Claims
- 1-7. (canceled)
- 8. A method of dynamically adding a routing element to a distributed communications network comprising:
establishing an ATM virtual connection with an existing distribution point already part of the communications network; requesting an ATM end user address from the existing distribution point; obtaining an ATM end user address from the existing distribution point, the ATM end user address allocated from a pool of ATM end user addresses in the existing distribution point; requesting an IP address from the existing distribution point; and obtaining an IP address from the existing distribution point, the IP address allocated from a pool of IP addresses in the existing distribution point.
- 9. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 8 further comprising:
requesting a pool of ATM end user addresses from an address server; receiving a pool of ATM end user addresses from the address server; requesting a pool of IP addresses from the address server; and receiving a pool of IP addresses from the address server; whereby an ATM end user address from the pool of ATM end user addresses and an IP address from the pool of IP addresses are assigned to a new routing element requesting to be added to the communications network.
- 10. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 8 wherein the routing element is a distribution point.
- 11. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 10 further comprising:
forming a peer relationship with the existing distribution point at the data link layer for voice communication; and forming a peer relationship with the existing distribution point at the network layer for data communication.
- 12. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 8 wherein the routing element is an access point interconnecting user communication devices with a distribution point.
- 13. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 12 wherein the access point is a local radio access point serving a plurality of packet radios.
- 14. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 12 further comprising:
forming a client relationship at the data link layer with the existing distribution point, the existing distribution point functioning as a server for voice communication; and forming a client relationship at the network layer with the existing distribution point, the existing distribution point functioning as a server for data communication.
- 15. A method of dynamically adding a routing element as in claim 14 further comprising:
adding at least one access point as a client; forming a peer relationship with communicating existing distribution points at the data link layer for voice communication; and forming a peer relationship with communicating existing distribution points at the network layer for data communication.
- 16. A method of adding a new distribution point to a network of-distribution points, the method comprising:
establishing a connection between the new distribution point and at least one existing distribution point in the network of distribution points; forming a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI network layer between the new distribution point and the at least one existing distribution point; and forming a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI data link layer between the new distribution point and the at least one existing distribution point.;
- 17. A method of adding a new distribution point as in claim 16 wherein the peer-to-peer relationship at the network layer includes governing exchanges of IP packets carrying data and control information and wherein the peer-to-peer relationship at the data link layer includes governing exchanges of ATM packets carrying voice information.
- 18. A method of adding an access point to a network of distribution points, the method comprising:
establishing a connection between the access point and at least one existing distribution point in the network of distribution points; forming a client-server relationship at an OSI network layer between the access point client and the at least one existing distribution point server; and forming a client-server relationship at an OSI data link layer between the access point and the at least one existing distribution point server.
- 19. A method of adding an access point as in claim 18 wherein the client-server relationship at the network layer includes governing exchanges of IP packets carrying data and control information and wherein the client-server relationship at the data link layer includes governing exchanges of ATM packets carrying voice information.
- 20. A communications network for distributing packetized information comprising:
a supervisor operative to supply a plurality of pools of ATM end user addresses and a plurality of pools of IP addresses; a plurality of access points, each access point operative to transmit packets to and receive packets from at least one subscriber unit; and a plurality of distribution points, the access points and distribution points forming a network, each distribution point in communication with at least one other distribution point and with the supervisor, each access point in communication with at least one distribution point, each distribution point operative to (a) obtain a pool of ATM end user addresses from the supervisor, (b) obtain a pool of IP addresses from the supervisor, (c) receive a request from a new network element to join the network, (d) provide the new network element with an ATM end user address from the pool of ATM end user addresses, and (e) provide the new network element with an IP address from the pool of IP addresses.
- 21. A communications network as in claim 20 wherein the new network element is a new distribution point.
- 22. A communications network as in claim 21 wherein the new distribution point forms a peer-to-peer relationship with the existing distribution point at the data link layer for voice communication and forms a peer-to-peer relationship with the existing distribution point at the network layer for data communication.
- 23. A communications network as in claim 20 wherein at least one distribution point is operative to function as an access point.
- 24. A communications network as in claim 20 wherein the new network element is a new access point.
- 25. A communications network as in claim 24 wherein the new access point forms a client relationship with the existing distribution point as a server at the data link layer and the new access point forms a client relationship with the existing distribution point as a server at the network layer.
- 26. A communications network as in claim 24 wherein at least one access point is a local radio access point in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit.
- 27. A communications network as in claim 24 wherein at least one access point is in wireline communication with at least one subscriber unit.
- 28. A communication network as in claim 24 wherein at least one access point is in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit.
- 29. A communications network as in claim 24 wherein at least one access point is operative to function as a distribution point.
- 30. A communication network as in claim 20 wherein each distribution point is further operative to:
determine that the new network element is no longer joined to the network; recover the ATM end user address provided from the pool of ATM end user addresses; and recover the IP address provided from the pool of IP addresses.
- 31-37. (canceled)
- 38. A distributed communication system comprising:
a network of distribution points for routing information packets based on destination addresses; and a new distribution point to be added to the network of distribution points, the new distribution point operative to (a) establish a connection with at least one existing distribution point in the network of distribution points, (b) form a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI network layer with the at least one existing distribution point, and (c) form a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI data link layer with the at least one existing distribution point.
- 39. A distributed communication system as in claim 38 wherein the peer-to-peer relationship at the network layer governs exchanges of IP packets carrying data and control information and wherein the peer-to-peer relationship at the data link layer governs exchanges of ATM packets carrying voice information.
- 40. A distributed communication system comprising:
a network of distribution points for routing information packets based on destination addresses; and a new access point to be connected to the network of distribution points, the new access point operative to (a) establish a connection with at least one existing distribution point in the network of distribution points, (b) form a client-server relationship at the data link layer with the at least one existing distribution point, the new access point functioning as a client and the at least one existing distribution point functioning as a server, and (c) form a client-server relationship at the network layer with the at least one existing distribution point, the new access point functioning as a client and the at least one existing distribution point functioning as a server.
- 41. A distributed communication system as in claim 40 wherein the client-server relationship at the network layer governs exchanges of IP packets carrying data and control information and wherein the client-server relationship at the data link layer governs exchanges of ATM packets carrying voice information.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/152,730 filed Sept. 8, 1999, titled “Cellularized Packetized Voice and Data,” the specification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application claims the benefit of a U.S. Provisional Application having attorney reference 1770P (USW 0578 PRV) filed Feb. 29, 2000, titled “High Speed Distributed Wireless Communication,” the specification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60152730 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
|
60185788 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09603035 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Child |
10847787 |
May 2004 |
US |