Apparatus and method for spectrum management in a multipoint communication system

• US 6,169,728 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perreault, John A., Menon, Sunil K., Picker, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US08/929,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/234, 370/235, 370/236, 370/253, 370/431, 370/462, 370/489, 455/453, 455/454, 709/105
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 1/12 Arrangements for reducing cross-talk between channels in line transmission systems H04B3/32; in cables or lines H04B3/26 - H04B3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6473 Monitoring network processes errors for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64753 directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64761 directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The apparatus (101) and method for spectrum management in a multipoint communication system controls upstream channel usage for secondary stations (110) transmitting information to a primary station (101) and downstream channel usage for secondary stations (110) receiving information from a primary station (101). The preferred apparatus (101) embodiment includes a processor arrangement (120) having a master controller (121) and a plurality of processors (130), with the processor arrangement connected to a channel interface (125). The apparatus (101) and method controls channel load balancing, channel congestion, and channel assignment in a multipoint communication system, and controls upstream channels independently from downstream channels. Factors and parameters utilized in such channel control and allocation include error parameters, channel noise parameters, transmit and receive loading factors, and congestion parameters.

Claims

1. A method for spectrum management in a communication system, the communication system having a communication medium, the communication medium having a plurality of downstream communication channels, the communication medium further having a plurality of upstream communication channels, the communication system further having a plurality of secondary stations coupleable to the communication medium, each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations having a receiver and a transmitter, the method comprising:

(a) allocating loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels for an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations;

(b) allocating loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels for an active secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations;

(c) allocating the plurality of upstream communication channels and the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon an error parameter; and

(d) allocating loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon a congestion parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) repeating steps (a) through (d), inclusive.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) further comprises:

(c1) monitoring an error rate for each upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels;

(c2) determining whether the error rate for each upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels exceeds a first threshold to form a set of upstream high error channels;

(c3) determining a channel noise parameter for a first upstream high error channel of the set of upstream high error channels;

(c4) when the channel noise parameter of the first upstream high error channel exceeds a second threshold, transferring a secondary station transmitter from the first upstream high error channel to a first idle upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels, the first idle upstream communication channel then having a channel noise parameter lower than the second threshold; and

(c5) when the channel noise parameter of the first upstream high error channel is less than the second threshold, transferring a secondary station transmitter from the first upstream high error channel to a second idle upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels, the second idle upstream communication channel having a frequency higher than a frequency of the first upstream high error channel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(c6) repeating steps (c3) through (c5), inclusive, for each high error channel of the plurality of high error channels.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(c7) repeating steps (c1) through (c6), inclusive.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are predetermined.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are adaptive.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the channel noise parameter is the received signal strength measured when an upstream high error channel of the set of upstream high error channels is idle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) further comprises:

(c8) monitoring a downstream error rate for each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations which is connected to a first downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels; and

(c9) when a predetermined number of the plurality of secondary stations have a downstream error rate which exceeds a threshold, transferring a secondary station receiver from the first downstream communication channel to a second downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the third threshold is predetermined.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the third threshold is adaptive.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises:

(a1) determining a receive loading factor for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of receive loading factors;

(a2) when the plurality of receive loading factors indicate initialization of the communication system, sequentially assigning a transmitter of each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to each receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers; and

(a3) when the plurality of receive loading factors do not indicate initialization of the communication system, assigning a transmitter of an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to a receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a lowest receive loading factor.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises:

(a4) determining a transmit loading factor for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of transmit loading factors;

(a5) when the plurality of transmit loading factors indicate initialization of the communication system, sequentially assigning a receiver of each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to each transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters; and

(a6) when the plurality of transmit loading factors do not indicate initialization of the communication system, assigning a receiver of an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to a transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a lowest transmit loading factor.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises:

(b1) determining a receive loading factor for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of receive loading factors;

(b2) when a variation of the plurality of receive loading factors exceeds a threshold, selecting a first receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a highest receive loading factor;

