Fixed interval composite framing in integrated services networks

Claim 1

A method of transmitting information between a multiplicity of subscribers, as components of traffic in an integrated services network (ISN), in which the information traffic consists of a multiplicity of media types according to the communications services required by the different subscribers, including voice, video and data traffic component types, said method comprising: assembling at successive ones of a predetermined fixed interval of time a plurality of traffic component types in information streams from subscribers associated with an endpoint node of the ISN into composite frames of variable size for sequential launching of the assembled composite frames into the ISN destined to subscribers associated with another endpoint node of the ISN, limiting the traffic component types assembled into each of the composite frames to those in information streams destined for subscribers associated with said another endpoint node of the ISN, at which the composite frames are to be disassembled, configuring each assembled composite frame with the traffic component types assigned to respective separate groups of adjacent channels of bandwidth allocated according to predetermined communication requirements of the particular traffic component type through the ISN, with each group limited to channels of identical fixed size transporting traffic components of the same type and each channel in a group dedicated to a particular subscriber of the respective traffic component type for a communication session, and synchronously launching the assembled composite frames successively into the ISN at said fixed interval of time as the frame launch interval.

Claim 2

A method of transmitting information between a multiplicity of subscribers, as components of traffic in an integrated services network (ISN), in which the information traffic consists of a multiplicity of media types according to the communications services required by the different subscribers, including voice, video and data traffic component types, said method comprising: assembling at successive ones of a predetermined fixed interval of time a plurality of traffic component types in information streams from subscribers associated with an endpoint node of the ISN into composite frames of variable size for sequential launching of the assembled composite frames into the ISN destined to subscribers associated with another endpoint node of the ISN, limiting the traffic component types assembled into each of the composite frames to those in information streams destined for subscribers associated with said another endpoint node of the ISN, at which the composite frames are to be disassembled, configuring each assembled composite frame with the traffic component types assigned to respective separate groups of adjacent channels of bandwidth allocated according to predetermined communication requirements of the particular traffic component type through the ISN, with each group limited to channels of identical fixed size transporting traffic components of the same type and each channel in a group dedicated to a particular subscriber of the respective traffic component type for a communication session, and synchronously launching the assembled composite frames successively into the ISN at said fixed interval of time as the frame launch interval.

Claim 10

A method of multimedia information communication between subscribers associated with endpoint nodes of a fast packet switched network, said endpoint nodes being connectable via network paths having multiple transmission links, and wherein the multimedia information includes a plurality of traffic component types from among voice, video and data to be communicated between subscribers associated with said endpoint nodes, said method comprising: assembling within a preset fixed time interval each of a plurality of variably sized composite frames from portions of information streams generated by the subscribers at an endpoint node, into respective ones of a plurality of fixed size channels representing bandwidth allocations for each of said traffic component types, to produce a sequence of the composite frames in which each is separated from the next by said time interval, and synchronously launching said sequence of composite frames into said network.

Claim 11

A method of multimedia information communication between subscribers associated with endpoint nodes of a fast packet switched network, said endpoint nodes being connectable via network paths having multiple transmission links, and wherein the multimedia information includes a plurality of traffic component types from among voice, video and data to be communicated between subscribers associated with said endpoint nodes, said method comprising: assembling within a preset fixed time interval each of a plurality of variably sized composite frames from portions of information streams generated by the subscribers at an endpoint node, into respective ones of a plurality of fixed size channels representing bandwidth allocations for each of said traffic component types, to produce a sequence of the composite frames in which each is separated from the next by said time interval, and synchronously launching said sequence of composite frames into said network.

Claim 18

A system for transmitting information during call connections between a multiplicity of subscribers as components of traffic in an integrated services network (ISN), in which the information traffic consists of a multiplicity of media types according to the requirements of the different subscribers including voice, video and data traffic component types, comprising: assembling means for assembling a plurality of traffic component types in separate respective subscriber information streams to be launched for transmission at an entry node of said ISN during respective call connections, into the message information payload field of each of a sequence of composite frames of variable bandwidth to occupy channels of predetermined limited bandwidth within the respective frame for transmission through the ISN, the assembling means including: composing means for assembling at successive ones of a predetermined fixed interval of time a plurality of traffic component types, in separate respective subscriber information streams to be launched for transmission at an endpoint node of the ISN during respective call connections to subscribers at other endpoints of the ISN, into each of a sequence of composite frames of variable bandwidth for transmission through the ISN, said composing means including: processing means for limiting the traffic component types assembled into each of said composite frames to those destined for subscribers at the same other endpoint of the ISN, configuring means for configuring each assembled composite frame with the traffic component types assigned to respective separate groups of adjacent channels of predetermined bandwidth with each group limited to channels transporting traffic components of the same type and each channel in a group dedicated to a particular subscriber of the respective traffic component type for the duration of its respective call connection, and launch means responsive to completion of assembly of composite frames at an endpoint node for synchronously launching the assembled composite frames successively into the ISN separated by said fixed interval of time.

Claim 19

A system for transmitting information during call connections between a multiplicity of subscribers as components of traffic in an integrated services network (ISN), in which the information traffic consists of a multiplicity of media types according to the requirements of the different subscribers including voice, video and data traffic component types, comprising: assembling means for assembling a plurality of traffic component types in separate respective subscriber information streams to be launched for transmission at an entry node of said ISN during respective call connections, into the message information payload field of each of a sequence of composite frames of variable bandwidth to occupy channels of predetermined limited bandwidth within the respective frame for transmission through the ISN, the assembling means including: composing means for assembling at successive ones of a predetermined fixed interval of time a plurality of traffic component types, in separate respective subscriber information streams to be launched for transmission at an endpoint node of the ISN during respective call connections to subscribers at other endpoints of the ISN, into each of a sequence of composite frames of variable bandwidth for transmission through the ISN, said composing means including: processing means for limiting the traffic component types assembled into each of said composite frames to those destined for subscribers at the same other endpoint of the ISN, configuring means for configuring each assembled composite frame with the traffic component types assigned to respective separate groups of adjacent channels of predetermined bandwidth with each group limited to channels transporting traffic components of the same type and each channel in a group dedicated to a particular subscriber of the respective traffic component type for the duration of its respective call connection, and launch means responsive to completion of assembly of composite frames at an endpoint node for synchronously launching the assembled composite frames successively into the ISN separated by said fixed interval of time.