Granted Patent B1

US 7,492,761 · App. 10/109,794 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one port to receive data that conforms to multiple protocols;

a signal processing unit coupled to at least one of the ports, the signal processing unit to convert the data into packets that conform to an internet protocol of a single layer of an Open System Interconnection Model;

a network processor coupled to the signal processing unit, the network processor having a routing engine to route the packets across a network by handling queuing, traffic management, scheduling, and switching; and

a central processing unit coupled to the network processor, the central processing unit to run application programs, wherein the application programs comprise a service creation application, a network management application, a security application, a content caching application, and a telephony voice control application, wherein the signal processing unit, network processor, and central processing unit are located in a broadband remote terminal to provide for optimal reallocation of bandwidth as network traffic changes based on sending from the broadband remote terminal packets across a local loop to a central office using the internet protocol of the single layer of the Open System Interconnection Model.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the single layer is Layer 3.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data originally conforms to at least one of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol, a Time Division Multiplexing protocol, an Ethernet protocol, and a native packet format.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processing unit comprises:

a digital signal processor having a frequency band splitter;

a voice coder/decoder coupled to the frequency band splitter; and

a digital subscriber line modem coupled to the frequency band splitter.

5. A remote terminal to be coupled to a telecommunications network, the remote terminal comprising:

a multiplexer to terminate a network subscriber connection;

at least one port coupled to the multiplexer, the port to receive data that conforms to multiple protocols;

a signal processing unit coupled to at least one of the ports, the signal processing unit to convert the data into packets that conform to an internet protocol of a single layer of an Open System Interconnection Model; a network processor coupled to the signal processing unit, the network processor having a routing engine to route the packets across a network by handling queuing, traffic management, scheduling, and switching; and

a central processing unit coupled to the network processor, the central processing unit to run application programs, wherein the application programs comprise a service creation application, a network management application, a security application, a content caching application, and a telephony voice control application, wherein the signal processing unit, network processor, and central processing unit are located in the remote terminal to provide for optimal reallocation of bandwidth as network traffic changes based on sending from the remote terminal packets across a local loop to a central office using the internet protocol of the single layer of the Open System Interconnection Model.

6. The remote terminal of claim 5 , wherein the single layer is Layer 3.

7. The remote terminal of claim 5 , wherein the data originally conforms to at least one of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol, a Time Division Multiplexing protocol, an Ethernet protocol, and a native packet format.

8. The remote terminal of claim 5 , wherein the signal processing unit comprises:

a digital signal processor having a frequency band splitter;

a voice coder/decoder coupled to the frequency band splitter; and

a digital subscriber line modem coupled to the frequency band splitter.

9. A telecommunications network comprising:

a central office; and

a broadband remote terminal in communication with the central office, the broadband remote terminal comprising

a multiplexer to terminate a network subscriber connection,

at least one port coupled to the multiplexer, the port to receive data that conforms to multiple protocols,

a signal processing unit coupled to at least one of the ports, the signal processing unit to convert the data into packets that conform to an internet protocol of a single layer of an Open System Interconnection Model,

a network processor coupled to the signal processing unit, the network processor having a routing engine to route the packets across a network by handling queuing, traffic management, scheduling, and switching, and

a central processing unit coupled to the network processor, the central processing unit to run application programs, wherein the application programs comprise a service creation application, a network management application, a security application, a content caching application, and a telephony voice control application, wherein the signal processing unit, network processor, and central processing unit are located in the broadband remote terminal to provide for optimal reallocation of bandwidth as network traffic changes based on sending from the broadband remote terminal packets across a local loop to the central office using the internet protocol of the single layer of the Open System Interconnection Model.

10. The telecommunications network of claim 9 , wherein the single layer is Layer 3.

11. The telecommunications network of claim 9 , wherein the data originally conforms to at least one of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol, a Time Division Multiplexing protocol, an Ethernet protocol, and a native packet format.

12. The telecommunications network of claim 9 , wherein the signal processing unit comprises:

a digital signal processor having a frequency band splitter;

a voice coder/decoder coupled to the frequency band splitter; and

a digital subscriber line modem coupled to the frequency band splitter.

13. A method comprising:

receiving data from a network subscriber, wherein the data conforms to multiple protocols;

converting the data into packets that conform to an internet protocol of a single layer of an Open System Interconnection Model;

propagating the packets across a network by having a routing engine within a network processor that handles queuing, traffic management, scheduling, and switching; and

executing application programs with a central processing unit that is coupled to the network processor, wherein the application programs comprise a service creation application, a network management application, a security application, a content caching application, and a telephony voice control application, wherein the signal processing unit, network processor, and central processing unit are located in a broadband remote terminal to provide for optimal reallocation of bandwidth as network traffic changes based on sending from the broadband remote terminal packets across a local loop to a central office using the internet protocol of the single layer of the Open System Interconnection Model.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the single layer comprises: Layer 3.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein converting comprises:

creating packets that conform to an Internet Protocol standard.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

prioritizing packet propagation based on packet type.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein voice data packets are given priority over non-voice data packets.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

reallocating bandwidth based on network requirements.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a first data stream having data formatted according to a first communications protocol;

receiving a second data stream having data formatted according to a second communications protocol;

converting the first and second data streams into a third data stream having data formatted according to a third communications protocol;

transmitting the third data stream by having a routing engine within a network processor that handles queuing, traffic management, scheduling, and switching; and

executing application programs with a central processing unit that is coupled to the network processor, wherein the application programs comprise a service creation application, a network management application, a security application, a content caching application, and a telephony voice control application, wherein the signal processing unit, network processor, and central processing unit are located in a broadband remote terminal to provide for optimal reallocation of bandwidth as network traffic changes based on sending from the broadband remote terminal packets across a local loop to a central office using the third communications protocol.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the third communications protocol comprises:

a single protocol of Layer 3 of an Open System Interconnection Model.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein receiving the first and second data streams comprises:

receiving the first and second data streams via a same interface.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein receiving the first and second data streams comprises:

receiving the first and second data streams via a same communication link.

Assignments (10)