Soft network interface device for digital broadband local carrier networks

US6898276B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Verizon Communications Inc. · US

Inventors

• Raymond Ian Millet · Bowie, US
• R. Andrew Poole · Round Hill, US
• N. Sharon Embrey · Alexandria, US
• Robert D. Farris · Sterling, US
• David H. Cave · Fairfax, US
• John M. Carman · Alexandria, US
• Faye M. Smith · Alexandria, US
• Lin H. Kerns · Springfield, US
• Kyle Vincent Evans · Dallas, US
• Dale L. Bartholomew · Vienna, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 31, 2002
• Grant date: May 24, 2005
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L69/18
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

For communications interface across the line of demarcation between the customer premises media and a link of a public digital broadband communication network, a network interface device is “soft” in that it is adaptable to different service applications and readily programmable from both the network-side and the customer-side. A network-side interface provides a communications connection to a broadband network link at an edge of the digital broadband network. A customer-side interface provides communications connection to one or more media in the customer premises, for example, to telephone and LAN wiring within the premises. The soft network interface device also includes a data processing system, for controlling at least some of the communications through the interfaces. The data processing system is capable of being programmed with network service provisioning data from the public network as well as with user programming received from the customer premises.