United States Patent [19]
`Bigham et al.
`
`I IIII IIIIIII Ill llll llll lllll llll lllll lllll lllll lllll llllll Ill llH Ill
`US005677905A
`5,677,905
`[111 Patent Number:
`[451 Date of Patent:
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`[54] ACCESS SUBNETWORK CONTROLLER
`FOR VIDEO DIAL TONE NETWORKS
`
`5,481,542
`5,541,917
`
`1/1996 Logston et al ..
`7/1996 Farris ..................................... 370/60.1
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: John A. Bigham, Pottstown; Bill
`Goodman, Collegeville, both of Pa.;
`Kam.ran Sistanizadeh, Arlington, Va.;
`Regina Lightfoot, New Carollton, Md.;
`Edward C. Mihm, Warminster, Pa.;
`Ulric E. Arthur, Burtonville, Md.;
`Babinan Amin-Salehi, Washington,
`D.C.; Greg Brenner; Douglas Clark,
`both of Tinton Falls, N.J.
`
`[73] Assignees: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc.,
`Arlington, Va.; Bell Communications
`Research, Inc., Livingston, N.J.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 413,981
`Mar. 28, 1995
`[22] Filed:
`Int. Cl.6
`................................. H04J 3/24; HOlH 1/00
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl . .................... 370/94.2; 370/60.1; 370/100.1;
`340/825.06; 455/4.2
`[58] Field of Search .................................. 370/94.2, 94.3,
`370/85.13, 60.1, 68.1, 110.1, 60, 100.1,
`125; 340/825.06, 825.05; 379/246; 364/942.08;
`348/461, 7, 12, 14; 359/168; 380/20, 10;
`455/4.2
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Primary Examiner-Wellington Chin
`Assistant Examiner-Melissa Kay Carman
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An access subnetwork provides broadcast access transport
`as well as selective allocation of resources for interactive
`communications sessions dedicated to individual end users.
`The access subnetwork has specified broadcast and interac(cid:173)
`tive service interlaces, both for communications to and from
`an information provider and for communication to and from
`customer premises equipment. An Access Subnetwork Con(cid:173)
`troller provides a single point of control contact within the
`access subnetwork. Any other subnetwork (typically an
`element of a higher level control subnetwork) needing a
`control function in the access subnetwork always. sends the
`request for that function to the Access Subnetwork Control(cid:173)
`ler. The primary responsibility of the Access Subnetwork
`Controller is to control resources, provide requested
`resources and monitor the use of resources within in the
`realm of the access subnetwork. The Access Subnetwork
`Controller functions essentially in a similar manner to
`provide every type of requested connection, whether the
`connection is for broadcast, pay-per-view or Interactive
`Multimedia Television (!MTV). Specifically, the Access
`Subnetwork Controller reserves and enables access subnet(cid:173)
`work resources for a particular user connection and reports
`connections back to higher level control elements.
`
`5,247 ,347
`
`9/1993 Litteral et al. ..................... ......... 348n
`
`34 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
`
`211D
`VIDEO DATA
`CENTER
`
`2121
`
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`Comcast, Ex. 1208
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`. FIGURE 1
`
`VIDEO INFORMATION USER
`
`ENHANCED VDT NETWORK
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`
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`
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`
`FUNCTIONS
`
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`
`FUNCTIONS
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`
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`
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`
`CONNECTION I Breaks Down a Slq>le Connection to All of the Network Subsystem Elements
`
`FUNCTIONS
`
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`
`and Transaction Rate lnfonnation
`
`Issues End Point Addresses for Each Network Subsystem
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Sheet 11 of 15
`
`5,677,905
`
`VIP
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`
`FIGURE 10
`
`12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Sheet 12 of 15
`
`5,677,905
`
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`: SET-UP MSG (CONNECTION BLOCK DESCRIPTOR) :
`
`• I
`I
`; ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
`
`SlllS-: ..__A_C_KN_O_W_LE_D_GM_E_NT __ _
`
`CONFIRMATION
`
`FIGURE 11
`
`13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Sheet 13 of 15
`
`5,677,905
`
`ACCESS
`SUBNTWK
`CTRLR
`
`L1
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`I
`
`: REQ. PPV EVENT :
`
`ACC
`4000
`
`I
`
`I
`I
`: REQ. PPV EVENT :
`
`REPLY
`
`VIP
`51201 : REC. PPV EVENT
`
`I
`
`I
`
`S1202:
`I
`I
`S1203 1
`I
`I
`S1204:
`
`I
`I
`
`Sl20S, ACKNOWLEDGMENT :
`
`I
`
`FIGURE 12
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`ACCESS
`NIM
`SUBNTWK
`L1
`VIP
`DET
`S1301_: _RE_a_. V_IU_A_C_TV_ . ......,....,__ ____ RE_a_. V_IU_A_cr_v_. - - - - -
`1
`I
`S1302:
`I
`I
`s1303:
`
`CONN. REQ.
