Point-to-multipoint data communication with channel associated signaling

1. A point-to-multipoint network, the network comprising:

a first line unit having a network interface;

a second line unit having a first fractional network interface, wherein the first line unit and the second line unit communicate over a first communications link;

a third line unit having a second fractional network interface, wherein the first line unit and the third line unit communicate over a second communications link;

wherein the first line unit is adapted to map a first set of user-data timeslots of the network interface to a first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface and map a second set of user-data timeslots of the network interface to a first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface;

wherein the first line unit communicates channel associated signaling information via a signaling channel time slot, wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots; and

wherein the first line unit is further adapted to map a first set of signaling bits from N signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot with the first fractional network interface and map a second set of signaling bits from M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot with the second fractional network interface;

wherein when N is less than 16, the first line unit is adapted to map the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network line with respective timeslots 1 to N of the first network line; and

when N is greater than 16, the first line unit is adapted to map the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network line with respective timeslots 1 to 15 and 17 to N+1 of the first network line.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the network interface, the first fractional network interface, and the second fractional network interface are based on G.703/E1 standards.

3. The network of claim 1 , wherein the user-data timeslots of the network interface include all the timeslots of the network interface excluding timeslot 0 and timeslot 16 .

4. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first set of signaling bits are associated with the first set of user-data timeslots; and wherein the second set of signaling bits are associated with the second set of user-data timeslots.

5. The network of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first communications link and the second communications link include a loop of a G.SHDSL communication link.

6. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first set of signaling bits are communicated via a first N signaling bit locations of the first network line; and

wherein the first line unit is adapted to map the first N signaling bit locations of the first network line with a first N signaling bit locations of the first fractional network line.

7. The network of claim 6 , wherein the second set of signaling bits are communicated via a next M signaling bit locations of the first network line after the first N signaling bit locations; and

wherein the first line unit is adapted to map the next M signaling bit locations of the first network line with a first M signaling bit locations of the second fractional network line.

8. A point-to-multipoint network, the network comprising:

a first line unit having a network interface;

a second line unit having a first fractional network interface, wherein the first line unit and the second line unit communicate over a first communications link;

a third line unit having a second fractional network interface, wherein the first line unit and the third line unit communicate over a second communications link;

wherein the first line unit is adapted to map a first set of user-data timeslots of the network interface to a first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface and map a second set of user-data timeslots of the network interface to a first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface;

wherein the first line unit communicates channel associated signaling information via a signaling channel time slot, wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots; and

wherein the first line unit is further adapted to map a first set of signaling bits from N signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot with the first fractional network interface and map a second set of signaling bits from M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot with the second fractional network interface;

wherein when N+M is less than 16, the first line unit is adapted to map the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network line with respective timeslots N+1 to N+M of the first network line;

when N is greater than 15, the first line unit is adapted to map the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network line with respective timeslots N+2 to N+M+1 of the first network line; and

when N is less than 15 and N+M is greater than 15, the first line unit is adapted to map the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network line with respective timeslots N+1 to 15 and 17 to N+M+1 of the first network line.

9. A method for providing channel associated signaling for a point-to-multipoint communication network, the method comprising:

mapping a first set of user-data timeslots of a first network interface to timeslots of a first fractional network interface, wherein the first set of user-data timeslots includes a first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface;

mapping a second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of a second fractional network interface, wherein the second set of user-data timeslots includes a next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface after the first N user-data timeslots;

mapping a first set of signaling bits positioned within N signaling bit locations carried by a signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface; and

mapping a second set of signaling bits positioned within M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface;

wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots;

wherein mapping the first set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the first fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface;

wherein mapping the second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the second fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first M user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface;

when N is less than 16, mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface with respective timeslots 1 to N of the first network interface; and

when N is greater than 16, mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface with respective timeslots 1 to 15 and 17 to N+1 of the first network interface.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

communicating data via the first network interface, based on G.703/E1 standards;

communicating data via the first fractional network interface based on G.703/E1 standards; and

communicating data via the second fractional network interface based on G.703/E1 standards.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

communicating data between the first network interface and the first fractional network interface using a first loop of a G.SHDSL communication link; and

communicating data between the first network interface and the second fractional network interface using a second loop of the G.SHDSL communication link.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein mapping a first set of signaling bits associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping N signaling bit locations of the first network interface associated with the first set of user-data timeslots to a first N signaling bit locations of the first fractional network interface.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein mapping a second set of signaling bits associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping M signaling bit locations of the first network interface associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with a first M signaling bit locations of the second fractional network interface.

