System and method for dynamic profile management in cable modem systems

• US 8,670,481 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casa Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Casa Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Fox, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Chieh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US13/445,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20130272353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 375/298, 375/147, 370/480
• US Class Current: 375/240
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for dynamic profile management in a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is provided. A CMTS receiver is in communications with a plurality of cable modems, and a dynamic profile management module is in communication with the CMTS receiver. The dynamic profile management module establishes a communications profile for an upstream channel used by the CMTS receiver and at least one of the plurality of cable modems (the communications profile including a plurality of parameters associated with the upstream channel), continuously monitors performance metrics associated with communications across the upstream channel, and automatically adjusts the plurality of parameters of the communications profile in response to the monitored performance metrics.

Claims

1. A system for dynamic profile management in a cable modem termination system (CMTS), comprising:

a CMTS receiver in communication with a plurality of cable modems; and

a dynamic profile management module in communication with the CMTS receiver, the dynamic profile management module;

(i) establishing an initial communications profile for each of the plurality of cable modems;

(ii) monitoring a plurality of performance metrics associated with communications between the CMTS and each of the plurality of cable modems;

(iii) automatically adjusting parameters of the initial communications profiles in response to the monitored performance metrics to create a customized communications profile for each of the cable modems based upon the monitored performance metrics; and

(iv) continuing to monitor the plurality of performance metrics and adjust parameters of the customized communications profiles to optimize performance of the plurality of cable modems, wherein the monitored performance metrics comprise at least one of a Modulation Error Rate (MER), a correctable Code Error Rate (CER), an uncorrectable CER, measured burst noise duration, burst noise frequency of occurrence, power associated with equalizer coefficients, and power associated with ingress cancellation filter coefficients.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction (R-S FEC) parameters in response to the performance metrics.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts interleaving parameters in response to the performance metrics.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts a QAM modulation order in response to the performance metrics.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts a channel width in response to the performance metrics.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts CMTS power levels in response to the performance metrics.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically enables or disables pre-equalization in response to the performance metrics.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically enables or disables ingress cancellation in response to the performance metrics.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic profile management module establishes a plurality of profiles for multiple upstream channels between the CMTS and the plurality of cable modems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically configures parameters for each of the profiles based upon monitored performance metrics associated with the plurality of cable modems.

11. A method for dynamic profile management in a cable modem termination system (CMTS), comprising the steps of:

establishing an initial communications profile for a plurality of cable modems in communication with the CMTS receiver;

monitoring performance metrics associated with communications between the plurality of cable modems and the CMTS receiver using a dynamic profile management module in the CMTS receiver;

automatically adjusting parameters of the initial communications profile in response to the monitored performance metrics to create a customized communications profile for each of the cable modems based upon the monitored performance metrics; and

continuing to monitor the plurality of performance metrics and adjust parameters of the customized communications profiles to optimize performance of the plurality of cable modems, wherein the monitored performance metrics comprise at least one of a Modulation Error Rate (MER), a correctable Code Error Rate (CER), an uncorrectable CER, measured burst noise duration, burst noise frequency of occurrence, power associated with equalizer coefficients, and power associated with ingress cancellation filter coefficients.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically adjusting Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction (R-S FEC) parameters in response to the performance metrics.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically adjusting interleaving parameters in response to the performance metrics.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically adjusting a QAM modulation order in response to the performance metrics.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically adjusting a channel width in response to the performance metrics.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically adjusting CMTS power levels in response to the performance metrics.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically enabling or disabling pre-equalization in response to the performance metrics.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of automatically adjusting parameters comprises automatically enabling or disabling ingress cancellation in response to the performance metrics.

19. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a cable modem termination system (CMTS) receiver in communication with a plurality of cable modems, cause the receiver to perform the steps comprising:

establishing an initial communications profile for a plurality of cable modems in communication with the CMTS receiver;

monitoring performance metrics associated with communications between the plurality of cable modems and the CMTS receiver using a dynamic profile management module in the CMTS receiver;

automatically adjusting parameters of the initial communications profile in response to the monitored performance metrics to create a customized communications profile for each of the cable modems based upon the monitored performance metrics; and

continuing to monitor the plurality of performance metrics and adjust parameters of the customized communications profiles to optimize performance of the plurality of cable modems, instructions for causing the receiver to perform the step of monitoring at least one of a Modulation Error Rate (MER), a correctable Code Error Rate (CER), an uncorrectable CER, measured burst noise duration, burst noise frequency of occurrence, power associated with equalizer coefficients, and power associated with ingress cancellation filter coefficients.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing the receiver to perform the step of automatically adjusting one or more of a Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction (R-S FEC) parameter, an interleaving parameter, a QAM modulation order, a channel width, or a CMTS power level in response to the performance metrics.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing the receiver to perform the step of automatically enabling or disabling pre-equalization in response to the performance metrics.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing the receiver to perform the step of automatically enabling or disabling ingress cancellation in response to the performance metrics.

23. A receiver circuit for dynamic profile management in a cable modem termination system, comprising:

radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry for receiving a QAM signal; and

a dynamic profile management module in communication with the CMTS receiver, the dynamic profile management module;

(i) establishing a customized communications profile for each upstream channel between the CMTS receiver and at least one of the plurality of cable modems, the communications profile including a plurality of parameters associated with a respective upstream channel;

(ii) monitoring performance metrics associated with communications across the upstream channel;

(iii) automatically adjusting parameters of the communications profile in response to the monitored performance metrics; and

(iv) continuing to monitor the plurality of performance metrics and adjust parameters of the communications profile to optimize performance of the upstream channel, wherein the monitored performance metrics comprise at least one of a Modulation Error Rate (MER), a correctable Code Error Rate (CER), an uncorrectable CER, measured burst noise duration, burst noise frequency of occurrence, power associated with equalizer coefficients, and power associated with ingress cancellation filter coefficients.

24. The circuit of claim 23, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically adjusts one or more of a Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction (R-S FEC) parameter, an interleaving parameter, a QAM modulation order, a channel width, or a CMTS power level in response to the performance metrics.

25. The circuit of claim 23, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically enables or disables pre-equalization in response to the performance metrics.

26. The circuit of claim 23, wherein the dynamic profile management module automatically enables or disables ingress cancellation in response to the performance metrics.