Abstract: A Scalable Multimedia Network providing integrated networking of data, voice, video and image services over a variety of access facilities including metallic loops, fiber/coax or digital fiber is disclosed herein. The SMN establishes customer initiated switched virtual circuits for all traffic types and directs them to the appropriate backbone network. The SMN is based on a distributed switching platform that includes a protocol adaptation capability which permits communications between customer premises equipment and potentially incompatible backbone networks or network servers.

Abstract: A system and method for a packet VRU which directly utilize packet network protocols, such as those of the H.323 standard, to provide enhanced services via a packet network. The packet VRU generally operates within the packet network and is not required to provide data format translation or multiple device-type access. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packet VRU redirects the media stream from a source so that it is sent directly to a destination, instead of passing through the packet VRU. Alternatively, if the packet VRU must perform processing on the message contents, the packets may be sent to both the destination and to the packet VRU. The packet VRU may still retain call control over the media streams by maintaining the signaling and user input components of the call.

Abstract: A transreceiver allows efficient operation in a full or half-duplex TDD or FDD system. The preferred transreceiver includes a common set of filters used for both FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) and TDD (Time Division Duplex) operation in a given range of frequencies thereby reducing circuitry count and implementation costs. Thus, the transreceiver of the present invention can operate in FDD operation or TDD operation.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing a resilient network-to-network interface (RNNI) between a first frame relay network and a second frame relay network. The RNNI comprises a plurality of data links that connect a master node in the first network to a slave node in the second network. The RNNI is initialized by operating an independent instance of a Link Integrity Verification (LIV) routine on each of the data links, returning an UP or DOWN status. One of the data links is designated as the ACTIVE data link, and the remaining data links are designated as INACTIVE. Once the RNNI is initialized, the ACTIVE data link is monitored using RNNI link management procedures including the LIV routine and a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) polling routine, and the INACTIVE data links are monitored using the LIV routine.

Abstract: In a system wherein a plurality of communication units are connected to a bus to exchange mutual communication and a collecting communication unit collects state information indicating respective states from report communication units to manage their state information, the collecting communication unit includes an address setting portion for setting information indicating that own unit is a unit for collecting state information as identification information, and each of the report communication units includes a report command setting portion for setting identification information as a destination address and also a report command including a destination address and the state information and a transmitting portion for transmitting the report command to the collecting communication unit based on the destination address in the set report command.

Abstract: A computer chip includes a data transfer network. The data transfer network comprises a backbone bus, a plurality of communication ports and a plurality of devices or modules each coupled to the backbone bus. Each of the devices includes or is coupled to one or more communication ports. Some of communication ports are operable to transmit and receive data on the backbone bus. Furthermore, the communication ports are interconnected in a ring topology forming a circular bus or a semi-circular bus. A subset of the communication ports may transmit and receive data on the circular bus or semi-circular bus. For the semi-circular bus, the communication ports are not coupled to form a complete ring topology. The communication ports may be operable to communicate with each other over the backbone bus and/or the circular bus. Each of the communication ports includes backbone bus interface logic, circular bus interface logic, one or more data transfer buffers and/or control logic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an in-home communication system based on the use of a telecommunications terminal of a Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) network is described. In this system signals are sent from a first device in a home to the FTTC terminal over a subscriber coaxial cable network, and routed from the telecommunications terminal back to the home, where they are received by a second device in the same home. Signals are routed back to the home at the telecommunications terminal by recognizing a particular address which corresponds to in-home signals or by timing information. In the event that the information is contained within Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, the Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) field of the ATM cells can be used to indicate that cells are to be redirected back to the home.

Abstract: A wireless power line carrier voice and data communication device is provided. The device permits a user to connect one or more electronic devices to surge suppress and isolated AC power connections while simultaneously providing a communication channel between telephone equipment, such as telephone extensions, modems and/or facsimile machines, across the AC power lines to a remote telephone connection. This invention prevents the degradation of the voice and/or data signal across the power lines that would otherwise be induced by the AC connected electronic equipment. Furthermore, this invention provides a cost effective, convenient solution to the data processing user who requires access to telephone lines, for voice, data or both, as well as AC power outlets for electronic equipment all from a physical location some distance from a convenient phone connector. The isolation and surge suppression circuitry is designed specifically to address the power line carrier environment.

Abstract: An access system and method provides interactive access to an information source, such as the Internet, through a networked distribution system, such as a television distribution system. Each user in the television distribution system can access the Internet through an associated terminal by sending commands through an upstream channel to a headend server which is interfaced between a television network headend and an Internet Service Provider(ISP). The headend server manages all Internet information requests from the terminals by forwarding the requests to the ISP and receiving the requested information therefrom. An Internet Protocol (IP) address is assigned only to the headend server which keeps track of the terminals requesting information by means of terminal identification numbers or codes associated with each request.

