High-speed internet access system

• US 6,658,010 B1
• Filed: 07/24/1997
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hybrid Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hybrid Networks, Inc. (Iowave, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enns, Frederick, Kim, Jong C., Moura, Eduardo J., Neelmegh, Ramesh, Gronski, Jan Maksymilian
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US08/899,883
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/402, 370/486, 370/346, 370/449, 370/235, 370/343, 370/347, 370/348, 370/433, 370/389, 370/395, 370/443, 370/252, 370/254, 370/395.1, 370/395.53, 370/395.6, 370/395.52, 370/395.31, 370/395.21, 370/901, 370/902, 370/905, 370/907, 370/229-234, 370/503, 370/351, 370/352, 370/394, 370/392, 709/217, 709/219, 348/384, 455/5.1, 455/453, 375/240.27, 375/240.28, 714/784, 714/787, 714/788, 714/786, 714/792, 714/795, 714/798, 714/762, 714/751, 714/752, 714/754, 714/755
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/004 by using forward error control H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2404 Monitoring of server processing errors or hardware failure error or fault detection G06F11/07; monitoring in general G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 : using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An asymmetric network system manages bandwidth allocation and configuration of remote devices in a broadband network. A modular architecture of the system permits independent scalability of upstream and downstream capacity separately for each of the upstream and downstream physical paths. Allocation of downstream bandwidth to requesting devices is made according to bandwidth utilization by other devices, bandwidth demand by the requesting remote device, class or grade of service by the requesting remote device or bandwidth guaranteed to other remote devices. Configuration parameters remotely managed by the network include device addresses (global and local), transmission credit values, upstream channel assignment and upstream transmit power level. Further, management of device configuration profiles and bandwidth allocation occurs through control and response packets respectively generated by the network and the remote devices according to network operating software located at both ends. Control packets include poll packets that request, among other things, demand for an upstream transmission. Configuration packets instruct remote devices to assume an operational state or return status or statistical data. Response packets transmitted by the remote devices provide information to the network operations center for control purposes or to confirm the state of operation of remote devices, including channel operating statistics, errors, noise, etc. in order to remove or reallocate assigned upstream channels. Downloadable network operating software enables the network operator to upgrade remote operating software or to reconfigure the response profile of the remote devices. Account administration and usage reports are also generated. IP or ATM encapsulation, as well as forward error correction and encryption, are employed in the broadband network which may include an RF, satellite and cable medium with or without a telephony or router return path.

Claims

1. In a two-way asymmetric communication system for effecting communication between a host and a plurality of remote devices over a high-speed downstream channel and plural lower speed upstream channels interposed between said host and said remote devices, the improvement comprising:

a shared medium including said downstream channels and said plural upstream channels that convey information between the remote devices and the host, said plural upstream channel that has a capacity to convey data at a rate higher than a rate of the lower speed upstream channel, said remote devices being adjustably assigned to one of the higher and lower speed upstream channels, and

a network manager that effects monitoring of usage of said higher speed upstream channels and balancing of traffic loads in said upstream channels by reassigning a requesting remote device otherwise assigned to a lower speed upstream channel to a higher speed upstream channel and to a demand by said requesting remote device for a higher upstream data transfer rate;

wherein said network manager balances traffic loads in accordance with at least one bandwidth reserved by other remote devices an a class of service assigned to the requesting remote device;

wherein said network manager effects assignment of an upstream transmit frequency to remote devices in accordance with a quality of said downstream channels;

wherein said network manager provides forward error correction to control packets transmitted over said downstream channel to said remove processor devices.