Interface for abstracting control of a cable modem
US6618387B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 10, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 10, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N7/17309
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Provided is a system and method for integrating a cable modem with a host customer premises equipment, such as a computer or set top box. An interface is provided which receives data packets from the cable modem of any manufacturer and transmits the data packet to a media access control layer. The media access control layer determines the destination of the data packet and forwards it to that destination, which may be the cable modem or may be the host computer of the cable modem or any other customer premises equipment networked with the host computer. The interface also receives data packets from the media access control layer and transmits the data packets to the cable modem for transmission upstream. The interface abstracts the control of the cable modem to the media access control layer. The system maintains a protocol stack for the cable modem that is separate from the protocol stack associated with the operating system of the host computer. The cable modem and the host computer are separately addressable by the cable network. Furthermore, the cable modem shares the processor and resources of the host computer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.