Multi-carrier frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) architecture for high speed digital service

• US 7,933,288 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brickell, John W., Mobley, Joseph Graham, Sorenson, Donald C., Farcas, Florin, West, Lamar E. Jr., Ritchie, John A. Jr., Blashewski, Steven E., Futch, Richard J., Ao, Jiening
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US11/953,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20080092183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 4/00 Combined time-division and frequency-division multiplex systems H04J13/00 takes precedence ; data transmission H04L5/26; telemetry G08C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2657 Carrier synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/041 using special codes as synchronising signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An architecture for providing high-speed access over frequency-division multiplexed (FDM) channels allows transmission of ethernet frames and/or other data across a cable transmission network or other form of FDM transport. The architecture involves downstream and upstream FDM multiplexing techniques to allow contemporaneous, parallel communications across a plurality of frequency channels. Furthermore, the architecture allows a central concentrator to support a plurality of remote devices that each have guaranteed bandwidth through connection-oriented allocations of bi-directional data flows. The upstream and downstream bandwidth allocation can support symmetrical bandwidth as well as asymmetrical bandwidth in either direction. The architecture generally can be used to support connection-oriented physical layer connectivity between a remote device and the central concentrator. Furthermore, the architecture may be integrated into other higher level devices such as, but not limited to, bridges, switches, routers, and/or gateways. The architecture generally may peacefully coexist with other services commonly-found in cable distribution networks.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating connection-oriented, bi-directional communication between a first device and a second device over at least three frequency channels of a cable transmission network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least two first frequency channels to facilitate a first direction of communication from the first device to the second device;

providing at least one second frequency channel to facilitate a second direction of communication from the second device to the first device, the second direction of communication being in an opposite direction to the first direction of communication;

communicating first direction frames in the first direction, the first direction frames being fragmented to allow contemporaneous communication of portions of the first direction frames over the at least two first frequency channels; and

communicating second direction frames in the second direction, the second direction frames communicated over the at least one second frequency channel;

wherein a first portion of the first direction frames and the second direction frames are Ethernet/802.3 frames, the Ethernet/802.3 frames comprising a first start frame delimiter, and

wherein a second portion of the first direction frames and the second direction frames are control frames, the control frames comprising a second start frame delimiter different from the first start frame delimiter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of multiplexing the portions of the first direction frames.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving an intended portion of the first direction frames based on an appropriate start frame delimiter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one first frequency channels utilize a different amount of frequency bandwidth from the at least one second frequency channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable transmission network carries other services in addition to the bi-directional communication between the first device and the second device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the other services comprise video, voice, and data signals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable transmission network carries a plurality of bi-directional communication between the first device and the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of bi-directional communications is at least one of Ethernet/802.3, packetized real-time services, and control data.

9. A device for facilitating connection-oriented, bi-directional communication between a first device and a second device over at least three frequency channels of a cable transmission network, the device comprising:

logic configured to provide at least two first frequency channels to facilitate a first direction of communication from the first device to the second device;

logic configured to provide at least one second frequency channel to facilitate a second direction of communication from the second device to the first device, the second direction of communication being in an opposite direction to the first direction of communication;

logic configured to communicate first direction frames in the first direction, the first direction frames being fragmented to allow contemporaneous communication of portions of the first direction frames over the at least two first frequency channels; and

logic configured to communicate second direction frames in the second direction, the second direction frames communicated over the at least one second frequency channel;

wherein a first portion of the first direction frames and the second direction frames are Ethernet/802.3 frames, and

wherein a second portion of the first direction frames are control frames, wherein the Ethernet/802.3 frames and the control frames comprise delimiter start frame delimiters.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a multiplexer for multiplexing the first and second portions of the first direction frames.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein each of the at least one first frequency channels utilize a different amount of frequency bandwidth from the at least one second frequency channel.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the cable transmission network carries other services in addition to the bi-directional communication between the first device and the second device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the other services include video, voice, and data signals.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the bi-directional communications is at least one of Ethernet/802.3, packetized real-time services, and control data.