Modem pool data rate adjusting method

• US 5,663,982 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Armstrong, Robby Wayne, Hodge, Shannon Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US08/600,117
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/225, 379/97, 379/98, 370/278, 370/282
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1446 of transmission speed

Abstract

A first terminal (10) and a subscriber analog modem (20), operating at a data rate D, cause a modem pool analog modem (30), a modem pool digital modem (40), a subscriber digital modem (50), and a second terminal (60) to adjust their data rates to D. The two analog modems connect and then train, the modem pool analog modem thus adjusting its data rate to D. The two digital modems connect and then train, thus establishing an initial digital modem data rate. The modem pool analog modem sends D to the modem pool digital modem. The modem pool digital modem then sends D to the second terminal which, in turn, adjusts its data rate to D. The modem pool digital modem adjusts its data rate to D. The digital modems then re-train, thus causing the subscriber digital modem to adjust its data rate to D.

Claims

1. In an arrangement comprising a first subscriber terminal coupled to a subscriber analog modem, the subscriber analog modem coupled to a modem pool analog modem, the modem pool analog modem coupled to a modem pool digital modem, the modem pool digital modem coupled to a subscriber digital modem, the subscriber digital modem coupled to a second subscriber terminal, the subscriber analog modem, the modem pool analog modem, the modem pool digital modem and the subscriber digital modem operable for data transmission at a plurality of data rates, the plurality of data rates including a data rate D, the first subscriber terminal and the subscriber analog modem operating at the data rate D of the plurality of data rates, a method for adjusting the data rates of the modem pool analog modem, the modem pool digital modem, the subscriber digital modem, and the second subscriber terminal to data rate D, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) the subscriber analog modem training with the modem pool analog modem, the modem pool analog modem thereby adjusting its data rate to data rate D of the plurality of data rates;

(b) the subscriber digital modem training with the modem pool digital modem, the subscriber digital modem and the modem pool digital modem thereby adjusting their data rates to an initial digital modem data rate of the plurality of data rates;

(c) the modem pool analog modem encoding the data rate D to form an encoded data rate D and transmitting the encoded data rate D to the modem pool digital modem;

(d) the modem pool digital modem transmitting the encoded data rate D to the second subscriber terminal via the subscriber digital modem;

(e) the modem pool digital modem adjusting its data rate from the initial digital modem data rate to data rate D of the plurality of data rates;

(f) responsive to receiving D, the second subscriber terminal adjusting its data rate from the initial digital modem data rate to data rate D of the plurality of data rates; and

,

(g) the modem pool digital modem re-training with the subscriber digital modem, the subscriber digital modem thereby adjusting its data rate to data rate D of the plurality of data rates.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of maintaining a communication link between the modem pool digital modem and the subscriber digital modem during the transmitting step (d).

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of exchanging idle code between the modem pool digital modem and the subscriber digital modem in order to maintain the communications link therebetween.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoding and transmitting step (c) further comprises a step of the modem pool analog modem transmitting an ASCII-encoded signal indicating data rate D to the modem pool digital modem.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step (d) further comprises a step of the modem pool digital modem generating an ASCII encoded message indicating data rate D and transmitting the ASCII encoded message indicating data rate D to the second subscriber terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising an initial step of establishing a connection between the subscriber analog modem and the modem pool analog modem.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising an initial step of establishing a connection between the subscriber digital modem and the modem pool digital modem.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subscriber terminal initiates the communication session with the second subscriber terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second subscriber terminal initiates the communication session with the first subscriber terminal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber analog modem and the modem pool analog modem each comprises a V.3225-type modem.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the modem pool analog modem and the modem pool digital modem are located in a central office.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber digital modem comprises a DU-100-type modem.