Abstract: A network of terminals and a server linked by a communications medium, comprising a device for assigning a selected one of a plurality of downstream frequency channels for transferring information from the server to the terminals and a selected one of a plurality of upstream frequency channels for transferring information from each of the terminals and the server.

Abstract: A system for detecting whether a bus used to connect units in an in-flight entertainment system is properly terminated. A detection circuit generates a bus termination signal when a terminating cap properly terminates the bus. Prior to installation of the terminating cap, a bus coupling contact of the detection circuit is maintained in a logic high or asserted state. A detection loop in the terminating cap grounds or deasserts the bus coupling contact when the terminating cap is properly installed. A microcontroller determines whether the bus coupling contact is grounded and signals a managing unit of the condition. The managing unit may display an appropriate error message to notify service personnel of the improper termination.

Abstract: Video data is coded at either a minimum transfer rate or maximum transfer rate and stored in a storage unit as a video reply message. In a case where the video data has been coded at the minimum transfer rate and stored, the video reply message is transmitted upon being multiplexed with an audio reply message if the actual transfer rate agrees with the minimum transfer rate. If the two transfer rates are different, invalid bits conforming to the difference between the rates are generated and the invalid bits, the audio reply message and the video reply message are multiplexed and transmitted. In a case where the video data has been coded at the maximum transfer rate and stored, on the other hand, the video reply message is decoded when an incoming call arrives, the video data thus obtained is coded based upon the actual transfer rate, and the video reply message obtained by coding is multiplexed with the audio reply message and transmitted.

Abstract: A multicast network system comprises a data network which provides a medium for data transfer. A media source having a control packet and media packets coupled to the data network broadcasts the control packet and the media packets to the data network and rebroadcasts the control packet in conjunction with the media packets to the data network. A media receiver is coupled to the network and receives the control packet and the media packets from the data network to process the control packet and the media packets to produce a media output.

Abstract: A data transfer device connected to a bus and a control signal line, includes: a judgment circuit for judging whether or not a state change of the bus, which occurs in a case where the data is manipulated to be output to the bus, is smaller than the state change of the bus, which occurs in a case where data is output to the bus without manipulating the data; a first manipulation circuit for manipulating the data in accordance with the result of judgment; a first output circuit for selectively outputting one set of the data and the data manipulated by the first manipulation circuit to the bus in accordance with the result of judgment; and a second output circuit for outputting a control signal indicating the result of judgment to the control signal line.

Abstract: A network includes a facility for transmitting baseband telephone signals, plural subscriber locations, and twisted pair circuits which connect each subscriber location to the baseband telephone facility. The network further includes apparatus for transmitting and receiving broadband signals over the twisted pair circuits. A broadband transmitter is coupled to a network twisted pair circuit and outputs a broadband signal for delivery to a subscriber location. A first twisted pair circuit is utilized as an intermediate transmission path for the broadband signals. A distribution module is coupled to the first twisted pair circuit and is connected to a destination subscriber location via a destination twisted pair circuit. First filter circuits are connected in the network twisted pair circuit; are transparent to the baseband telephone signals and block the broadband signals.

Abstract: A programmable data link module is used on a time division multiplex data bus. The module receives data from the data bus during a selected time slot for a selected number of frames. The data link module includes an input circuit for generating a data output signal data to the data bus in response to input signals from an input device coupled to the module. The input circuit includes a programmable input voltage level selector, allowing different voltage rated input devices to be used with the data link module. A hysteresis circuit sets a minimum voltage level threshold representative of the input device being in one logic state and a maximum voltage level threshold representative of the input device being in another logic state.

Abstract: The invention is a telephone system capable of operating on a single internal telephone line as commonly found in the home or small businesses, which is economically implemented within an integrated circuit chip to provide a one chip telephone and which provides most of the components necessary for a full-featured, reliable and easy to install office communication system. The multiband audio network (MAN) transfers four audio bands and a digital data band over a single twisted pair of wire. A 6,000 bits per second full duplex digital data channel is also provided on the same twisted pair. Each station unit includes all the control and interface support necessary to perform conventional telephone functions. These functions include a combination of keyboard and display support circuitry such as strobe and debounce circuitry, LED buffers, piezo ring drivers, control registers and communication hardware.

Abstract: A high speed synchronous digital bidirectional data bus system is provided and includes an M-bit unterminated data bus, an unterminated standing sine wave clock bus, and a plurality of integrated circuit bus interfaces. Each IC bus interface is preferably substantially incorporated on a single CMOS LSI chip and includes M bus drivers with associated send data logic, M data receivers with associated receive data logic, and a clock receiver. The output currents of the bus drivers on all of the chips are preferably stabilized so that each driver drives the bus at substantially the same output current. The drivers are preferably complementary polar driven CMOS logic elements. For this case, for each data receiver, a bus keeper is coupled to the output and the input of the bus receiver to maintain the last state of the data bus. In addition, the clock receivers and the data receivers are embodied as high speed comparators having internal hysteresis.

