) for determing packet arrivals at respective stations, and means (71) for polling stations for their allocation requirements dependent on the information queuing therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A network as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 18, wherein information on the transmission requirements of a station are sent in the header of information packets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A network as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein switching means (42) at the exchange or head end are provided for handling incoming and outgoing information on a multiplexed basis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A network as claimed in Claim 20, wherein the switching means (42) is configured to handle information on any asynchronous time division basis on a single common wavelength.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each station includes wavelength filter means (20) to permit receipt of broadband packet information.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each station includes buffer means (50, 53, 54) for temporarily holding information sent or received via the exchange end and means (52) for arranging said information into the cell format required.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the network is configured using an optical medium and an optical/electrical interface (45, 46) is provided at each station.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A network as claimed in Claim 24 wherein the exchange end includes an optical/electrical interface (73, 74).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
72 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means (71, 66) for enforcing allocation includes means (66) for providing at least a minimum access on request by a station and means (66, 71) for maintaining at least such allocation till it is no longer required thereby and means (66) for providing at least a minimum access to further stations to ensure all requesting stations some access regardless of bandwidth constraints.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim including means (61, 64) at the exchange or head end for translating a connection number of an incoming/outgoing packet to/from the associated station.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each station includes means (56) for calculating the access requirements from current traffic information to determine if an increased allocation is required.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherin generator means (64, 63) at the exchange end are configured to generate cells in the form of ATD cells complete with an information header portion.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of controlling a bidirectional broadband and telephony network from the exchange or head end of the network including allocating at the exchange or head end time slots for information packets to travel without interference to and from a plurality of receiving stations, the allocation including determining the round-trip delay between the exchange or head end and each of the receiving stations; adjusting the round trip delay to ensure correct spacing of the information packets during passage through the network; interrogating stations and enforcing allocation thereto to ensure each stations minimum bandwidth requirements are fulfilled; and, dynamically allocating spare capacity to each station for bursty services.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of controlling a bidirectional broadband and telephony network from the exchange or head end of the network including allocating at the exchange or head end time slots for information packets to travel without interference to and from a plurality of receiving stations, the allocation including determining the round-trip delay between the exchange or head end and each of the receiving stations; adjusting the round trip delay to ensure correct spacing of the information packets during passage through the network; interrogating stations and enforcing allocation thereto to ensure each stations minimum bandwidth requirements are fulfilled; and, dynamically allocating spare capacity to each station for bursty services.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as claimed in Claim 30 including generating at the exchange or head end a continuous series of cells, transmitting said cells, routing information to be carried to receiving stations in selected cells and generating information within a header portion of a cell to allow a designated station access to transmit an information packet using that cell or retain an information packet from that cell.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in Claim 31 including generating station identification information in the cell header indicative of a receiving station and generating a connection number for receipt by each station.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in Claim 30, 31 or 32 wherein the allocation includes generating control information indicative of the presence and type of information contained in each cell for receipt by receiving stations.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in Claim 33 wherein the control information generation step includes generating a cell full/empty indicator, generating a reset/transmit indicator for service access, or generating a broadcast indicator to allow all customers to retain the received packet.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in Claim 33 or 34 wherein the generating control information step includes generating a priority indicator.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in Claim 33, 34 or 36 wherein the control information step includes generating a change in allowed allocation.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim including at any station the step of requesting an alteration in its amount of access for transmission determined by the exchange end.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 30 to 35 including repeatedly polling each station to determine current user requirements from the exchange or head end.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as claimed in Claim 38 including requesting from any station a change in transmission access and responding from the exchange or head end to the request to change allocation or to maintain or decrease allocation and generating information to the requesting station indicative of any change.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in Claims 38, 39 wherein the requesting step includes checking the received allocation changes and for generating a further request if an error is detected.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claim 38, 39 or 40 wherein the polling step includes decrementing the allocation of each station on handling each cell until its allocation is exhausted and reallocating the stations when no further stations have allocation remaining and/or no further cells from or for any station are waiting to be transmitted.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 41 includes transmitting ranging signals during a measuring period to determine the round trip delay, and generating a signal to adjust an elastic buffer at any station to equalise the round trip delay of all stations.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 30 to 42, wherein information on the transmission requirements of a station are sent in the header of information packets.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 30 to 43, including multiplexing incoming and outgoing information at the exchange or head end on an asynchronous time division basis on a single common wavelength.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
33 words
A method a claimed in any one of claims 30 to 44 including providing an optical transmission medium and interfacing electrical signals thereto at both the exchange or head end and each station.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
58 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 45, including providing at least a minimum access on request by a station and maintaining at least such allocation till it is no longer required thereby and providing at least a minimum access to further stations to ensure all requesting stations some access regardless of bandwidth constraints.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 46, including translating at the exchange or head end a connection number of an incoming/outgoing packet to/from the associated station.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 30 to 47, including calculating each at any station the access requirements from current traffic information to determine if an increased allocation is required.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 48, including generating cells at the exchange or head end in the form of ATD cells complete with an information header portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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