A novel ATM based data transport system for hybrid fiber coax CATV networks

Author

Wolters, Robert ; Boettle, Dietrich ; Sierens, Chris

Author_Institution

Alcatel Telecom, Antwerp, Belgium

fYear

1997

fDate

25-28 May 1997

Firstpage

494

Lastpage

502

Abstract

In this article, a transport system for use on hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable television (CATV) networks is described. The system delivers an effective bitrate of 35 Mbps in the downstream direction and an effective bitrate of 2.1 Mbps in the upstream. The system uses asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology as transport mechanism, while time division multiple access (TDMA) is used to create a multiple access environment in the upstream direction. Timing aspects related to the use of TDMA in the upstream such as round trip delay and time slot synchronization are discussed in this paper. In the downstream direction forward error correction according to the DVB specification is applied, while in the upstream direction each burst is exactly one ATM cell plus 4 FEC bytes. ATM connections between users and servers as well as the encryption applied in the system are discussed. The described transport system is currently implemented in several prototypes and will be demonstrated mid 1997 in four European field trials within the framework of the ACTS project ATHOC

Keywords

asynchronous transfer mode; cable television; coaxial cables; cryptography; data communication; delays; digital television; forward error correction; optical fibre subscriber loops; synchronisation; telecommunication standards; television standards; time division multiple access; timing; 2.1 Mbit/s; 35 Mbit/s; ACTS project ATHOC; ATM based data transport system; DVB specification; European field trials; FEC; TDMA; asynchronous transfer mode; cable television; downstream direction; effective bitrate; encryption; forward error correction; hybrid fiber coax CATV networks; prototypes; round trip delay; time division multiple access; time slot synchronization; timing; transport mechanism; upstream direction; Asynchronous transfer mode; Bit rate; Cable TV; Coaxial cables; Coaxial components; Forward error correction; Hybrid fiber coaxial cables; Optical fiber cables; Time division multiple access; Timing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

IEEE ATM Workshop 1997. Proceedings

Conference_Location

Lisboa

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4196-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ATM.1997.624718

Filename

624718