`PPV CH.
`
`I
`
`I
`
`: DECRYPTION KEY:
`
`S1304:
`
`I
`I
`I
`
`S1305•
`
`I
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`Sl 307: ACKNOWLEDGMENT :
`
`REPLY.
`
`REPLY
`
`FACILITY MSG
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`FIGURE 13
`
`14
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Sheet 14 of 15
`
`5,677,905
`
`L1
`
`I
`I
`
`S1401 1
`I
`I
`S1402 1
`
`I
`I
`
`S1403:
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`I
`S1404:
`I
`I
`S1405 1
`
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`
`I
`
`DET
`I
`I
`I
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`: DECRYPTION KEY 1
`
`ATM
`SUBNTWK
`
`CONN. REQ.
`
`ACCESS
`SUBNTWK
`INITIAL MSG
`
`I
`
`I
`
`REPLY
`
`REPLY
`
`I
`
`I CONN. REQ.
`Sl406 1
`
`I
`I
`
`S1407 1
`
`l
`I
`S1408'
`I
`I
`S1409'
`
`I
`I
`
`S1410 1
`
`REPLY
`
`I
`I
`SET-UP MSG (CONNECTION BLOCK DESCRIPTOR)
`
`CONFIRMATION
`
`INTERACTIVE SESSION
`
`FIGURE 14A
`
`15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Sheet 15 of 15
`
`5,677,905
`
`VIP
`I
`I
`S1411:
`
`I
`I
`
`S1412 1
`
`S1413
`
`S1414
`
`S1415
`
`S1416
`
`S1417 1
`
`I
`
`S1418:
`
`I
`I
`
`S1419:
`I
`S1420 :
`
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`I
`
`S1421 1
`
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`
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`
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`I
`51424 I
`
`I
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`
`51425 :
`
`I
`I
`
`S1426 :
`
`ATM
`SUBNTWK
`
`Ll
`
`ACCESS
`SUBNTWK
`
`NIM
`
`I
`
`SELECT IMTV VIP
`
`DET
`I
`I·
`I
`
`CUSTOMER CALLING MSG.
`
`ACCEPTANCE MSG
`
`CONN. REQ.
`
`; DOWNSTREAM CH.: DECRYPTION KEY
`
`I
`
`REPLY
`
`REPLY
`
`CONN. REQ
`
`REPLY
`
`CONN. REQ.
`
`REPLY
`
`CONFIRMATION
`
`I
`
`I
`I
`:sET-UP MSG (CONNECTION BLOCK DESCRIPTOR, ETC,)
`
`CONFIRMATION
`
`TEAR-DOWN MSG 1S
`
`INTERACTIVE SESSION
`
`FIGURE 14B
`
`16
`
`

`

`5,677,905
`
`1
`ACCESS SUBNETWORK CONTROLLER
`FOR VIDEO DIAL TONE NETWORKS
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates to routing and access control
`in video distribution networks capable of providing sub(cid:173)
`scribers with access to multiple information service provid(cid:173)
`ers for both interactive services and broadcast services.
