GB2350745A

GB2350745A - A broadband internet system

Info

Publication number: GB2350745A
Application number: GB9925633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Yat-Sing Poon
Original assignee: POON PHILIP YAT SING
Current assignee: POON PHILIP YAT SING
Priority date: 1999-06-04
Filing date: 1999-10-29
Publication date: 2000-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-29
Also published as: GB2350745B; GB9925633D0; HK1015626A2

Abstract

A typical broadband internet system comprises a smart box or cable modem 37 for receiving large bandwidth data from an exchange unit 27. The smart box or cable modem 37 converts the data into a format that can be used by end users 13. However, rather than connecting the output of the smart box or cable modem 37 directly to a single user, a gateway 35 is provided for monitoring the available bandwidth, and sharing it between the end users 13. In this way, one broadband connection can serve many users 13, thereby maximising the utility of the bandwidth. Other embodiments disclose various other arrangements for connecting smart boxes and gateways, for example, for pooling bandwidth from different sources.

Description

2350745 A BROADBAND INTERNET SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTIO

The invention relates to a Broadband Internet (BBI) system which is capable of utilising the maximum bandwidth supplied to, or by, BBI networks so as, for example, to achieve low costs and save on national infrastructure investments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As self-explained by its name, a BBI network supplies very broad bandwidth. Therefore, the bandwidth supplied through a single BBI connection is so broad that it may be divided into different channels of lower bandwidths. Present BBI services use one broadband connection to serve one user computer only. Thus a vast capacity of bandwidth is wasted, both for the service providers and the end-users.

Conventional Internet services, (ie. in contrast with BBI services), are provided via conventional analogue telephone cables. The users dial up the providers for services. The service speed is comparatively very slow.

BBI networks can provide services at speeds of up to 700 times faster than conventional dial-up access. BBI service is basically provided via a direct fibre-optic cable link between a service provider and a user. A fibre-optic cable may carry different groups of data at the same time via different channels or portions of bandwidth. In this way, the user may deal with different sources of data simultaneously through different channels or portions of bandwidth.

For example, discussed below is the operation of the 2- conventional Internet network and two BBI service providers in Hong Kong: IMS of Cable and Wireless HKT and i-Cable of Wharf.

Referring to Figure 1, in the conventional Internet system and in places not having the Internet Backbone 3, (which at present is generally accepted as based in the USA), there are various local Internet Services Providers (ISPs) 5, 7, 9, who pay for international leased lines 11 to gain access to the Internet Backbone 3. Internet services are then supplied to individual users 13 through cables of various types 15, usually being analogue telephone cables made of copper.

The total number of leased lines 11 available to a country/place is restricted by the number of physical cables linking the country/place to the Internet Backbone 3. Increasing the number of physical cables would require huge infrastructure investments. In addition, it is a waste of national resources if the cable capacity is not fully utilized. Leased lines have the added disadvantage of having large hiring charges.

Figure 2 shows the IMS system for providing BBI services to its users. The IMS system links up different buildings with fibre-optic cables 21. For simplicity, Figure 2 only shows the scenario of serving one exchange unit 23 located in one user's building.

In practice, various fibre-optic cables would be connected from the regional telephone exchange centre 19 to different exchange units 23 in separate buildings. The exchange units 23 are used to change the fibre-optic data to data capable of being transmitted through copper wires 15, to a smart box 16 for supplying services to the users 13.

The system requires one copper wire 15 and one smart box 16 for one user computer. However, the number of copper wires 15 capable of being provided to an office may be restricted for various reasons. Similarly, the number of copper wires that are linked to the exchange unit 23 could be restricted. However, as can be seen, IMS uses too many copper wires 15 and exchange units 23 to serve a given number of user-computers 13.

At the time of this application, i-Cable is still testing its BBI service system. It is understood that it would basically be done in the way as demonstrated in Figure 3. i-Cable provides fibre-optic cable 25 to the exchange unit 27 of a building. The exchange unit 27 then changes the digital data to analogue data, which is then transmitted to the cable modems 29 of individual users 13 through one common wire 31. The common wire 31 can be made of various materials.

This system requires one cable modem 29 for one user computer 13, rendering substantial waste of cable modems 29.

In addition, the system has potential security problems caused by different users 13 having to share one common wire 31. For example, the user on a f irst f loor could hack the data of a user on another f loor through the common wire 31.

