Method and apparatus for using data-over-cable applications and services in non-cable environments

• US 20060271988A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chapman, John T., Taylor, Gregory A., Page, Andrew John
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A generic data over cable system configures different cable and/or non-cable network infrastructures to operate in a data over cable environment. In one embodiment, a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core is coupled to one or more physical gateways over a packet switched network. The physical gateways are connected to endpoints over either a cable or non-cable network infrastructure. An adaptation layer configures the physical gateways and the associated endpoints so that cable applications and cable subscriber services can operate over either the cable or non-cable network infrastructures.

Claims

1. A generic data over cable system, comprising:

a centralized data over cable aggregation system that uses a data over cable protocol for exchanging information with an endpoint,

the centralized data over cable aggregation system operating an adaptation layer that configures a non-cable network infrastructure to support data over cable applications and services.

2. The generic data over cable system according to claim 1 wherein the adaptation layer operates partially within layer-2 and partially within layer-1 of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model and is configured according to a type of cable or non-cable network infrastructure connected to the endpoint.

3. The generic data over cable system according to claim 1 wherein the adaptation layer configures different physical gateways to operate with different associated cable and non-cable network infrastructures.

4. The generic data over cable system according to claim 3 wherein either the data over cable aggregation system or one of the physical gateways send scheduling messages to the endpoint corresponding with the type of associated network infrastructure.

5. The generic data over cable system according to claim 3 wherein the data over cable aggregation system communicates with the physical gateways remotely over a packet switched network.

6. The generic data over cable system according to claim 1 wherein the aggregation system and the endpoint each include a Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Controller (MAC) for exchanging DOCSIS messaging over a non-cable network infrastructure.

7. The generic data over cable system according to claim 1 wherein the adaptation layer configures both cable and non-cable network infrastructures to support Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification (DOCSIS) applications and DOCSIS subscriber management services.

8. A physical gateway, comprising:

a packet switched network interface for receiving configuration information from a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core; and

a non-cable network interface for communicating with endpoints over a non-cable network infrastructure and using the configuration information from the M-CMTS core to configure the non-cable network infrastructure to support Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification (DOCSIS) messaging.

9. The physical gateway according to claim 8 wherein the packet switched network interface communicates with the M-CMTS core over a Gigabit Ethernet (GE) network.

10. The physical gateway according to claim 8 wherein the non-cable network interface communicates with at least one of the following non-cable network infrastructures:

Digital Subscriber Line;

Satellite;

Ethernet;

Wireless; and

Optical Fiber.

11. The physical gateway according to claim 8 including a processor that receives non-DOCSIS messaging from the M-CMTS core for configuring both the non-cable network interface and the endpoints to operate over the non-cable network infrastructure, the processor also receiving DOCSIS messaging for configuring the endpoints for operating with a DOCSIS protocol.

12. Customer premise equipment, comprising:

a physical interface that communicates over a non-cable network infrastructure; and

a processor that conducts data over cable operations with a central data-over-cable system over the non-cable network infrastructure.

13. The customer premise equipment according to claim 12 wherein the physical interface conducts layer-1 and layer-2 operations associated with the particular non-cable network infrastructure and the processor conducts generic layer-2 and layer-3 data over cable operations with the central data-over-cable system.

14. The customer premise equipment according to claim 13 wherein the physical interface is coupled through the non-cable network infrastructure to a physical gateway, and the physical gateway is coupled through a packet switched network to the central data over cable system.

15. The customer premise equipment according to claim 12 wherein the physical interface includes at least one of the following:

a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem;

a satellite modem;

an optical fiber interface;

a wireless modem;

or

an Ethernet interface.

16. The customer premise equipment according to claim 12 wherein lower Media Access Control (MAC) level operations are executed in the physical interface and higher MAC level operations are executed in the processor.

17. A method for operating a data-over-cable environment over a non-cable network infrastructure, comprising:

configuring a physical interface for communicating over an associated non-cable network infrastructure;

configuring data over cable functionality into endpoints coupled to the non-cable network infrastructure; and

operating data-over-cable applications and/or data-over-cable subscriber management services with the endpoints over the non-cable network infrastructure.

18. The method according to claim 17 including communicating with the physical interface over a packet switched network.

19. The method according to claim 17 including:

operating a Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Controller (MAC) in a central Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core;

establishing a communication session between the M-CMTS core and a remote physical gateway over the packet switched network;

configuring the remote physical gateway and the endpoints for operating in a particular non-cable network infrastructure during the communication session; and

using the DOCSIS MAC in the M-CMTS core to exchange DOCSIS messaging with the endpoints over the remote physical gateway and the non-cable network infrastructure.

20. The method according to claim 17 including:

conducting an adaptation session with both the physical interface and the endpoints that in a first stage exchanges messages particular to the non-cable network infrastructure; and

exchanging Data Over Cable Services Interface Specification (DOCSIS) messages with both the physical interface and the endpoints during a second stage of the adaptation session that are the same regardless of the type of cable or non-cable network infrastructure.