`
`ACRONYMS
`
`5
`
`10
`
`2
`Network Interface Device (Nill)
`Operations and Support System (OSS)
`Operations Support Module (OSM)
`Optical Network Unit (ONU)
`Optical to Electrical (0/E)
`Over-the-Air (OTA)
`Packetized Elementary Stream (PES)
`Payload Type (PT)
`Pay-Per-View (PPV)
`Permanent Vrrtual Circuit (PVC)
`Permanent Vrrtual Circuit Controller (PVCC)
`Personal Identification Number (PIN)
`Physical Layer Convergence Protocol (PLCP)
`Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)
`Program Identification (PID) number
`Program Reference Qock (PRC)
`Public Access Channel (PAC)
`Public Switched Network (PSN)
`Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
`Quadrature Phase-Shift Keyed (QPSK) modulation
`Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
`Vestigial Sideband (VSB) modulation
`Video Dial Tone (VDT)
`Video Information Provider (VIP)
`Video Information User (VIU)
`Video Network Hub (VNH)
`Video Provider Service Center (VPSC)
`Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI)
`Virtual Path Identifier (VPI)
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`Distribution of full motion video data has evolved from
`early television broadcasting to meet viewer demand. Ear-
`40 liest video distribution was by point-to-point wiring between
`a camera and a video monitor. This was followed by
`scheduled television broadcasting of programming over the
`public air waves. In the 1960s, Community Antenna Tele(cid:173)
`vision (CATV) was chartered to provide off-air television
`45 signals to viewers in broadcast reception fringe areas. Later,
`under FCC regulation, the CATV industry was required to
`provide local access and original programming in addition to
`off-air broadcast signal distribution.
`In response, several sources of cable network program-
`so ming were established. Because of the wide bandwidth
`available on cable television systems, additional channels
`were available for the new programming. However, pro(cid:173)
`gramming was generally prescheduled, with the viewer left
`to tune to the designated channel at the appointed time to
`ss view a particular program.
`To increase revenues, cable television systems have ini(cid:173)
`tiated distribution of premium channels viewable only by
`subscribers having appropriate descramblers. The subscriber
`tunes the descrambler to receive a premium channel,
`60 descramble the video and audio information and supply a
`signal capable of reception on a standard television set.
`Pay-per-view programs, which evolved later, include
`recently released movies, live concerts and popular sporting
`events. Subscribers wishing to view a pay-per-view program
`65 place an order with the cable operator. At the designated
`time, the subscriber's descrambler is activated by some
`control from the cable operator to permit viewing of the
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`The written description and drawings use a large number
`of acronyms to refer to various services and system com(cid:173)
`ponents. Although generally known, use of several of these
`acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes 15
`of this discussion, acronyms therefore will be defined as
`follows:
`Access Subnetwork (ASN)
`Access Subnetwork Controller (ASNC)
`Adaptive Digital Multiplexer (ADM)
`Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
`Asynchronous Transfer Mode (JITM)
`1ITM Adaptation Layer (AAL)
`1ITM cell Adaptation Unit (AAU)
`1ITM Packet Demultiplexer (APD)
`Broadcast (BC)
`Broadcast Consolidation Section (BCS)
`Broadcast Service Area (BSA)
`Cable Network Unit (CNU)
`Carrier Access Billing System (CABS)
`Cell Loss Priority (CLP) bit
`Central Office (CO)
`Central Office Terminal (COT)
`Community Antenna Television (CATV)
`Customer Record Information System (CRIS)
`Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)
`Digital Cross-connect Switch (DCS)
`Digital Entertainment Terminal (DEf)
`Drop and Continue (D/C)
`Electrical to Optical (F/0)
`Ethernet (ENEf)
`First-In-First-Out (FIFO) buffers
`Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM)
`Header Error Check (HEC) word
`Host Digital Terminal (HDT)
`Intelligent Access Peripheral (IAP)
`Interactive Multimedia Television (IMTV)
`Interworking Unit (lWU)
`Level 1 (Ll)
`Level 1 Gateway (LlGW)
`Level 2 (L2)
`Level 2 Gateway (L2GW)
`Local Area Network (LAN)
`Local Loop Distribution (LLD) network
`Local Video Access Node (LVAN)
`Media Access Control (MAC)
`Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG)
`Network Data Processor (NDP)
`·
`Network Interface Controller (NIM)
`
`17
`
`

`

`5,677,905
`
`5
`
`3
`pay-per-view programming. However, the subscriber is still
`restricted to viewing the programming at the scheduled time.