Abstract: A multichannel radiotelephony system provides two way cordless communications with a plurality of multichannel transceivers portable within a coverage area comprised by a plurality of cells, each associated with a base station and antennas, such as to permit channel frequency reuse in cells within the coverage area. For at least part of the coverage area, the locations of the antennas within the cells and the locations of the base stations are independently mapped, the antennas being associated with active antenna systems and the active antenna systems being connected to the base stations utilizing broadband transmission by means of a fixed bi-directional signal distribution network. The network is connected to the base stations and the antenna systems through suitable interfaces incorporating frequency translation so that available frequency bands in the signal distribution network which will normally be shared with other services, may be utilised. Plural base stations may be co-located.

Abstract: A node for an access control system for a multi-channel data transmission ring is disclosed. Access to a channel is controlled exclusively by one node, which is the only data receiving node connected to that channel. The receiving node generates slots so that other connected nodes can transfer data to the receiving node. The receiving node can provide balanced access to the channel by all connected nodes. Further embodiments feature prevention of congestion in the buffer of the receiving node. The invention is particularly useful for wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical rings.

Abstract: A programmable data link module (32) for use in a time division multiplexing control system (30) having a plurality of modules interconnected by a bus (40) for passing control signals between data link modules on a serial multiplex basis. Each module includes an integrated circuit (80) having signal conditioning circuits (180, 186 and 188) including a programmable hysteresis circuit (126), a power on reset delay circuit (190), a safety input inhibit circuit (220), a clock loss detect circuit (240), a safety output protection circuit (262), a data verifier (260), a polarity selector for a third output terminal (350), an input synchronizer (182 and 184), a combined mode/sync output terminal (110), a multiplex clock output terminal (108), a programming circuit (232) for accepting programming over the clock bus (44) and data bus (46), input/output word extender circuits (104, 106), a high voltage protection circuit (420) including a transistor (600) and a data bus integrity checker (630).

Abstract: A programmable data link module is used on a time division multiplex data bus having a repetitive time frame, each time frame having a plurality of time slots. The module receives data from the data bus during a selected time slot for a selected number of frames. The data link module includes a data verifier for storing the received data during the selected frames and inhibits outputting of data signals to the data bus until a repetitive occurrence of the received data over the selected number of frames has been verified.

Abstract: A single channel communication bus system has stations which communicate with each other via the bus. Each station must have a unique address which is initialized during a system initialization. In order to facilitate initialization, a manufacturer-determined address is stored in a non-volatile memory. Search for a unique address for each station begins with the address stored in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A programmable data link module for use with a time division multiplex data bus includes a word extender module. The module can receive, send, or receive and send data over the data bus during a preselectable time period. The time period is defined by a programmable starting address and an ending address. The data can be single or multibit and variable length as determined by the time period selected.

Abstract: A low-cost implementation of a voice message system is indicated. To that end, a digital signal processor (DSP) and a second memory (ROM) with program modules for executing the functions of "automatic operator" and/or "mailbox" are integrated in a digital telephone (TE4). In addition, the digital telephone (TE4) is able to execute an "individual messages" function, whereby a message intended only for another telephone (TEA) is transmitted to this other telephone (TEA) by means of the digital telephone (TE4).

Abstract: A system and method for equalization for forward and reverse channels of communicating highway network system having a branching tree topology. The system and method cause the forward channel to be adjusted first for equalization, then the reverse channel is adjusted for equalization. A reference node periodically transmits a frequency-rich signal on the network to the head end, which broadcasts this signal to each of a number of system nodes. Each system node compares the frequency-rich signal with an expected signal, and adjusts its receiver based on this comparison. Next, each system node transmits another frequency-rich signal to the head end, receives a return echo, compares the echo with the transmitted signal, and adjusts its transmitter based on the comparison.

Abstract: A high capacity data communication network based on a parallel architecture, linking the nodes of the network itself, having a plurality of logic communication media, wherein for each communication medium a different node of the network is primarily either advantaged or at a disadvantage. As a result, the fairness of the traffic handling is assured independently of the type of protocol used.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus transmits data among a plurality of nodes connected to a common transmission line. An arbiter selectively gives use permission, to use the common transmission line for transmitting data, to one of the nodes that requests the use permission on the basis of at least a use request therefor. A data transmission state detector detects the data transmission state on the common transmission line by monitoring for a separate signal on the common transmission line, and notifies the detected state to the arbiter. The arbiter then can use the detected state to give use permission to a requesting node, for example when plural requests are overlappingly received. Advantageously, the separate signal is either an identifier which was added to data and indicates an end of that data, or an identifier that indicates that a current data transmission will be finished after the lapse of a predetermined time.