Patent · US Active

Downstream synchronous multichannels for a communications management system

US8130642B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
3References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 27, 2008
Grant dateMar 6, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 12, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L49/3072
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Downstream synchronous multichannel (DSSM) communications are provided among a plurality of carriers, each being a completely DOCSIS™ 2.0-compliant downstream. The synchronous multichannels support communications with both DSSM-capable communications nodes and non-DSSM-capable communications nodes (e.g., legacy cable modems). Non-DSSM packets are transmitted on a single channel. DSSM packets are split into multiple pieces, which are transmitted simultaneously on all available channels. Since the physical delay variation (e.g., group delay change) across the adjacent carriers is small (on the order of a symbol time), the multiple pieces arrive at the receiving communications nodes at nearly the same time and can be reassembled with minimal buffering and no packet ordering problems. To avoid causing trouble for the non-DSSM-capable communications nodes, the packet pieces are encapsulated with a header that causes the non-DSSM-capable communications nodes to silently discard them.

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