As shown in the foregoing paragraphs, existing service providers use one Broadband Connection Device (smart box or cable modem, hereinafter collectively called "smart box") for one user-computer.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the concept of sharing of the bandwidth by different users and the application of the concept in the BBI system.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a broadband Internet system or a modification of a broadband Internet system for maximizing the utility of bandwidth provided to or by the system comprising a computerized/ electronic device ("the Device") for lining up the source of supply of bandwidth and user-computers, so that more than one user-computer can share the same source of bandwidth.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an interface device for use in a broadband internet system, the interface device comprising; first input/output means for connection to the broadband internet system; a plurality of second input/output means, each one for connection to a respective user or users; and, means for sharing the bandwidth of the broadband internet system between the users.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a broadband internet system (BBI) comprising:

a data transforming device for receiving data from the BBI network and transforming the transmission protocol of said data into data of any transmission protocol designated for an user or users, and vice versa; and, a bandwidth - monitoring device for allocating bandwidth parameters for various users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into ef f ect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a conventional Internet system according to the prior art;

Figure 2 shows a known system for providing broadband Internet services; Figure 3 shows another known system for providing broadband Internet services; Figure 4a shows a broadband Internet system according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 4b shows a broadband Internet system according to a second aspect of the invention, 20 Figure 4c shows a broadband Internet system according to the third aspect of the invention; Figure 5a shows a typical application of the present 25 invention; and Figure 5b shows another application of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EM130DIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTIO Referring to Figure 4a, exchange unit 27 provides a broadband internet service to a smart box or cable modem 37. According to the invention, there is 35 provided a device 35, (for example a computerised or electronic device, usually known as a "gateway"), which is located in the system after the smart box 37. The device 35 distributes or monitors the bandwidths served or transmitted thereby or therefrom, to serve a various number of user-computers 13, linked by a switching device 39. It is noted that more than one switching device 39 may be provided. Normally, the bandwidth supplied through the smart box 37 is so broad that there is almost always substantial waste of available bandwidth.

However, according to the invention, the adding of the device, or gateway 35 enables different user-computers 13 to share the bandwidth supplied through one single smart box 37. Hence, a given number of smart boxes 37 is may by comparison serve many more usercomputers 13 which is not shown in any of the above related arts.

In this manner, the utility of the bandwidth may be maximised.

Thus, the gateway 35 is basically responsible for bandwidth sharing, and the switching device 39 is basically responsible for connecting the various user computers to the gateway 35.

However, the bandwidth supplied through one single smart box 37 may still be wasted or inadequate depending on the using modes of the user-computers 13 served by that particular smart box 37. When the users 13 use BBI services at the same time, the available bandwidth may be exhausted during that interval, whereas, if they do not use BBI services at the same time, then the bandwidth may be over-supplied in that interval.

When a user computer 13 makes a request for access to the BBI network, it has to compete for access with other user computers 13 under the same gateway 35 or group of gateways. Either the gateway 35 or the switching device 39, or both, depending upon the original setting, may decide the quantity of bandwidth available to that user computer 13, that is, the sharing or allocating of the bandwidth. Transmission of data for that user computer 13 will be carried out through a designated logical channel, or portion of the bandwidth, that is, a virtual channel as opposed to a physical channel.

If the data used in the BBI network and the data -ised by the user computer 13 are both of ti-le same transmission protocol, there are no problems with compatibility. However, it is possible that the data used in the BBI network can differ from the data used by the user computer 13. Usually, this incompatibility is dealt with by the smart box 37.

However, the gateway 35 may also be used to perform or re-perform a transforming function to convert the data into a transmission protocol which is compatible to both the network and the user computer 13.

According to a second aspect of the invention as shown in Figure 4b, the system allows different smart boxes 37a-37n, whether from different suppliers or not, to be connected to the same gateway 35 to form a pool of bandwidth for sharing by the user-computers 13. If one particular smart box, for example 37a, is down at any particular moment, or the bandwidth it serves has been exhausted, the user-computer 13 can be automatically re-connected to the next designated smart box, for example 37b.

According to this aspect of the invention, the embodiment disclosed in Figure 4b, enables the mixed use of bandwidth supplied through different transmission systems, for example, IMS, i-Cable, xDSL and so on.

Furthermore, the invention enables such non-compatible systems to be pooled together to provide a pool of bandwidth for common use, which would otherwise not be possible.

According to another aspect of the invention as shown in Figure 4c, different devices, or gateways 35a-35z, and smart boxes 37a-37n, (from the same or different BBI service provider (s) 27x, 27y), may he lined up to provide backups for each other. When one gateway, for example 35a, is down, the switching device(s) 39, (which lines up the user-computers 13 being served), may re is connected the users 13 under that gateway 35a. to the next designated gateway 35z for services, and so on.

