Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for creating virtual upstream channels for enhanced lookahead channel parameter testing

US7039939B1 · kind B1 · utility

28Cited by
20References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 9, 2000
Grant dateMay 2, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 9, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04H60/97
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are disclosed for creating a virtual lookahead upstream receiver in a single physical upstream receiver in a CMTS, thereby avoiding having to dedicate an upstream receiver strictly for lookahead capability. A lookahead receiver is used to determine whether a potential alternative frequency is better than the frequency presently being used. A physical upstream receiver is assigned to operate under a set of operational parameters associated with a logical lookahead receiver during a particular time slot. The logical receiver receives upstream data from a selected test modem using an alternative upstream frequency. It is then determined whether the alternative upstream frequency is preferable over the frequency presently being used. If so, the physical receiver is configured to operate normally under the set of operational parameters associated with the logical receiver. At this stage, all modems in a particular group, including the selected modem, hop over to the alternative frequency. The physical receiver can be divided into any number of logical receivers.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.