Apparatus and method for the optimal utilization and delivery of multiple applications over a digital subscriber loop

摘要

An apparatus and method for optimizing the utilization and the delivery of multiple applications over a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL). The apparatus detects the type of media being delivered in each Protocol Data Unit (PDU) over a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) and switches or otherwise directs the PDU to a Virtual Circuit (VC) on the DSL best suited for that type of media. The apparatus allows for the delivery of multiple applications to the Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) requiring VCs of differing profile or characteristic. Another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus and method for dynamically re-partitioning the bandwidth allocated to each VC of differing profile on the DSL, for the purposes of optimizing and utilizing all available bandwidth on the DSL. By dynamically re-partitioning the bandwidth allocated to each VC of differing profile, the DSL Provider is able to provision a generic Virtual Path (VP) for every DSL Subscriber at deployment which consists of a collection of VCs, such that each VC will subsequently adapt to each individual Subscriber usage, and not require additional external circuits or products to condition the information in order to provide a Quality of Service (QoS) expected for each application by the Subscriber.