By using the invention as demonstrated above, a conventional Internet service provider may provide Internet services to local users without having to hire its own leased lines.

Figure 5a shows an application of the present invention, and how the conventional Internet service provider may line up different user-computers 13 (including remote user-computers 43), dial-up servers 4la-41m, gateways 35a-35z, smart boxes 37a-37n, from the same or different 13BI service provider(s) 27x, 27y to achieve the said purpose by the mixed use of the switching device(s) and the switching network(s) (such as the Public Switching Telephone Network 45).

Another application of the invention, according to Figure 5b, shows how user-companies, for example office A, are able to stop hiring leased lines (thereby saving hiring charges), while maintaining communication with and between remote offices, for example office B, anywhere in the world.

An additional advantage of the embodiments described above is that the security to user-computers is enhanced, since it is only the gateway 35 which is directly connected to the Internet. Even if hackers have gained access to the gateway 3S, the user computers are still safe as they stay anonymous behind the gateway 35. Furthermore, only one single licensed securing measure (e.g. Firewall') installed before the gateway 35 is needed to serve an unlimited number of user-computers 13. (Without the invention, the same number of licences would be required for the same numbers of user-computers.) By using the invention as demonstrated above, the total number of international leased lines and bandwidth required for a country/place can be reduced, so as to achieve savings on costs (i.e. for charges on bandwidth payable to the Internet Backbone provider) and capital investments on infrastructure (i.e. for laying international cable).

Although the bandwidth sharing and monitoring functions have been described as separate entities, they could also be combined together to form one integrated part.

In other words, either the gateway 35 or the switching device 39, or both, may decide the quantity of bandwidth available to a particular user. In addition, the sharing and monitoring functions may be combined with some other facility, for example a smart box 37 as mentioned above or an extension card in an user computer 13.

Although particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be apparent that modifications and variations could be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention which shall be expressed by the appended claims.

Although this description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention but merely providing illustrations of some of the above embodiments of this invention to help in the understanding of how this invention could be applied.

Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1 A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system for maximizing the utility of bandwidth provided to or by the system comprising a computerized/electronic device ("the Device") for lining up the source of supply of bandwidth and user-computers, so that more than one user-computer can share the same source of bandwidth.

2. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1, wherein the Device is used to line up different sources of supply of bandwidth to allow more than one user-computer to share different sources of bandwidth.

3. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein different Devices are used to line up the same or different source(s) of supply of bandwidth to allow services be provided to any of the user-computers through any of the Devices and from the designated source or sources of supply of bandwidth.

4. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband i.nternet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied to a country, city or place may be maximized.

5. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied by a country, city or place may be maximized.

6. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied to an internet services provider or a user may be maximized.

7. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied by an internet service provider may be maximized.

is

8. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 comprising a communication means, wherein an internet services provider may provide internet services by using the bandwidth supplied from various broadband internet services providers.

9. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the security for users of broadband internet services may be enhanced.

10. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the various Devices may serve as backup(s) for each other.

11. A broadband internet system or a modification of a broadband internet system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a and 5b of the accompanying drawings.

12. An interface device for use in a broadband internet system, the interface device comprising:

first input/output means for connection to the broadband internet system; a plurality of second input/output means, each one for connection to a respective user or users; and, means for sharing the bandwidth of the broadband internet system between the users.

13. A broadband internet system (BBI) comprising:

14. A broadband internet system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the bandwidth parameters are logical channels, portions of bandwidth or quantities of bandwidth.

15. A broadband internet system as claimed in claim 13 or 14, having more than one data transforming device.

16. A broadband internet system as claimed in claim 15, having more than one bandwidth-monitoring device, wherein each data transforming device is connected to at least one bandwidth - monitoring device, and each bandwidth-monitoring device is connected to at least 35 one data transforming device.

17. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13 -16, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied to a country, city or place may be maximized.

18. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13-16, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied by a country, city or place may be maximized.

19. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13-16, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied to an internet services provider or a user may be maximized.

20. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13-16, wherein the utility of bandwidth supplied by an internet service provider may be maximized.

21. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13-1G, wherein an internet services provider may provide internet services by using the bandwidth supplied from various broadband internet services providers.

22. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 13-16, wherein the security for users of broadband internet services may be enhanced.

23. A broadband internet system as claimed in any one of claims 15 or 16, wherein the various Devices may serve as backup(s) for each other.

24. An interface device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a and 5b of the accompanying drawings.