Ethernet transport over a telephone line

摘要

A modem for symmetric bi-directional transporting of an Ethernet signal, comprises a port connected to a physical layer module adapted to receive and transmit a single Ethernet signal, a data splitter for splitting the Ethernet signal into the configurable number of downstream data signals, another port comprising the configurable number of DSL ports coupled to the data splitter. Each port is adapted to transmit a separate downstream signal. Each transmitted downstream signal is transmitted via a corresponding telephone line connected to the port. Each port is further adapted to receive a separate upstream signal. Each received upstream signal is received over the corresponding telephone line connected to the DSL port, and a data collection and reorganization unit coupled to the DSL ports and adapted to assemble the upstream signals into the single Ethernet signal for transmission by the physical layer module.

主权项

1. A method to enable bi-directional transport of an Ethernet signal over a configurable number of lines, comprising:
receiving the Ethernet signal; splitting the Ethernet signal into a plurality of downstream data signals; providing each downstream data signal of the plurality of downstream data signals to a plurality of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) ports, at least one of the DSL ports of the plurality of DSL ports:
transmitting a separate downstream DSL signal having a configurable downstream data rate; and assembling upstream DSL signals into a single Ethernet signal to be processed by a physical layer module.