Multiple upstream channel descriptor messages pointing to single upstream channel ID for more efficient operation of a DOCSIS system

• US 7,898,967 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hou, Victor T., Pantelias, Niki Roberta
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phung; Luat
• Application Number:
  US11/503,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 370/464, 370/248, 370/389, 370/437, 370/468, 370/538, 725/111
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

In a DOCSIS-based communications system, different upstream channel descriptors (UCDs) all identify a single logical upsteam channel identifier (UCID) regardless of the type of cable modem (CM) to which the UCDs are sent. Different CMs having different capabilities (e.g., CMs configured according to the different DOCSIS standards 1.x, 2.0, and 3.0) receive their respective UCDs from an upstream headend. All the UCDs, however, refer to the same logical upstream channel. The different CMs therefore share this single logical upstream channel.

Claims

1. A system for allocating a single logical upstream channel to cable modems of different communications standards, comprising:

a cable modem termination system configured to send a plurality of upstream channel descriptors (UCDs), each of said plurality of UCDs having a different numerical type value from among a plurality of numerical type values, wherein each of said plurality of UCDs identifies the single logical upstream channel; and

a plurality of cable modems, each of said plurality of cable modems being configured to operate in accordance with a corresponding communication standard from among a plurality of communications standards, such that said plurality of cable modems are configured to receive said plurality of UCDs and to transmit upstream data over the single logical upstream channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said system operates under a version of the Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of numerical type values include a DOCSIS UCD numerical type value 2.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of numerical type values include a DOCSIS UCD numerical type value 29.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of numerical type values include a DOCSIS UCD numerical type value 35.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of communications standards comprise a version of DOCSIS 1.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of communications standards comprise DOCSIS 2.0.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of communications standards comprise DOCSIS 3.0.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of UCDs comprise:

a DOCSIS UCD of type 29; and

a DOCSIS UCD of type 35.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of UCDs comprise:

a DOCSIS UCD of type 2; and

a DOCSIS UCD of tune 35.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of numerical type values are numerical Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) type values.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of numerical type values comprise:

a first numerical type value corresponding to a version of Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) 1;

a second numerical type value corresponding to a version of DOCSIS 2; and

a third numerical type value corresponding to a version of DOCSIS 3,

wherein said first numerical type value, said second numerical type value, and said third numerical type value are different from each other.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first numerical type value is 2, wherein said second numerical type value is 29, and wherein said third numerical type value is 35.

11. A system for allocating a single logical upstream channel to cable modems of different communications standards, comprising:

a cable modem termination system configured to send a plurality of upstream channel descriptors (UCDs) of a plurality of types, each of said plurality of types including an upstream channel identifier (UCID) that identifies the single logical upstream channel, wherein said UCDs of said plurality of types comprise;

a Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) UCD of type 2,

a DOCSIS UCD of type 29, and

a DOCSIS UCD of type 35; and

a plurality of cable modems, each of said plurality of cable modems being configured to operate in accordance with a corresponding communication standard from among a plurality of communications standards, such that said plurality of cable modems are configured to receive said plurality of UCDs and to transmit upstream data over the single logical upstream channel.

12. A system for allocating a single logical upstream channel, identified by an upstream channel identifier (UCID), to end user devices of different communications standards, the system comprising:

a central controller configured to send a plurality of upstream channel descriptors (UCDs), each of said plurality of UCDs having a different numerical type value from among a plurality of numerical type values, wherein each of said plurality of UCDs identifies the single logical upstream channel; and

a plurality of end user devices, each of said plurality of end user devices being configured to operate in accordance with a corresponding communication standard from among a plurality of communications standards, such that said plurality of end user devices are configured to receive said plurality of UCDs and to transmit upstream data over the single logical upstream channel.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said system operates under a version of the Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS).

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of numerical type values are numerical Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) type values.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of numerical type values comprise:

a first numerical type value corresponding to a version of Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) 1;

a second numerical type value corresponding to a version of DOCSIS 2; and

a third numerical type value corresponding to a version of DOCSIS 3,

wherein said first numerical type value, said second numerical type value, and said third numerical type value are different from each other.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first numerical type value is 2, wherein said second numerical type value is 29, and wherein said third numerical type value is 35.

20. A system for allocating a single logical upstream channel to cable modems of different communications standards, comprising:

a cable modem termination system configured to send a plurality of upstream channel descriptors (UCDs), each of said plurality of UCDs having a different Data Over Cable Interface Standard (DOCSIS) message type value from among a plurality of DOCSIS message type values, wherein each of said plurality of UCDs identify the single logical upstream channel; and

a plurality of cable modems configured to receive said plurality of UCDs and to transmit upstream data over the single logical upstream channel.