(b3) for the first receiver, determining an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations and selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected transmitter;

(b4) selecting a second receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a receive loading factor less than a mean receive loading factor and determining a second receive loading factor for the selected receiver in conjunction with the selected transmitter; and

(b5) when the second receive loading factor is less than the mean receive loading factor, transferring the selected transmitter to the second receiver.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (b3) further comprises:

(b3i) determining whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

(b3ii) when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein step (b3) further comprises:

(b3iii) determining whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

(b3iv) when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the threshold is predetermined.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the threshold is adaptive.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the receive loading factor further comprises a weighted combination of a packet rate, a bit rate, and a cycle time.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises:

(b6) determining a transmit loading factor for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of transmit loading factors;

(b7) when a variation of the plurality of transmit loading factors exceeds a threshold, selecting a first transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a highest transmit loading factor;

(b8) for the first transmitter, determining an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations and selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected receiver;

(b9) selecting a second transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a transmit loading factor less than a mean transmit loading factor and determining a second transmit loading factor for the second transmitter in conjunction with the selected receiver; and

(b10) when the second transmit loading factor is less than the mean transmit loading factor, transferring the selected receiver to the second transmitter.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b8) further comprises:

(b8i) determining whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

(b8ii) when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b8) further comprises:

(b8iii) determining whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

(b8iv) when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the threshold is predetermined.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the threshold is adaptive.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the transmit loading factor further comprises a weighted combination of a packet rate, a bit rate, and a queue depth.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises:

(d1) determining a congestion parameter for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of congestion parameters;

(d2) when a congestion parameter of the plurality of congestion parameters exceeds a first threshold, selecting a first receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a highest congestion parameter;

(d3) for the first receiver, determining an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations and selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected transmitter;

(d4) selecting a second receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and determining a second congestion parameter for the second receiver in conjunction with the selected transmitter; and

(d5) when the second congestion parameter is less than the first threshold, transferring the selected transmitter to the second receiver.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein step (d3) further comprises:

(d3i) determining whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

(d3ii) when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein step (d3) further comprises:

(d3iii) determining whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

(d3iv) when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

(d6) repeating steps (d3) through (d5), inclusive, until the congestion parameter of the first receiver has decreased below a hysteresis threshold.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are predetermined.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are adaptive.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the congestion parameter is an access latency factor.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises:

(d6) determining a congestion parameter for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of congestion parameters;

(d7) when a congestion parameter of the plurality of congestion parameters exceeds a first threshold, selecting a first transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a highest congestion parameter;

(d8) for the first transmitter, determining an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations and selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected receiver;

(d9) selecting a second transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and determining a second congestion parameter for the second transmitter in conjunction with the selected receiver; and

(d10) when the second congestion parameter is less than first threshold, transferring the selected receiver to the second transmitter.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein step (d8) further comprises:

(d8i) determining whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

(d8ii) when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein step (d8) further comprises:

(d8iii) determining whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

(d8iv) when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, selecting a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

(d11) repeating steps (d8) through (d10), inclusive, until the congestion parameter of the first transmitter has decreased below a hysteresis threshold.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are predetermined.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are adaptive.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein the congestion parameter is a throughput factor.

40. An apparatus for spectrum management in a communication system, the communication system having a communication medium, the communication medium having a plurality of downstream communication channels, the communication medium further having a plurality of upstream communication channels, the communication system further having a plurality of secondary stations coupleable to the communication medium, each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations having a receiver and a transmitter, the apparatus comprising:

a channel interface coupleable to the communication medium for signal transmission on a downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels and for signal reception on an upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels; and

a processor arrangement coupled to the channel interface, the processor arrangement responsive through a set of program instructions to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels for an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations;

to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels for an active secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations;

to allocate the plurality of upstream communication channels and the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon an error parameter; and

to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels and of the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon a congestion parameter.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to monitor an error rate for each upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels;