`There is no capability of delivering programming to a
`subscriber on demand, that is, immediately or at a
`subscriber-specified time and date.
`More recently, several different wideband digital distri(cid:173)
`bution networks have been proposed for offering subscribers
`an array of video services, including true Video On Demand
`service. The following U.S. Patents disclose representative
`examples of such digital video distributions networks: 10
`5,253,275 to Yurt et al., 5,132,992 to Yurt et al., 5,133,079
`to Ballantyne et al., 5,130,792 to Tindell et al., 5,057,932 to
`Lang, 4,963,995 to Lang, 4,949,187 to Cohen, 5,027,400 to
`Baji et al., and 4,506,387 to Walter. In particular, Litteral et
`al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,347 discloses a digital video distri- 15
`bution network providing subscribers with access to mul(cid:173)
`tiple Video On Demand service providers through the public
`switched telephone network, as described in more detail
`below.
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,347 to Litteral et al. discloses an
`enhanced public switched telephone network which also
`provides a video on demand service to subscribers over the
`public switched telephone network. A menu of video pro(cid:173)
`gramming information is displayed at the subscriber's pre(cid:173)
`mises by a set-top terminal and a TV set. The subscriber may
`transmit ordering information via the public switched tele(cid:173)
`phone network to the independent video information pro(cid:173)
`viders. Video programming may be accessed and transmit(cid:173)
`ted to the subscriber directly from a video information
`provider (VIP) or through a video buffer located at a central
`office (CO) serving tlle subscriber.
`Connectivity between the central office and the subscriber
`for transmission of video data is provided by an asymmetri(cid:173)
`cal digital subscriber line (ADSL) system. ADSL interface
`units at the central office multiplex digital video information
`with voice information to be transmitted to the subscriber
`and support two-way transmission between the subscriber's
`line and the X.25 packet data network of one or more control
`channels. A complimentary ADSL interface unit at the 40
`subscriber's premises separates downstream video control
`signals and voice telephone signals from the line and mul(cid:173)
`tiplexes upstream control signals and voice telephone sig(cid:173)
`nals onto the line.
`The prior art video networks have not addressed many
`problems which arise when the networks must be adapted to
`provide end users with equal access to multiple video
`information providers offering a wide array of services. For
`example, tlle prior art documents do not suggest an efficient
`procedure for managing the necessary broadcast and point(cid:173)
`to-point connections through the network to provide desired
`access to large numbers of information providers.
`The assignee has proposed a switched-star digital network
`for delivering broadcast and interactive type services. The
`earlier proposed network did utilize a high level control
`node identified as a level 1 gateway, but the lower level
`control functionality in that network was distributed among
`a wide variety of different network elements, e.g. switches,
`intelligent access peripherals (IAPs), etc. Each of these
`different network elements had a different signaling inter(cid:173)
`face protocol, consequently, the level 1 gateway had to
`support a wide range of signaling protocols to control the
`disparate functions of all of the components necessary to set
`up each session connection through the network. Also, the
`level I gateway had to monitor and manage the functionality
`of many of tllese lower level control elements. In practice,
`such a control hierarchy is difficult to design and set up, it
`
`4
`is inefficient and easy to overload, and it is prone to a variety
`of failures under actual operating conditions.
`DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
`The principle object of the present invention is to provide
`a seamless, smooth approach for connecting a video infor(cid:173)
`mation user (VIlJ) to a chosen broadcast service video
`information provider (VIP) or a chosen interactive service
`video information provider (VIP), in a multiple provider
`environment. The connection to the VIP of choice must be
`provided in a non-discriminatory manner that makes it easy
`for the user to get to that particular provider for either
`broadcast services of interactive services.
`More specific objectives of the present invention relate to
`improving the control structure of the network to simplify
`initial design and set-up of the network, improve real-time
`efficiency of the control operations of the network, and
`reduce failures of the network control elements.
