Dynamic channel management and signalling method and apparatus
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. In a multiple access communication system comprising a central controller, a shared transmission means for signalling data and user information, and a plurality of remote terminals, a method of allocating signalling data channels between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals from a plurality of communication channels and of assigning remote terminals comprising the steps of:
- (a) establishing communications between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals via a plurality of signalling data channels, each of said remote terminals being initially assigned to a pair of predetermined signalling data channels;
(b) monitoring the status of a plurality of the signalling data channels in use between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals for the usability of said signalling data channels;
(c) determining whether one of said plurality of remote terminals needs to be reassigned to a different signalling data channel other than said predetermined signalling data channel;
(d) determining whether a different and suitable signalling data channel is available other than said predetermined channel; and
(e) reassigning by said central controller said remote terminal to a different and suitable signalling data channel for communication henceforward.
2 Assignments
Litigations
5 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a dynamic and adaptable method and apparatus to support two-way multi-media communication services on a multiple access communication system, which comprises a central controller, a shared transmission media and a plurality of remote terminals dispersed throughout the network. The central controller comprises switch and control apparatus and a pool of transmitters and receivers. The communication channels between the central controller and remote terminals are arranged for signalling data and traffic bearer channels in the forward and reverse directions. The number of signalling data channels is adjusted to satisfy the traffic requirements and for redundancy purposes. The forward and reverse signalling data channels are coupled in different mappings to support terminal grouping. Multiple access of the remote terminals for the upstream traffic are mitigated by separating remote terminals in groups via the channel allocation and the terminal assignment process. Communication between the central controller and the remote terminals follows a multiple access scheme controlled by the central controller via polling procedure on each of the forward signalling data channels independently. In case of collision, the central controller engages the remote terminals in a selective polling process to resolve the contention. The overlapping polling method of the controlled access scheme increases the utilization of the signalling channel and reduces the time required to gain access to the shared transmission media. By dynamically adjusting the load on signalling data channels, the signalling process is greatly improved for efficiency and redundancy against anomalies with the added benefit of improved flexibility and extensibility. The system is especially useful in a two-way CATV network.
109 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a multiple access communication system comprising a central controller, a shared transmission means for signalling data and user information, and a plurality of remote terminals, a method of allocating signalling data channels between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals from a plurality of communication channels and of assigning remote terminals comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communications between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals via a plurality of signalling data channels, each of said remote terminals being initially assigned to a pair of predetermined signalling data channels; (b) monitoring the status of a plurality of the signalling data channels in use between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals for the usability of said signalling data channels; (c) determining whether one of said plurality of remote terminals needs to be reassigned to a different signalling data channel other than said predetermined signalling data channel; (d) determining whether a different and suitable signalling data channel is available other than said predetermined channel; and (e) reassigning by said central controller said remote terminal to a different and suitable signalling data channel for communication henceforward. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a multiple access communication system comprising a central controller, a shared transmission means and a plurality of remote terminals, a method of controlled multiple access between said central controller and said plurality of remote terminals comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communications between said central controller and each of said plurality of remote terminals via predetermined signalling data channels of a plurality of signalling data channels, each of said plurality of remote terminals can be assigned to any pair of said plurality of signalling data channels; (b) polling a plurality of said plurality of remote terminals simultaneously by said central controller for determining whether there is any pending request from said plurality of remote terminals; and (c) resolving contention among said plurality of remote terminals by said central controller if there is a pending request from more than one remote terminal on the same signalling data channel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a multiple access communication system having a plurality of communication channels for communicating with a plurality of remote terminals, a central controller comprising:
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(a) system controlling means for controlling the communication system comprising a micro-processor and associated EPROM and RAM; (b) transmitting means for transmitting user traffic or signalling data on said communication channels; (c) receiving means for receiving user traffic or signalling data on said communication channels; (d) modulating means for modulating signalling data; (e) demodulating means for demodulating signalling data; (f) interfacing means for interfacing to a wide area network; (g) switching means for making dynamic connections to switch signals among said transmitting means, said receiving means, said modulating means, said demodulating means, and said interfacing means; and (h) forward communication controlling means for selecting a forward signalling data channel via a dynamic connection between said transmitting means and said modulating means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a multiple access communication system having a central controller, a plurality of communication channels, and a plurality of remote terminals, each of said plurality of remote terminals comprising:
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(a) user traffic transmitting means for transmitting user traffic on an assigned communication channel; (b) user traffic receiving means for receiving user traffic on an assigned communication channel; (c) signalling data transmitting means for transmitting signalling data on an assigned communication channel; (d) signalling data receiving means for receiving signalling data on an assigned communication channel; (e) user interfacing means comprising a telephone with a keypad; (f) system controlling means for controlling the communication system comprising a micro-processor and associated EPROM and RAM and (g) communication controlling means for tuning said signalling data transmitting means and for tuning said signalling data receiving means under control of said central controller a pair of assigned communication channels via said micro-processor and associated EPROM and RAM. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification