Abstract: A time slot management method for use in a time division multiple access system that couples a line terminator via a tree-like network to a plurality of network terminations is provided. At least one grant is transmitted by the line terminator towards a network terminator in order to allocate at least one adjacent subsequent corresponding upstream time-slot to the network terminator. The grant is received by the network terminator from the line terminator, and it is recognized if the at least one grant is associated with the network termination. Upon recognition of the at least one grant being associated with the network termination by the network terminator, overhead data in the first time slot of the at least one time slot and payload data in each potential adjacent subsequent time slot of at least one time-slot allocated to said network terminator is transmitted.

Abstract: A time slot management method for use in a time division multiple access system that couples a line terminator via a tree-like network to a plurality of network terminations is provided. At least one grant is transmitted by the line terminator towards a network terminator in order to allocate at least one adjacent subsequent corresponding upstream time-slot to the network terminator. The grant is received by the network terminator from the line terminator, and it is recognized if the at least one grant is associated with the network termination. Upon recognition of the at least one grant being associated with the network termination by the network terminator, overhead data in the first time slot of the at least one time slot and payload data in each potential adjacent subsequent time slot of at least one time-slot allocated to said network terminator is transmitted.

Abstract: A time slot management method for use in a time division multiple access system that couples a line terminator via a tree-like network to a plurality of network terminations is provided. At least one grant is transmitted by the line terminator towards a network terminator in order to allocate at least one adjacent subsequent corresponding upstream time-slot to the network terminator. The grant is received by the network terminator from the line termination, and it is recognized if the at least one grant is associated to the network termination. Upon recognition of the at least one grant being associated to the network termination by the network terminator, overhead data in the first time slot of the at least one time slot and payload data in each potential adjacent subsequent time slot of at least one time-slot allocated to said network terminator is transmitted.

Abstract: A method of providing an Internet protocol television service to a subscriber, and a network element to execute this method. At an acquisition tier, IPTV packets are generated from video stream data of one or more video channels and transmitted to a FCC server cluster at a client-facing tier. IPTV packets associated with one of the one or more video channels selected by the subscriber are delivered from the deliver server cluster to a receiver of the subscriber at a client tier wherein the IPTV packets associated with the one of the one or more video channels are reassembled at said receiver into a coherent video stream. Said generated IPTV packets are routed from a network (5) of a TV broadcaster to networks of one or more TV operators or from a network of a TV operator to networks of one or more TV operators by means of IPTV service routers installed at an intertwine tier arranged between the acquisition tier and the client-facing tier.

Abstract: A point-to-multipoint telecommunication system can be made more flexible by providing upstream units with generators and locators for generating at least two subsequent overhead cells located next to each other and neighbouring a larger number of data cells for supplying system information. Downstream units are provided with detectors for detecting the subsequent overhead cells. This new signal flame structure allows a larger number of data cells to be exchanged without being interrupted by an overhead cell. Each cell consists of at least 53 bytes in accordance with the Asynchronous Transfer Mode or ATM standard. The at least two overhead cells comprise two overhead cells for supporting 54 data cells, or comprise three overhead cells for supporting 103 data cells. The point-to-multipoint telecommunication systems comprise passive optical networks, with upstream units corresponding to line terminators, and with downstream units corresponding to network terminators.

Abstract: An access node (1) that is preferably a Flow-Aware Ethernet DSLAM configured to transmit Ethernet data frames between subscribers (2) and an aggregation network (3). The access node comprises a first memory (4) for storing classification rules and a second memory (6) for storing flow rules. These rules are applied by a classification agent (5) and by a service agent (7) to information extracted from incoming data frames in order to infer flow awareness information of outgoing frames corresponding to these incoming data frame. In this way, the subscriber access network evolves to a multi-service architecture by replacing ATM with Ethernet for cost reasons. The concept of “flow awareness” is applied to the present access node. With respect to known tunnel-based Ethernet DSLAMs, the present access node removes all dependency on correct encapsulation or labeling at the customer side and at the service provider side.

Abstract: Systems for transmitting information from terminal systems (1) via access multiplexers (3) comprising virtual forwarder systems (5) to networks are made less complex by inserting at the terminal systems (1) virtual forwarder internet protocol addresses (35,64,66) into destination fields of internet protocol headers for heading the information and by inserting destination internet protocol addresses (36,37,38,65,67) into routing fields of the internet protocol headers. Both the terminal systems (1) and the access multiplexers (3) should be made capable of dealing with internet protocol headers of the internet protocol version-4 or the internet protocol version-6 or higher, which comprise a destination field and a routing field.

Abstract: A method of providing an Internet protocol television service to a subscriber, and a network element to execute this method. At an acquisition tier, IPTV packets are generated from video stream data of one or more video channels and transmitted to a FCC server cluster at a client-facing tier. IPTV packets associated with one of the one or more video channels selected by the subscriber are delivered from the deliver server cluster to a receiver of the subscriber at a client tier wherein the IPTV packets associated with the one of the one or more video channels are reassembled at said receiver into a coherent video stream. Said generated IPTV packets are routed from a network (5) of a TV broadcaster to networks of one or more TV operators or from a network of a TV operator to networks of one or more TV operators by means of IPTV service routers installed at an intertwine tier arranged between the acquisition tier and the client-facing tier.

