Optimum bandwidth utilization in a shared cable system data channel
US6124878A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 26, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/44004
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A full service network (FSN) provides three communication channels that end between a headend and each set-top within the FSN, namely (1) forward-application-transport (FAT) channels that supply data from the headend to all or to only addressed ones of the set-tops, (2) a forward-data-channel (FDC) that supplies data from the headend to all or to only addressed set-tops, and (3) a reverse-data-channel (RDC) that supplies data from the set-tops to the headend. The FDC carries eight types of traffic, namely (1) conditional access message; (2) entitlement management messages; (3) broadcast data; (4) network management services messages or information; (5) general massaging; (6) application downloading; (7) Internet Protocol external device data services, and (8) VBR downloading. A fixed bandwidth FDC provides a first bandwidth portion for the high priority transmission of items (1), (2) and (3) at a continuous bit rate (CBR). All other items are transmitted over the FDC using at an available bit rate (ABR). A priority system for the selective transmission of these other items is based upon (1) how full a data buffer for an item is, as compared to a fullness reference, (2) how old the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.