to determine whether the error rate for each upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels exceeds a first threshold to form a set of upstream high error channels;

to determine a channel noise parameter for a first upstream high error channel of the set of upstream high error channels;

when the channel noise parameter of the first upstream high error channel exceeds a second threshold, to transfer a secondary station transmitter from the first upstream high error channel to a first idle upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels, the first idle upstream communication channel then having a channel noise parameter lower than the second threshold; and

when the channel noise parameter of the first upstream high error channel is less than the second threshold, to transfer a secondary station transmitter from the first upstream high error channel to a second idle upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels, the second idle upstream communication channel having a frequency higher than a frequency of the first upstream high error channel.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are predetermined.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are adaptive.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the channel noise parameter is the received signal strength measured when a high error channel of the plurality of high error channels is idle.

45. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to monitor a downstream error rate for each secondary station connected to a first downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels; and

when a predetermined number of the plurality of secondary stations have a downstream error rate which exceeds a threshold, to transfer a secondary station receiver from the first downstream communication channel to a second downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the threshold is predetermined.

47. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the threshold is adaptive.

48. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a receive loading factor for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of receive loading factors;

when the plurality of receive loading factors indicate initialization of the communication system, to sequentially assign a transmitter of each secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations to each receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers; and

when the plurality of receive loading factors do not indicate initialization of the communication system, to assign a transmitter of an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to a receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a lowest receive loading factor.

49. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a transmit loading factor for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of transmit loading factors;

when the plurality of transmit loading factors indicate initialization of the communication system, to sequentially assign a receiver of each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to each transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters; and

when the plurality of transmit loading factors do not indicate initialization of the communication system, to assign a receiver of an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations to a transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a lowest transmit loading factor.

50. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a receive loading factor for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of receive loading factors;

when a variation of the plurality of receive loading factors exceeds a threshold, to select a first receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a highest receive loading factor;

for the first receiver, to determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations and selecting a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected transmitter;

to select a second receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a receive loading factor less than a mean receive loading factor and to determine a second receive loading factor for the second receiver in conjunction with the selected transmitter; and

when the second receive loading factor is less than the mean receive loading factor, to transfer the selected transmitter to the second receiver.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

52. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive to:

to determine whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

53. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the threshold is predetermined.

54. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the threshold is adaptive.

55. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the receive loading factor further comprises a weighted combination of a packet rate, a bit rate, and a cycle time.

56. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a transmit loading factor for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of transmit loading factors;

when a variation of the plurality of transmit loading factors exceeds a threshold, to select a first transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a highest transmit loading factor;

for the first transmitter, to determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations and to select the secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected receiver;

to select a second transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a transmit loading factor less than a mean transmit loading factor and to determine a second transmit loading factor for the selected transmitter in conjunction with the second receiver; and

when the second transmit loading factor is less than the mean transmit loading factor, to transfer the selected receiver to the second transmitter.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, to select a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, to select a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

59. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the threshold is predetermined.

60. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the threshold is adaptive.

61. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the transmit loading factor further comprises a weighted combination of a packet rate, a bit rate, and a queue depth.

62. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a congestion parameter for each receiver of a plurality of primary station receivers to form a plurality of congestion parameters;

when a congestion parameter of the plurality of congestion parameters exceeds a first threshold, to select a first receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a highest congestion parameter;

for the first receiver, to determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations and to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected transmitter;

to select a second receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and to determine a second congestion parameter for the second receiver in conjunction with the selected transmitter; and

when the second congestion parameter is less than the first threshold, to transfer the selected transmitter to the second receiver.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected transmitter; and

when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected transmitter, to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected transmitter.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive, until the congestion parameter of the first receiver has decreased below a hysteresis threshold, to repeatedly:

determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations and to select a secondary station transmitter of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected transmitter;

select a second receiver of the plurality of primary station receivers then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and determine a second congestion parameter for the second receiver in conjunction with the selected transmitter; and

when the second congestion parameter is less than the first threshold, transfer the selected transmitter to the second receiver.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are predetermined.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are adaptive.

68. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the congestion parameter is an access latency factor.

69. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine a congestion parameter for each transmitter of a plurality of primary station transmitters to form a plurality of congestion parameters;

when a congestion parameter of the plurality of congestion parameters exceeds a first threshold, to select a first transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a highest congestion parameter;

for the first transmitter, to determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations and to select a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected receiver;

to select a second transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and to determine a second congestion parameter for the second transmitter in conjunction with the selected receiver; and

when the second congestion parameter is less than first threshold, to transfer the selected receiver to the second transmitter.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system historical information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

when communication system historical information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, to select a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

71. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive:

to determine whether communication system protocol information precludes a potential transfer of the selected receiver; and

when communication system protocol information precludes the potential transfer of the selected receiver, to select a secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a next highest impact level to form the selected receiver.

72. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the processor arrangement is further responsive, until the congestion parameter of the first transmitter has decreased below a hysteresis threshold, to repeatedly:

determine an impact level of a transfer for each corresponding secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations and select the secondary station receiver of the plurality of secondary stations then having a highest impact level to form a selected receiver;

select a second transmitter of the plurality of primary station transmitters then having a congestion parameter less than the first threshold and determine a second congestion parameter for the second transmitter in conjunction with the selected receiver; and

when the second congestion parameter is less than first threshold, transfer the selected receiver to the second transmitter.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are predetermined.

74. The apparatus of claim 72 wherein the first threshold and the hysteresis threshold are adaptive.

75. The apparatus of claim 69 wherein the congestion parameter further comprises a throughput factor.

76. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the apparatus is embodied within a primary station.

77. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor arrangement further comprises:

a first processor coupled to the channel interface;

a second processor coupled to the channel interface; and

a master controller coupled to the first processor and to the second processor.

78. An apparatus for spectrum management in a communication system, the communication system having a communication medium, the communication medium having a plurality of downstream communication channels, the communication medium further having a plurality of upstream communication channels, the communication system further having a plurality of secondary stations coupleable to the communication medium, each secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations having a receiver and a transmitter, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of channel interfaces coupleable to the communication medium, each channel interface of the plurality of channel interfaces having a transmitter for signal transmission on a downstream communication channel of the plurality of downstream communication channels to form a plurality of primary station transmitters, and each channel interface of the plurality of channel interfaces further having a receiver for signal reception on an upstream communication channel of the plurality of upstream communication channels to form a plurality of primary station receivers;

a plurality of processors coupled to the plurality of channel interfaces; and

a master controller coupled to the plurality of processors, the master controller further having a memory, the master controller responsive through a set of program instructions stored in the memory;

to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels for an entering secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations based upon a first receive loading factor of a plurality of receive loading factors, the plurality of receive loading factors including a cycle time factor;

to allocate loading of the plurality of downstream communication channels for the entering secondary station based upon a first transmit loading factor of a plurality of transmit loading factors, the plurality of transmit loading factor including a queue depth factor;

to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels for an active secondary station of the plurality of secondary stations based upon a second receive loading factor of the plurality of receive loading factors and based upon a variation of the plurality of receive loading factors;

to allocate loading of the plurality of downstream communication channels for the active secondary station based upon a second transmit loading factor of the plurality of transmit loading factors and based upon a variation of the plurality of transmit loading factors;

to allocate the plurality of upstream communication channels based upon a first error parameter of a plurality of error parameters and based upon a first channel noise parameter of a plurality of channel noise parameters;

to allocate the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon a second error parameter of the plurality of error parameters and based upon a number of secondary stations of the plurality of secondary stations having the second error parameter;

to allocate loading of the plurality of upstream communication channels based upon a first congestion parameter, the first congestion parameter including an access latency factor; and

to allocate loading of the plurality of downstream communication channels based upon a second congestion parameter, the second congestion parameter including a throughput factor.