The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 14, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 28, 1995
John A Bigham, Pottstown, PA (US);
Regina S Lightfoot, New Carrollton, MD (US);
William D Goodman, Collegeville, PA (US);
Ulric E Arthur, Burtonsville, MD (US);
Edward Mihm, Warminster, PA (US);
Kamran Sistanizadeh, Arlington, VA (US);
Bahman Amin-Salehi, Washington, DC (US);
Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc., Arlington, VA (US);
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 interactive service interfaces, both for communications to and from an information provider and for communication to and from customer premises equipment. An Access Subnetwork Controller 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 Controller. 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 IMTV. Specifically, the Access Subnetwork Controller reserves and enables access subnetwork resources for a particular user connection and reports connections back to higher level control elements.