Abstract: The time slot interchange capabilities of modern digital loop carriers are utilized to provide direct connectivity from the calling modem's line to an internet access modem bank through the digital loop carrier, thereby bypassing the local central end office. A call which is to a telephone number of an internet access provider's modem is routed to a bypass initiator. If the bypass initiator detects that the call is from a number which is serviced by a digital loop carrier having a local central end office bypass capability, then the bypass initiator issues a bypass command. The digital loop carrier establishes the bypass connection, but does not break the signaling connection on the initial call which was routed from the digital loop carrier through the local central end office to the bypass initiator. Once the bypass connection has been established, the bypass initiator sends a disconnect signal through the signaling connection of the initial call.

Abstract: A telephony and video telecommunications distribution network (10) includes a broadband fiber bank section (32) within a digital loop carrier system (22). The broadband fiber bank section (32) receives video information from a stored video information provider (12) through a broadband asynchronous transfer mode switch (18). The video information is received in an asynchronous transfer mode cell format. The digital loop carrier system (22) receives telephony traffic from a telephony network (24) at a common control section (28). The common control section (28) passes the telephony traffic to the broadband fiber bank section (32) where it is converted into asynchronous transfer mode cell form. The broadband fiber bank section (32) multiplexes video asynchronous transfer mode cells and telephony asynchronous transfer mode cells for transport to an optical network unit (40) over a fiber optic communication link (38).

Abstract: The time slot interchange capabilities of modern digital loop carriers are utilized to provide direct connectivity from the calling modem's line to an internet access modem bank through the digital loop carrier, thereby bypassing the local central end office. A call which is to a telephone number of an internet access provider's modem is routed to a bypass initiator. If the bypass initiator detects that the call is from a number which is serviced by a digital loop carrier having a local central end office bypass capability, then the bypass initiator issues a bypass command. The digital loop carrier establishes the bypass connection, but does not break the signaling connection on the initial call which was routed from the digital loop carrier through the local central end office to the bypass initiator. Once the bypass connection has been established, the bypass initiator sends a disconnect signal through the signaling connection of the initial call.

Abstract: The time slot interchange capabilities of modern digital loop carriers are utilized to provide direct connectivity from the calling modem's line to an internet access modem bank through the digital loop carrier, thereby bypassing the local central end office. A call which is to a telephone number of an internet access provider's modem is routed to a bypass initiator. If the bypass initiator detects that the call is from a number which is serviced by a digital loop carrier having a local central end office bypass capability, then the bypass initiator issues a bypass command. The digital loop carrier establishes the bypass connection, but does not break the signaling connection on the initial call which was routed from the digital loop carrier through the local central end office to the bypass initiator. Once the bypass connection has been established, the bypass initiator sends a disconnect signal through the signaling connection of the initial call.

Abstract: Method for managing connections on a connection-oriented network such as an ATM network, for use with devices communicating according to a connectionless communication protocol such as IP over Ethernet. Roughly described, a bridging network element (BNE) resides at the ATM point-of-presence through which a data network accesses the ATM network. When the BNE receives an internet ARP (IARP) request from the data network for forwarding onto the ATM network, it forwards it instead to an IARP server. In addition to responding to the IARP request, the IARP server also regards the IARP request as a trigger, and in response thereto, causes the ATM network to establish a connection between the BNE point-of-presence and another point-of-presence on the ATM network through which the target address can be reached.

Abstract: A multiple user access network (10) includes a master network element device (12) and multiple slave network termination devices (14a-14n). The network element device (12) couples to the multiple network termination devices (14a-14n) in a multi-user network interface (MUNI) topology by a shared media link (16). Each network termination device (14a-14n) is assigned its own unique group ID address (38) by the master network element device (12). The network element device (12) sends MUNI asynchronous transfer mode cells (30, 32) to appropriate network termination devices (14a-14n) over shared media link (16). The group ID (38) field is also defined to allow for the network element device (12) to broadcast asynchronous transfer mode cells to all the network termination devices (14a-14n).

Abstract: A video telecommunications delivery network (10) provides video channels to a plurality of set top units (24). Each set top unit sends a video channel request to an associated cell multiplexing unit (20). If the video channel is available, the cell multiplexing unit (20) provides the video channel to the set top unit (22). If the requested video channel is not available, the cell multiplexing unit (20) passes the request to an associated cell routing unit (18). The cell routing unit (18) provides the requested video channel to the set top unit (22) according to availability. If unavailable, cell routing unit 18 provides the video channel request to a digital multicast bank (16). Digital multicast bank (16) delivers the requested video channel if available, otherwise the video channel request is routed to a video information provider (12) through an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch (14).

Abstract: A telephone and video telecommunications distribution network (10) includes a telecommunications switch (12) and an optical network unit configuration (20b). The telecommunications switch (12) receives telephony traffic at a common control section (14) and video information at a video bank section (18). The video bank section receives telephony traffic from the common control section (14) and places the telephony traffic into telephony ATM cells. Video information is carried in video ATM cells. The Video Dank section (18) multiplexes telephony ATM cells and video ATM cells onto a fiber optic communication link for transport to the optical network unit configuration (20b). The optical network unit configuration (20b) includes a full service optical line unit (80) that segregates telephony ATM cells from video ATM cells. The full service optical line unit (80) transfers video ATM cells to a video brick (31) for processing.

Abstract: A host digital terminal (118) receives telephony traffic from a time division multiplexed (TDM) switch (122) and packet data asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells containing packet data information from an ATM switch 116. The host digital terminal (118) converts the telephony traffic into telephony ATM cells (34) and multiplexes the telephony ATM cells with the packet data ATM cells for placement into a synchronous optical network (SONET) frame (38). The host digital terminal (118) transports the SONET frame (38) to an optical network unit (124). The optical network unit (124) demultiplexes the telephony ATM cells (34) from the packet data ATM cells in the SONET frame (38). Packet data information within the packet data ATM cells is extracted and provided to a monitor (132) through a network terminator (126) and a computer or set top unit (130). Telephony traffic is extracted from the telephony ATM cells (34) and provided to telecommunications equipment (128) through the network terminator (126).