Method for changing type-of-service in a data-over-cable system

• US 6,560,203 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1998
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beser, Nurettin B., Fijolek, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US09/085,905
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/352, 370/389, 370/432, 370/475, 370/468, 370/464, 370/465, 370/467, 370/485, 370/486, 370/487, 370/493, 370/252, 370/401, 370/437, 725/91, 725/103, 725/111, 725/114, 725/117, 725/120
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

A method and system for changing type-of-service with an associated quality-of-service in a data-over-cable system is provided. The method and system allow a cable modem or a cable modem termination system to dynamically override the statically assigned type-of-service supplied to the cable modem in a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) initialization sequence. A selection input can request a second type-of-service that may or may not be supported by the cable modem on the cable modem termination system. If the requested second type-of-service with an associated second quality-of-service is permitted on the cable modem, the cable modem termination system dynamically changes the first type-of-service to the requested second type-of-service. Allowing a cable modem and cable modem termination system to change the statically assigned type-of-service to a second type-of-service allows the user greater flexibility for configuration cable modems in a data-over-cable system.

Claims

1. In a data-over-cable system including a plurality of network devices, a method for changing a type-of-service, the method comprising of the following steps:

monitoring a connection on a first network device between the first network device and a second network device, wherein the first connection has a first type-of-service associated with a first quality-of-service;

determining the first type-of-service on the connection with the associated first quality-of-service, wherein the first type-of-service is statically assigned with a configuration file during a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol initialization sequence;

receiving a selection input requesting a second type-of-service with an associated second quality-of-service on the first connection; and

changing dynamically the first type-of-service to the second type-of-service with the associated second quality-of-service.

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the steps of the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network device is a cable modem and the second network device is a cable modem termination system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network device is a cable modem termination system and the second network device is a cable modem.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first type-of-service associated with the first quality-of-service is statically assigned using a configuration file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuration file is obtained via a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol initialization sequence.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first type-of-service associated with the first quality-of-service is assigned using a Resource ReSer Vation Protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection input is received by the first network device requesting the second type-of-service.

9. In a data-over-cable system including a plurality of network devices, a method for changing a type-of-service, the method comprising of the following steps:

applying a first type-of-service from a first network device on a connection from the first network device to a second network device wherein the first type-of-service is associated with a first quality-of-service;

receiving a selection input on the first network device requesting a second type-of-service associated with a second quality-of-service;

determining whether the requested second type-of-service is a permitted type-of-service on the second network device and if so,

changing dynamically the first type-of-service to the second type-of-service on the connection from the first network device to the second network device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining whether the requested second type-of-service is a permitted type-of-service on the second network device, and if not,

maintaining the first type-of-service on the connection from the first network device to the second network device.

11. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the steps of the method of claim 9.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first network device is a cable modem termination system and the second network device is a cable modem.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first network device is a cable modem and the second network device is a cable modem termination system.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the first type-of-service with the associated first quality-of-service is statically assigned by a configuration file.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the configuration file is obtained via a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol initialization sequence.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the first type-of-service is supported by both the first and the second network devices and the requested second type-of-service is not supported by the first network device.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the requested second type-of-service is supported by the first network device.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of receiving a selection input on the first network device includes receiving a selection input from the second network device.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of receiving a selection input on the first network device includes receiving a selection input from an application program on the first network device.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of changing the first type-of-service includes changing the first type-of-service to the requested second type-of-service even though the second type-of-service is not supported by the second network device.

21. In a data-over-cable system including a plurality of cable modems, a method of changing type-of-service, the method comprising the following steps:

monitoring a first connection between a cable modem and a cable modem termination system from the cable modem termination system;

determining a first type-of-service with an associated first quality-of-service on the first connection, wherein the first type-of-service is statically assigned from a configuration file during a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol initialization sequence;

receiving a selection input on the cable modem termination system from the cable modem requesting a second type-of-service with an associated second quality-of-service on the first connection; and

changing dynamically the first type-of-service to the requested second type-of-service on the first connection.

22. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim 21.

23. In a data-over-cable system including a plurality of cable modems, a method of changing type-of-service, the method comprising the following steps:

applying a first type-of-service with an associated first quality-of-service with a statically assigned configuration file during a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol initialization sequence on a connection from a cable modem to a cable modem termination system;

receiving a selection input from a cable modem on the cable modem termination system requesting a second type-of-service;

determining whether the requested second type-of-service is a permitted type-of-service for the cable modem, and if so,

changing dynamically the first type-of-service to the requested second type-of-service on the connection from cable modem termination system to the cable modem.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

determining whether the requested second type-of-service by the cable modem is a permitted type-of-service on the cable modem, and if not,

maintaining the first type-of-service on the connection from the cable modem termination system to the cable modem.

25. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the steps of the method of claim 23.