METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLEXING OF MULTIPLE USERS ON THE SAME VIRTUAL CIRCUIT

摘要

The invention provides a method and apparatus for communicating to a destination node over a broadband network from plural users connected to an access node. A virtual circuit is provisioned through the broadband network for connecting the access node to the destination node. Data units are received from plural users at the access node, with each data unit having plural cells. The data units are multiplexed onto the virtual circuit at the access node such that the cells of any one data unit are noninterleaving with the cells of any other data unit on the virtual circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the destination node is a service provider node in an ATM network and the data units are Ethernet protocol data units that comprise plural ATM cells. According to another aspect of the invention, an access node for communicating to a service provider node over an ATM network includes at least one line unit for transmitting Ethernet protocol data units to and from plural users, each Ethernet protocol data unit comprising plural ATM cells, the line unit coupling the ATM cells to and from a communication bus. A trunk unit coupled to the communication bus transmits and receives ATM cells to and from the ATM network.