Patent ID: 6084881
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A multiple mode digital subscriber line (xDSL) interface, comprising:an xDSL termination unit operable to couple to an xDSL link and to manage communication of data across an xDSL physical layer; anda customer premises equipment (CPE) termination unit comprising:a packet communication path operable to manage communication of framed data packets of a data link protocol layer;an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communication path operable to manage a transmission convergence (TC) physical sublayer and communication of cells of an ATM protocol layer;a switch coupled to the xDSL termination unit, to the packet communication path, and to the ATM communication path, the switch operable to connect the xDSL termination unit to the packet communication path or to the ATM communication path; anda customer premises equipment (CPE) interface coupled to the packet communication path and to the ATM communication path and operable to couple to customer premises equipment, the CPE interface operable to communicate data at higher protocol layers;such that the multiple mode xDSL interface provides a packet operating mode and an ATM operating mode for interconnecting to the xDSL link, each operating mode associated with a data protocol and supporting communication of data across the xDSL physical layer using the associated data protocol.