Abstract: Access nodes (1) for giving client devices (2,3) access to internet networks (5) comprise detectors (11) for detecting request messages in client information defining requests for receiving media contents and are provided with processors (12) for processing detections of the request messages for gathering statistical information about the media contents. The statistical information comprises viewing figures per media content. Further request messages in the client information define further requests for finishing receptions of the media contents for gathering further statistical information. The further statistical information comprises timing figures per media content. Data messages define client data with respect to the media contents for gathering yet further statistical information. The yet further statistical information comprises appreciation figures and/or yet further viewing figures per media content.

Abstract: A sending transmission control protocol (TCP) host is used in a first network node (106) to transmit TCP flows over a network segment to a receiving TCP host in a second network node (104). The sending TCP host comprises a TCP convergence module for aggregating all TCP flows through the network segment between the first network node (106) and the second network node (104) into an aggregate TCP flow (112). The receiving TCP host comprises a TCP convergence module for disaggregating the TCP flows from the aggregate TCP flow (112).

Abstract: Systems comprising aggregation equipment (1) and remote equipment (2-3) for exchanging messages between a subscriber unit (4,5,6,7,8,9) of the subscriber equipment (4-9) and the aggregation equipment (1) via a remote unit (2,3) of the remote equipment (2-3) are provided with translation equipment (12) for translating at least one virtual local area network identifier in at least one of the messages. As a result, it is no longer necessary to configure the remote equipment (2-3) to distribute the available virtual local area network identifiers among the remote equipment (2-3).

Abstract: An access node (1) that is preferably a Flow-Aware Ethernet DSLAM adapted to transmit Ethernet data frames between subscribers (2) and an aggregation network (3). The access node comprises a first memory (4) for storing classification rules and a second memory (6) for storing flow rules. These rules are applied by a classification agent (5) and by a service agent (7) to information extracted from incoming data frames in order to infer flow awareness information of outgoing frames corresponding to these incoming data frame. In this way, the subscriber access network evolves to a multi-service architecture by replacing ATM with Ethernet for cost reasons. The concept of “flow awareness” is applied to the present access node. With respect to known tunnel-based Ethernet DSLAMs, the present access node removes all dependency on correct encapsulation or labeling at the customer side and at the service provider side.

Abstract: A packet based access multiplexer (DSLAM2) comprising an Ethernet switch (E-SWITCH2) and a single network processor (NP2) adapted to process at least part of incoming packets. The single network processor (NP2) is parallel coupled to the Ethernet switch (E-SWITCH2) in an architecture suited to process part of the packets, or alternatively is cascade coupled to the Ethernet switch in an architecture suited to process all packets.

Abstract: Systems for transmitting information from terminal systems (1) via access multiplexers (3) comprising virtual forwarder systems (5) to networks are made less complex by inserting at the terminal systems (1) virtual forwarder internet protocol addresses (35,64,66) into destination fields of internet protocol headers for heading the information and by inserting destination internet protocol addresses (36,37,38,65,67) into routing fields of the internet protocol headers. Both the terminal systems (1) and the access multiplexers (3) should be made capable of dealing with internet protocol headers of the internet protocol version-4 or the internet protocol version-6 or higher, which comprise a destination field and a routing field.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a time slot management method for use in a time division multiple access system that couples a line termination via a tree-like network to a plurality of network terminations. This method comprises the step of at first transmitting by the line terminator at least one grant towards a network terminator in order to allocate at least one adjacent subsequent corresponding upstream time-slot to said network terminator. A second step is receiving the at least one grant by said network termination from the line termination followed by the step of recognising if the at least one grant is associated to the network termination and the step of transmitting upon recognition of the at least one grant being associated to said network termination by the network terminator, overhead data in the first time slot of the at least one time slot and payload data in each potential adjacent subsequent time slot of at least one time-slot allocated to said network terminator.

Abstract: A point-to-multipoint telecommunication system can be made more flexible by providing upstream units (1) with generators (16) and locators (15) for generating at least two subsequent overhead cells located next to each other and neighbouring a larger number of data cells for supplying system information. Downstream units (2,3) are provided with detectors (25,35) for detecting said subsequent overhead cells. This new signal frame structure allows a larger number of data cells to be exchanged without being interrupted by an overhead cell. Each cell consists of at least 53 bytes in accordance with the Asynchronous Transfer Mode or ATM standard. Said at least two overhead cells comprise two overhead cells for supporting 54 data cells, or comprise three overhead cells for supporting 103 data cells. Said point-to-multipoint telecommunication systems comprise passive optical networks, with upstream units (1) corresponding with line terminators, and with downstream units (2,3) corresponding with network terminators.

Abstract: Variable length data packets are encapsulated by adding an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) compatible, five octet long packet header (PACKET-HDR) to each data packet. The fifth octet of this packet header constitutes a header error check field (HEC).