Synchronizing data transmission between a wireless network and a wired network

• US 8,380,881 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Gordon Yong, Hou, Victor T., Chen, Xuemin
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/943,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 370464-467, 370503-514, 709230-237, 709/248, 709/249
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a combined wireless gateway and cable modem are provided herein. The method includes the step of generating an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period and transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon sending the indicator. The look-ahead time period is a time period from transmitting the indicator to transmitting the DOCSIS frame. The method further includes the step of receiving data from the wireless device and encapsulating the data in a DOCSIS format to generate a DOCSIS frame. The method also includes transmitting the DOCSIS frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity to a cable modem termination system (CMTS).

Claims

1. A method to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a combined wireless gateway and cable modem, comprising:

sending an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period;

transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon receiving the indicator;

receiving data from the wireless device;

encapsulating the data in a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) format to generate a DOCSIS frame; and

transmitting the DOCSIS frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity to a cable modem termination system (CMTS);

wherein the look-ahead time period is a time period from transmitting the indicator to transmitting the DOCSIS frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a grant synchronization indicator (GSI) that is generated by a DOCSIS application layer based on a timing signal received from a DOCSIS Media Access Control (MAC) layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is sent by a DOCSIS application layer to a wireless device application layer within the combined wireless gateway and cable modem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the poll is a contention free (CF) poll of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(e) standard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the next transmit opportunity is a next time slot for transmission of data received from the wireless device;

and wherein the next time slot is allotted to the combined wireless gateway and cable modem by the CMTS in a DOCSIS MAP message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a round-trip time period, wherein the round-trip time period is the time period from transmitting the indicator to receiving data from the wireless device;

determining a difference between the look-ahead time period and the round-trip time period;

decreasing the look-ahead time period if the difference is greater than a margin time period; and

increasing the look-ahead time period if the difference is less than the margin time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the increasing comprises:

increasing the look-ahead time period for a next transmit opportunity so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the decreasing comprises:

decreasing the look-ahead time for a next transmit opportunity so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period.

9. A method to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a cable modem, comprising:

generating an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period;

transmitting a poll trigger to a wireless gateway upon generating the indicator;

receiving data from the wireless gateway;

encapsulating the data in a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) format to generate a DOCSIS frame; and

transmitting the DOCSIS frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity to a cable modem termination system (CMTS);

wherein the look-ahead time period is a time period from generating the indicator to transmitting the DOCSIS frame.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator is a Grant Synchronization Indicator and is generated by a DOCSIS application layer based on a timing signal received from a DOCSIS Media Access Control (MAC) layer of the cable modem.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the poll trigger is Grant Synchronization Indicator trigger message that is configured to cause the wireless gateway to transmit a contention free (CF) poll to a wireless device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the next transmit opportunity is a next time slot for transmission of data received from the wireless device;

and wherein the next time slot is allotted to the combined wireless gateway and cable modem by the CMTS in a DOCSIS MAP message.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a round-trip time period, wherein the round-trip time period is the time period from transmitting the indicator to receiving data from the wireless gateway;

determining a difference between the look-ahead time period and the round-trip time period;

increasing the look-ahead time period if the difference is lesser than a margin time period; and

decreasing the look-ahead time period if the difference is greater than the margin time period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the increasing comprises:

increasing the look-ahead time period so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period for a next transmit opportunity.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the decreasing comprises:

decreasing the look-ahead time so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period for a next transmit opportunity.

16. A method to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a wireless gateway, comprising:

receiving a trigger message from a cable modem;

transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon receiving the trigger message;

receiving data from the wireless device;

encapsulating the data in an Ethernet format to generate an Ethernet frame; and

transmitting the Ethernet frame to the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger message is a contention free (CF) poll of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(e) protocol.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the trigger message is based on a look-ahead time Period;

and wherein the look-ahead time is a time period between transmitting the trigger message by the cable modem and transmitting a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) frame by the cable modem to a cable modem termination system (CMTS).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the DOCSIS frame includes data in the Ethernet frame.