Lucent Technologies Inc.

Avaya Technology LLC

William L Aranguren

Albert D Baker

Leonid Strakovsky

Boris A Bark

A signal distribution network in which signals are distributed via a primary signal distribution path. Television signals are transmitted in a first frequency band, telephone signals are transmitted in a second frequency band, and data signals are transmitted in a third frequency band. Bidirectional terminal adapters are connected to each endpoint of the primary signal distribution path. The terminal adapters connect to end user devices which receive signals from the primary signal distribution path. In addition, the terminal adapters connect to signal sources which provide the signals to be distributed via the primary signal distribution path. In one embodiment, television signals received from a CATV television network are received by a television distribution module. The television distribution module has one or more tuner/converters each of which tune to a desired channel, modulate the desired channel onto at least one predetermined distribution channel, and provide the signal to the primary signal distribution path via the predetermined distribution channel. The total bandwidth of the primary signal distribution path can be substantially lower than the total bandwidth of the communication links providing the sources of signals entering the network. As such, the primary signal distribution path may be implemented utilizing a single pair of wires.

Network for distributing multimedia signals over a primary signal distribution path

Communications systems and methods are directed to a novel communications platform which employs a TDM bus, a TDM bus controller, a passive Ethernet bus, and a centralized Ethernet hub to provide for the communication of data, voice, and/or video signals among a plurality of endpoint devices. The TDM bus controller provides a plurality of B-Channels on the TDM bus. The centralized Ethernet hub is coupled to the TDM bus controller via a control link. Each endpoint device is connected to at least one of the passive Ethernet bus and the TDM bus. The centralized Ethernet hub operates over the passive Ethernet bus to dynamically allocate one or more individual B-Channels of a single B-Channel set amongst a group of endpoint devices, such as telephone equipment, video communications equipment, processors, and/or computing devices. The centralized Ethernet hub provides a logical control channel to each endpoint device for call establishment. Each endpoint device is coupled to the logical control channel over at least one of a first path comprising the passive Ethernet bus and a second path comprising the TDM bus, the TDM bus controller, and the control link. The logical control channel executes B-channel seizure algorithms for establishment of communications to and from selected endpoint devices.

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Ocean Township, NJ, United States of America

William L Aranguren