Apparatus and method of maintaining state in a data transmission system

• US 6,765,925 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spherix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sawyer, Wilson, Ulm, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/672,801
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/351-356, 370/365, 370/310, 370/464, 370/485, 370/486, 370/487, 370/503, 375/222, 725/111, 725/105, 725/86
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/287 Remote access server, e.g. BRAS

Abstract

An apparatus and method of maintaining state information for a network device changing from a first channel (in communication with a first base unit) to a second channel (in communication with a second base unit) communicates with at least one of the first base unit and an intermediate network device to ascertain the state information. Once the state information is ascertained, it is applied to the communication of the network device with the second base unit. Both the first and second base units are independently operable network devices in a data transmission network.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining state information for a network device changing from a first channel to a second channel in a data transmission system, the first channel being in communication with a first base unit, the second channel being in communication with a second base unit, the first and second base units being independently operable network devices, the method comprising:

communicating with at least one of the first base unit and an intermediate network device to ascertain the state information; and

applying the state information to the communication of the network device with the second base unit.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of communicating comprises:

receiving a message from the first network device, the message having the state information.

3. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of communicating comprises:

receiving a message from an intermediate network device, the message having the state information.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of communicating comprises:

retrieving the state information from a memory device that is accessible by the second base unit.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the first and second base units are cable modem termination systems.

6. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the base unit communicates with the network device via wireless transmission techniques.

7. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the state information relates to use of the second channel by the network device.

8. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the state information relates to at least one of bandwidth, quality of service, throughput, security, and policy data.

9. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the second base unit executes the act of communicating and the act of applying, the method further comprising:

the second base unit determining that it is to communicate with the network device via the second channel.

10. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of applying comprises:

transmitting a message to the network device, the message including the state information.

11. An apparatus for maintaining state information for a network device changing from a first channel to a second channel in a data transmission system, the first channel being in communication with a first base unit, the second channel being in communication with a second base unit, the first and second base units being independently operable network devices, the apparatus comprising:

a communication module capable of communicating with at least one of the first base unit and an intermediate network device to ascertain the state information; and

a state processor in communication with the communication module, the state processor being capable of applying the state information to the communication of the network device with the second base unit.

12. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the communication module comprises:

an interface capable of receiving a message from the first network device, the message having the state information.

13. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the communication module comprises:

an interface capable of receiving a message from an intermediate network device, the message having the state information.

14. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the communication module comprises:

a retrieving module capable of retrieving the state information from a memory device that is accessible by the second base unit.

15. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the first and second base units are cable modem termination systems.

16. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the base unit communicates with the network device via wireless transmission techniques.

17. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the state information relates to use of the second channel by the network device.

18. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the state information relates to at least one of bandwidth, quality of service, throughput, security, and policy data.

19. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the second base unit includes the communication module and the state processor, the apparatus further comprising:

a determining unit capable of determining if the second base unit is to communicate with the network device via the second channel.

20. The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein the state processor comprises:

an output module capable of transmitting a message to the network device, the message including the state information.

21. A computer program product for use on a computer system for maintaining state information for a network device changing from a first channel to a second channel in a data transmission system, the first channel being in communication with a first base unit, the second channel being in communication with a second base unit, the first and second base units being independently operable network devices, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for communicating with at least one of the first base unit and an intermediate network device to ascertain the state information; and

program code for applying the state information to the communication of the network device with the second base unit.

22. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the program code for communicating comprises:

program code for receiving a message from the first network device, the message having the state information.

23. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the program code for communicating comprises:

program code for receiving a message from an intermediate network device, the message having the state information.

24. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the program code for communicating comprises:

program code for retrieving the state information from a memory device that is accessible by the second base unit.

25. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the first and second base units are cable modem termination systems.

26. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the base unit communicates with the network device via wireless transmission techniques.

27. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the state information relates to use of the second channel by the network device.

28. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the state information relates to at least one of bandwidth, quality of service, throughput, security, and policy data.

29. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the second base unit executes the program code for communicating and the program code for applying, the computer program product further comprising:

program code for causing the second base unit to determine if it is to communicate with the network device via the second channel.

30. The computer program product as defined by claim 21 wherein the program code for applying comprises:

program code for transmitting a message to the network device, the message including the state information.

31. A system for maintaining state information relating to a network device changing from a first channel to a second channel, the system comprising:

a first base unit having a first interface to the first channel, the first base unit also including the state information;

a second base unit having a second interface to the second channel, the second base unit being independently operable from the first base unit; and

a state module capable of obtaining the state information for the second base unit.

32. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the state module is an intermediate network device.

33. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the state module is a part of at least one of the first and second base units.

34. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the first base unit and second base unit are in a peer-to-peer relationship.

35. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the state module includes an interface capable of transmitting a message to the second base unit, the message including the state information.

36. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the base units each are cable modem termination systems.

37. A method of controlling the communication of a network device with a head end in a data transmission system, the network device being registered with a first channel, the method comprising:

determining that the network device is to be moved from the first channel to a second channel, the first channel being associated with a first base unit, the second channel being associated with a second base unit, the first and second base units being part of the head end and being independently operating network devices;

communicating with the network device via the second channel; and

obtaining state information relating to the network device.

38. The method as defined by claim 37 further comprising:

applying the state information to the communication of the network device with the second base unit.

39. The method as defined by claim 37 wherein the first base unit is a cable modem termination system.

40. The method as defined by claim 37 wherein the state information relates to at least one of bandwidth, quality of service, throughput, security, and policy data.

41. The method as defined by claim 37 wherein the act of obtaining comprises retrieving the state information from the first base unit.

42. The method as defined by claim 37 wherein the act of obtaining comprises retrieving the state information from an intermediate network device.

43. A computer program product for use on a computer system for controlling the communication of a network device with a head end in a data transmission system, the network device being registered with a first channel, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for determining that the network device is to be moved from the first channel to a second channel, the first channel being associated with a first base unit, the second channel being associated with a second base unit, the first and second base units being part of the head end and being independently operating network devices;

program code for communicating with the network device via the second channel; and

program code for obtaining state information relating to the network device.

44. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 further comprising:

program code for applying the state information to the communication of the network device with the second base unit.

45. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 wherein the first base unit is a cable modem termination system.

46. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 wherein the state information relates to at least one of bandwidth, quality of service, throughput, security, and policy data.

47. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 wherein the program code for obtaining comprises retrieving the state information from the first base unit.

48. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 wherein the program code for obtaining comprises retrieving the state information from an intermediate network device.