Patent EP0246013A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0742658A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0742658A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamic channel assignment for data transmitted via cable television channels
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A system which avoids the bandwidth inefficiencies of simply providing multiple separate and independent channels for distributing data services over television compatible networks by considering the multiple channels as one unit and managing them as one unit with an upstream bandwidth management unit. This bandwidth management unit dynamically assigns active users to unused bandwidth among multiple channels. To accomplish this, the bandwidth management unit records each request for channel bandwidth that is made, each request that is being actively fulfilled, and each request that has been completed. Thus, data service providers, such as multimedia services, can efficiently use multiple 6 megahertz television network compatible channels to distribute their data to many requesters/users at high rates of speed over a relatively inexpensive existing network. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Venkata Chalapathi Majeti
- 👤 Mark Meir Rochkind
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:44
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/167; H04N7/1675; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/238; H04N21/2385; H04N21/239; H04N21/2393; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N21/42684; H04N21/60; H04N21/63; H04N21/64; H04N21/6405; H04N21/643; H04N21/64322; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus for delivering data services, comprising: a network for communicating data packets according to internet protocol; a local network unit connected to said network and having a plurality of channels for multiplexing data packets from said network upon a plurality of channels; a plurality of single user data units connected to said local network unit via one of said plurality of channels for receiving data packets, each of said single user data units having a unique address; a plurality of data service provider units, each of said data service provider units is connected to said network for transmitting data packets to said single user data units via said local network unit and said plurality of channels; each of said data service provider units is also connected to each single user data unit to which it transmits said data packets via another communication path for controlling said transmission of data packets; and a bandwidth manager connected to said plurality of data service provider units and said local network unit via said network, said bandwidth manager keeps a dynamic record of an amount of bandwidth used of each of said plurality of channels and assigns any new bandwidth allocation for data services to the channel which has the most bandwidth available.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dynamic record is incremented for each amount of bandwidth that is allocated from a channel at the time of a request to deliver data, and decremented for each amount of bandwidth of a channel that is freed up after all data packets related to the request have been delivered to the respective single user data unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said local network unit maintains a routing table that specifies the single user data unit address and a channel modulator of the allocated channel to provide data packet routing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said local network unit maintains a routing table that specifies the single user data unit address and a channel modulator of the allocated channel to provide data packet routing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said local network unit manages said plurality of channels as a single sub network instead of managing each channel individually.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of said channel modulators and the single user data units connected thereto are managed by said local network unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a remote link adapter between at least one of said single user data units and said local network unit to demodulate data packets modulated on one of said plurality of channels and convert a format of the demodulated data packets to be compatible with IEEE 802.2.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the modulation of the data packets within each channel is frequency and bandwidth compatible with transmission equipment used for transmission of broadcast television signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said other communication path for controlling said communication of data packets is bi-directional.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dynamic record keeps a record of each amount of bandwidth that is allocated from a channel at the time of a request to deliver data, and also of each amount of bandwidth that is freed up after all packets related to the request have been delivered.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
227 words
A method for delivering data services, comprising the steps of: communicating data packets according to internet protocol via a first network; receiving said data packets from said first network and multiplexing said data packets by a local network unit onto a second network having a plurality of channels; receiving said data packets by a plurality of single user data units that are connected to said second network upon one of said plurality of channels, each of said single user data units having a unique address; distributing data packets from a plurality of data service provider units to said single user data units via first network, said local network unit, said second network and said plurality of channels of said second network; controlling said distributing of data packets from each of said data service provider units to each single user data unit to which it transmits said data packets via another communication path outside of said first network; and dynamically managing said channels with a bandwidth manager that is connected to said plurality of data service provider units and said local network unit via said network, said bandwidth manager keeps a dynamic record of an amount of bandwidth used of each of said plurality of channels and uses this record to fulfill any new bandwidth request for data services to the channel which has the most bandwidth available.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of using the record to bill the respective user according to the amount of bandwidth used.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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