Abstract: A system for controlling a contention state for a communication link between a base station controller and customer premises equipment in point-to-multipoint communication. The contention state is controlled using a state machine. The state machine includes a grant pending absent state in which a unicast request slot is maintained open for use by the customer premises equipment. During the grant pending absent state, the customer premises equipment sends no upstream data to the base station controller but can use the unicast request slot to request a data slot for sending upstream data to the base station controller. Preferably, the state machine further includes an idle state in which the customer premises equipment awaits arrival of data packets to send as upstream data to the base station controller. The state machine preferably further includes a deferring state in which the customer premises equipment defers contending for the data slot so as to avoid collisions with other customer premises equipment.

Abstract: An ATM transmission system is adapted for the simultaneous transmission (i.e. multicasting) of IP data packets to a plurality of system users, using ATM as a carrier network, and includes an IP/ATM network including clusters of Logical IP Systems (LISs), a multicast address resolution server (MARS) for each cluster, and a multicast router (MCR) for each cluster. The clusters are interconnected through the MCRs which form an inter-cluster backbone for the IP/ATM network. Each cluster includes an integral number of ATM hosts and LISs, the size of a cluster is dependent on physical and administrative constraints, and each LIS, within a cluster, is adapted to support a number of ATM hosts. Multicasting of IP data packets within a cluster utilizes a MARS protocol, and multicasting between clusters utilizes an inter-cluster multicasting protocol (ILMP). All ATM hosts within a cluster, even if supported by different LISs, are adapted to be configured with an address of the same MARS.

Abstract: Data transmission system comprising a plurality of Local Area Networks (LANs)(10-1 to 10-4) interconnected by a hub (12) including the same plurality of LAN adapters (16-1 to 16-4) respectively connected to the LANs and a packet switch (14) comprising at least a packet switch module interconnecting all LAN adapters wherein a packet transmitted by any adapter to the packet switch includes a header containing at least the address of the adapter to which the packet is forwarded. At each cross point is located a memory block for storing any data packet received from the input port corresponding to the cross point and which is to be forwarded to the output port corresponding to the cross point.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for converting a packetized stream of information signals representing information arranged in separate, consecutive data packets of digital format, into a stream of information signals with time stamps, includes the feature that after establishing time stamps related to a time of arrival of a data packet, the time stamps of several data packets are grouped into a time stamp packet wherein the size of the time stamp packet is equal to the size of a data unit.

Abstract: The present invention enables a party which is placed on hold in a first communication session to enter a second communication session and continue to monitor the status of the first communication. For example, in a broadband communication system telephone call or multimedia call, two parties may be in an active communication session with one another and a first of the two parties to the call may receive another incoming call. The first party then places the second party on hold. At this time the second party may wish to place the communication session with the first party on hold to initiate another communication session with a third party. However, the second party would also like to know when the first party takes the communication session off hold so that they can resume their communication. As a result, the second party places the communication on “monitor” hold.