Patent ID: 8396084
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a first line unit having a first network interface, where the first line unit is configured to communicate via the first network interface using a first frame structure comprising a plurality of timeslots, the first frame structure transporting signaling bits in an x'th timeslot reserved for signaling; a second line unit coupled to the first line unit, the second line unit having a second network interface allocated a first portion of bandwidth of the first network interface, where the second line unit is configured to communicate using a second frame structure comprising a plurality of timeslots via the second network interface, the second frame structure transporting signaling bits via its x'th timeslot; a third line unit coupled to the first line unit, the third line unit having a third network interface allocated a second portion of bandwidth of the first network interface, where the third line unit is configured to communicate using a third frame structure comprising a plurality of timeslots via the third network interface, the third frame structure transporting signaling bits via its x'th timeslot; wherein for each frame communicated via the first network interface, at least one payload timeslot in the first frame structure is uniquely mapped to either the second frame structure or the third frame structure; wherein the x'th timeslot for each of the first frame structure, the second frame structure and the third frame structure is formatted in a multiframe structure, wherein the multiframe structure comprises a schedule of signaling bit locations each allocated to signaling bits corresponding to a designated payload timeslot; wherein when the first line unit communicates to the second line unit a first set of signaling bits for a first payload timeslot within the first frame structure, the second line unit identifies a second payload timeslot within the second frame structure that is mapped to the first payload timeslot, and retransmits the first set of signaling bits during the x'th timeslot of a frame scheduled for signaling bit locations corresponding to the second payload timeslot as scheduled per the multiframe structure; and wherein when the first line unit communicates to the third line unit a second set of signaling bits for a third payload timeslot within the first frame structure, the second line unit identifies a fourth payload timeslot within the second frame structure that is mapped to the third payload timeslot, and retransmits the second set of signaling bits during the x'th timeslot of a frame scheduled for signaling bit locations corresponding to the fourth payload timeslot as scheduled per the multiframe structure.