`In accord with the present invention, the end-to-end
`20 network is subdivided into two or more subnetworks with
`specified open interfaces to each other. The preferred net(cid:173)
`work architecture includes a backbone subnetwork and an
`access subnetwork. The backbone subnetwork provides
`point-to-point two-way communication sessions for broad-
`25 band interactive multimedia communications signals with a
`selected one of the information providers. The access sub(cid:173)
`network receives digital broadband information signals from
`the selected information provider, via the backbone
`subnetwork, for transmission to one of the digital entertain-
`30 ment terminals. The access subnetwork also supplies control
`signals from the one digital entertainment terminal to the
`backbone subnetwork for transmission to the selected infor(cid:173)
`mation provider. The access subnetwork also provides
`broadcast transport. Specifically, the access subnetwork
`35 receives broadcast digital broadband information signals for
`selective distribution to authorized digital entertainment
`terminals.
`The network will also include a high level control
`subnetwork, e.g. including a level 1 gateway. Each transport
`subnetwork includes a subnetwork controller which is the
`single point of contact with tllat subnetwork for all control
`functions and related requests for control of services through
`the respective subnetwork.
`The open interface between subnetworks makes inter-
`45 faces and technologies within each subnetwork independent
`of the actual technologies within the other subnetworks. For
`example, the backbone subnetwork preferably utilizes Asyn(cid:173)
`chronous Transfer Mode (JITM) switch technology. Such an
`ATM backbone network, however, works equally well witll
`50 an RF broadcast based hybrid-fiber-coax type access sub(cid:173)
`network or with a switched digital star type access subnet(cid:173)
`work. Similarly, either of these or other types of access
`subnetwork technologies could operate with alternate types
`of backbone networks, e.g. using direct cross connect
`55 switching or optical switching.
`In accord with this design philosophy, the Access Sub(cid:173)
`network Controller provides a single point of control contact
`within the access subnetwork. Any other subnetwork
`(typically the control subnetwork) needing a control func-
`60 tion in the access subnetwork always sends the request for
`that function to the Access Subnetwork Controller. Use of
`such a single control element eliminates the need for one or
`more of the oilier subnetwork control elements to interface
`and interact with a range of different control elements within
`65 the access subnetwork, thereby improving tlle efficiency of
`the control interface functions between the access subnet(cid:173)
`work and the other subnetworks.
`
`18
`
`

`

`5,677,905
`
`6
`Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the
`invention will be set forth in part in the description which
`follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in
`the art upon examination of the following or may be learned
`by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of
`the invention may be realized and attained by means of the
`instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out
`in the appended claims.
`
`5
`The Access Subnetwork Controller has an intense under(cid:173)
`standing of what is going on in the access subnetwork. This
`Controller does not understand what is going on outside of
`the access subnetwork. The primary responsibility of the
`Access Subnetwork Controller is to reserve and control 5
`resources, provide requested resources and monitor the use
`of resources within in the realm of the access subnetwork.
`Additional functions could be provided in the Access Sub(cid:173)
`network Controller, such as some or all of the functionality
`of the level 1 gateway, but inclusion of such additional 10
`functions reduces the efficiency of the Access Subnetwork
`Controller.
`The Access Subnetwork Controller functions essentially
`in the same manner to provide each of a variety of different
`types of requested connection, whether broadcast, pay-per- 15
`view or !MTV. The Access Subnetwork Controller reserves
`and enables access subnetwork resources for a particular
`user connection and reports connections back to higher level
`control elements, such as the level 1 gateway. Typically, the
`report on connection establishment by Access Subnetwork 20
`Controller includes some information needed by other net(cid:173)
`work elements in order to utilize the reserved resources.
