Abstract: An access network includes a test system controller that provides a test request in Signaling Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages to an element management system. A network gateway, in conjunction with the element management system, provides test commands to a customer gateway over a Local loop Emulation Service Embedded Operations Channel (LES-EOC). The customer gateway performs a subscriber loop test on derived subscriber lines connected therewith. Results of the subscriber loop test are provided over the LES-EOC to the gateway. The network gateway sends the results to the test system controller through the element management system in SNMP messages.

Abstract: An access network includes a test system controller that provides a test request in Signaling Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages to an element management system. A network gateway, in conjunction with the element management system, provides test commands to a customer gateway over a Local loop Emulation Service Embedded Operations Channel (LES-EOC). The customer gateway performs a subscriber loop test on derived subscriber lines connected therewith. Results of the subscriber loop test are provided over the LES-EOC to the gateway. The network gateway sends the results to the test system controller through the element management system in SNMP messages.

Abstract: A method for allocating bandwidth in a communications environment is provided that includes receiving one or more data streams associated with one or more subscribers at a voice gateway. One or more algorithms included in the voice gateway are executed that are associated with traffic management of the data streams in order to generate a designated bandwidth value associated with one or more of the data streams. The designated bandwidth value is assigned to one or more of the data streams based on one or more of the algorithms that use an aggregation of one or more activity characteristics associated with a selected one or more of the subscribers.

Abstract: A method of providing a back up communications link for control messages within a delivery unit. The primary means of transport for both network data and control data within the delivery unit is by means of ingress and egress buses between application modules of the delivery unit. However, control messages from a unit controller can also be delivered by means of a separate link, typically to a bus control module.

Abstract: A multi-service switch for a telecommunications network (10) is provided. A system bus (13) has an ingress portion (14) and an egress portion (16). The system bus (13) is operable to carry data in a plurality of time slots. A system bus control (11) comprises a head-of-bus control (12) having an output. The output of the head-of-bus control is coupled to the ingress portion (14) of the system bus (13). The system bus control (11) also comprises a tail-of-bus control (15) coupled to the head-of-bus control (12). The tail-of-bus control (15) has an input coupled to the egress portion (16) of the system bus (13). A plurality of interface modules (28.sub.1 through 28.sub.n) each have an input and an output. The input of each interface module (28.sub.1 through 28.sub.n) is coupled to the egress portion (16) of the system bus (13), and the output of each interface module is coupled to the ingress portion (14) of the system bus (13). An ingress/egress bridge (18) has an input and an output.

Abstract: A multi-service switch for a telecommunications network (10) is provided. A system bus (13) has an ingress portion (14) and an egress portion (16). The system bus (13) is operable to carry data in a plurality of time slots. A system bus control (11) comprises a head-of-bus control (12) having an output. The output of the head-of-bus control is coupled to the ingress portion (14) of the system bus (13). The system bus control (11) also comprises a tail-of-bus control (15) coupled to the head-of-bus control (12). The tail-of-bus control (15) has an input coupled to the egress portion (16) of the system bus (13). A plurality of interface modules (28.sub.1 through 28.sub.n) each have an input and an output. The input of each interface module (28.sub.1 through 28.sub.n) is coupled to the egress portion (16) of the system bus (13), and the output of each interface module is coupled to the ingress portion (14) of the system bus (13). An ingress/egress bridge (18) has an input and an output.

Abstract: Three data formats for telecommunication networks are provided. One format is an asynchronous packet bus overlay datagram format (122) constructed to include an internal datagram header (140) and a datagram payload (141) concatenated with the internal datagram header. The internal datagram header comprises a destination address (146), a weighted age (152), and a source address (14). A second format is a wideband bus overlay format (126) comprising three header octets and a plurality of payload octets such that the data is formatted into one of a plurality of industry standard isochronous wideband data formats. A third format is a narrow band bus overlay format (124) comprising a plurality of signaling octets, a plurality of octets concatenated with the first plurality of signaling octets to hold data, and a common system multiframe structure.

Abstract: A bus arbitration method for telecommunications switching is provided that receives a plurality of requests of a plurality of priorities for an available asynchronous bus time slot, wherein each request has a weighted age. The plurality of requests are ordered according to the weighted age of each request and access to the bus time slot is granted to a request having the highest weighted age. Further, a bus arbitration method for telecommunications switching is provided that generates a plurality of requests of a plurality of priorities for each of a plurality of packets needing an available bus time slot. An amount of time during which each request is pending is measured. The plurality of requests for the available asynchronous bus time slot are sent to a centralized asynchronous slot arbiter operable to grant access to one of the plurality of packets corresponding to a request having a highest weighted age.