14. A method for providing channel associated signaling for a point-to-multipoint communication network, the method comprising:

mapping a first set of user-data timeslots of a first network interface to timeslots of a first fractional network interface, wherein the first set of user-data timeslots includes a first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface;

mapping a second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of a second fractional network interface, wherein the second set of user-data timeslots includes a next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface after the first N user-data timeslots;

mapping a first set of signaling bits positioned within N signaling bit locations carried by a signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface; and

mapping a second set of signaling bits positioned within M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface;

wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots;

wherein mapping the first set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the first fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface;

wherein mapping the second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the second fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first M user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface;

when N+M is less than 16, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+1 to N+M of the first network interface;

when N is greater than 15, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+2 to N+M+1 of the first network interface; and

when N is less than 15 and N+M is greater than 15, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+1 to 15 and 17 to N+M+1 of the first network interface.

15. A nontransitory computer readable storage device having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for a point-to-multipoint communication network with channel associated signaling, the method comprising:

mapping a first set of user-data timeslots of a first network interface to timeslots of a first fractional network interface, wherein the first set of user-data timeslots includes a first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface;

mapping a second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of a second fractional network interface, wherein the second set of user-data timeslots includes a next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface after the first N user-data timeslots;

mapping a first set of signaling bits positioned within N signaling bit locations carried by a signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface; and

mapping a second set of signaling bits positioned within M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface, wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots;

when N is less than 16, mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface with respective timeslots 1 to N of the first network interface; and

when N is greater than 16, mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface with respective timeslots 1 to 15 and 17 to N+1 of the first network interface.

16. The nontransitory computer readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein mapping the first set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the first fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first N user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface.

17. The nontransitory computer readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein mapping the second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of the second fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping the next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface to a first M user-data timeslots of the first fractional network interface.

18. The nontransitory computer readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein mapping a first set of signaling bits associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping N signaling bit locations of the first network interface associated with the first set of user-data timeslots to a first N signaling bit locations of the first fractional network interface.

19. The nontransitory computer readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein mapping a second set of signaling bits associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface further comprises:

mapping M signaling bit locations of the first network interface associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with a first M signaling bit locations of the second fractional network interface.

20. A nontransitory computer readable storage device having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for a point-to-multipoint communication network with channel associated signaling, the method comprising:

mapping a first set of user-data timeslots of a first network interface to timeslots of a first fractional network interface, wherein the first set of user-data timeslots includes a first N user-data timeslots of the first network interface;

mapping a second set of user-data timeslots of the first network interface to timeslots of a second fractional network interface, wherein the second set of user-data timeslots includes a next M user-data timeslots of the first network interface after the first N user-data timeslots;

mapping a first set of signaling bits positioned within N signaling bit locations carried by a signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the first set of user-data timeslots with the first fractional network interface; and

mapping a second set of signaling bits positioned within M signaling bit locations carried by the signaling channel time slot of the first network interface and associated with the second set of user-data timeslots with the second fractional network interface, wherein the signaling channel time slot over a plurality of frames is organized in a structured manner such that consecutive frames carry channel associated signaling information for different combinations of user-data timeslots;

when N+M is less than 16, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+1 to N+M of the first network interface;

when N is greater than 15, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+2 to N+M+1 of the first network interface; and

when N is less than 15 and N+M is greater than 15, mapping the first M user-data timeslots of the second fractional network interface with respective timeslots N+1 to 15 and 17 to N+M+1 of the first network interface.