`Provisioning of a broadcast service to an individual
`subscriber's terminal device is administered as a connection,
`even though the signal is already broadcast through at least 25
`a portion of the access subnetwork, and in some networks is
`already broadcast all the way through to the subscriber
`premises. The broadcast signal, however, is not available
`('connectable') through the access subnetwork to the termi(cid:173)
`nal device in a manner which will permit presentation 30
`thereof to a viewer until some access control element of
`access subnetwork receives an appropriate instruction, as
`part of a connection set-up procedure. In one embodiment,
`the relevant control element is identified as a host digital
`terminal (HDT), an element serving a plurality of subscrib- 35
`ers and selectively switching certain broadcast program
`channels through to subscribers terminal devices served
`thereby. In other embodinients, the terminal device itself
`includes the relevant access control element, e.g. part of a
`network interface module (NTh1).
`Examples of three different networks using the inventive
`Access Subnetwork Controller functionality are described in
`detail. As illustrated by such examples, the functions of this
`Controller can be incorporated into a wide variety of 45
`advanced broadband communication networks. In each net(cid:173)
`work implementation, the significant purpose of the Access
`Subnetwork Controller is to isolate the specifics of the
`particular access technology and equipment from the higher
`level network controller and other subnetworks.
`In the preferred embodinients of the enhanced video dial
`tone network, the backbone subnetwork comprises one or
`more asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches. A per(cid:173)
`manent virtual circuit (PVC) controller serves as the ATM
`backbone subnetwork controller. In the disclosed network 55
`embodiments, the access subnetwork can use either a
`switched digital star topology or an RF broadcast transport
`of both digital and analog information signals.
`Of the three network architectures disclosed, the presently
`most preferred implementation of the access subnetwork 60
`comprises hubs which convert ATM streams into digital
`packet streams for RF broadcast and a number of local video
`access nodes connected to each hub. The local video access
`nodes convert ATM streams for interactive services, as
`received from the ATM switch, into digital packet streams
`for RF transmission together with the RF broadcast signals
`from the hub.
`
`50
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a communication
`network using the Access Subnetwork Controller of the
`present invention to control a wide range of broadcast and
`interactive multi-media services.
`FIG. 2 presents a high-level overview of the control
`functions of a network of the type shown in FIG. 1 and
`delineates those functions performed by the various control
`elements of the network.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one example of a network
`architecture utilizing an Access Subnetwork Controller, in
`accord with the present invention.
`FIG. 4 illustrates a hybrid fiber coax network architecture
`incorporating the Access Subnetwork Controller, in accord
`with the present invention.
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a distributed network
`architecture for the preferred implementation of the full
`service type video dial tone network utilizing the inventive
`Access Subnetwork Controller.
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one of the video network hub
`offices shown in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 7 is a block diagram of one of the local video access
`node type end offices shown in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 8 is a block diagram of one local loop distribution
`system portion of the network shown in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the ATM backbone network
`and the control systems for the network shown in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 10 illustrates, in simplified form, the flow of mes-
`40 sages between various components of the network of FIGS.
`5-9 during provisioning of broadcast channels.
`FIG. 11 illustrates, in simplified form, the flow of mes(cid:173)
`sages between various components of the network of FIGS.
`5-9 during activation of broadcast services to a new video
`information user.
`FIG. 12 illustrates, in simplified form, the flow of mes(cid:173)
`sages between various components of the network of FIGS.
`5-9 during set-up of an upcoming pay-per-view event.
`FIG. 13 illustrates, in simplified form, the flow of mes(cid:173)
`sages between various components of the network of FIGS.
`5-9 during activation of pay-per-view event reception for a
`video information user who has purchased the event.
`FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate, in simplified form, the flow
`of messages between various components of the network of
`FIGS. 5-9 during establishment of an interactive broadband
`communication session with an IMTV VIP.
`
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
`INVENITON
`The Access Subnetwork Controller of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion is useable in a variety of different broadband distribu(cid:173)
`tion networks which offer subscriber's selective communi(cid:173)
`cation with a plurality of broadband or video information
`65 service providers. FIG. 1 provides a high level, generic
`illustration of the functional elements of such a network,
`referred to as a Video Dial Tone Network. For ease of
`
`19
`
`

`

`5,677,905
`
`7
`understanding, an overview of the Video Dial Tone network
`is set forth below, followed by a more detailed description
`of specific network architectures and the functions of the