Abstract: Selective adjustment of power amplifier bias and spectrum utilization in a broadband network. A CCAP core determines that a set of DOCSIS channels presently operational in the broadband network should be adjusted, either by consulting a schedule of peak-usage or by measuring of a current capacity utilization of the DOCSIS channels presently operational in the broadband network. When the CCAP core determines that the set of DOCSIS channels should be reduced, the CCAP core causes a subset of the DOCSIS channels to turn off at a plurality of power amplifiers throughout the broadband network. When the CCAP core determines that a new operational channel should be added to the set of DOCSIS channels presently operational, the CCAP core causes the new operational channel to turn on at the plurality of power amplifiers throughout the broadband network.

Abstract: Improved cooling in one or more device ports of an article of manufacture. The device ports are affixed in position by a cage disposed within the article of manufacture. One or more single-piece thermal conductive pedestals have a portion in thermal contact with each device port. The one or more single-piece thermal conductive pedestals are formed from the same physical piece which serves as, at least a portion of, a physical exterior of the article of manufacture. Heat is transferred from the device ports to the exterior of the article of manufacture through the thermal conductive pedestals, thereby allowing device ports to the cooled without reliance upon airflow. The device ports may accommodate different types of pluggable devices, such as without limitations optical modules and transceivers.

Abstract: Enhanced parallelism in DOCSIS filter group and Service Flow processing. A plurality of packets that have been transmitted across a computer network are received. A responsive action to be performed against each of the plurality of packets is determined by performing DOCSIS filter group processing on the plurality of packets using a single unified Filter Group table. The single unified Filter Group table comprises a plurality of rules that each define a set of criteria and a particular responsive action to perform against any packet matching the set of criteria for that rule. The plurality of rules in the single unified Filter Group table identify, in their sets of criteria, different Filter Group identifiers (IDs). Thereafter, the responsive action is performed on each of the plurality of packets. A single unified classifier table may also be used to assign a Service Flow to packets with enhanced parallelism.

Abstract: Server-side ad insertion (SSAI) systems for use with live broadband video streams. Users of a content delivery network (CDN) are grouped into a plurality of cohorts, which are groups of users having a matching set of user characteristics. When a video ecosystem receives a request to stream a live broadband video stream to a user, the cohort for that user is identified. Then, an advertisement to be shown to all members of that cohort viewing the live broadband video stream is identified and incorporated into the live broadband video stream at the video ecosystem to create a cohort-targeted live video stream for the user. The video ecosystem may then transmit the cohort-targeted live broadband video stream to a user device associated with the user. Content related to advertisement identification and insertion may be cached to expedite target advertisement processing for subsequent viewers in the same cohort.

Abstract: Processing a signal originating from a node port experiencing ingress. A node that provides service to a plurality of cable modems will generally have a plurality of node ports. The node may be a Remote PHY Node or a Remote MACPHY node (RMN) for example. A detection is made that a particular node port of the node is experiencing ingress. In response, an upstream signal originating from the particular node port is analyzed to dynamically determine an amount to attenuate the upstream signal. The upstream signal is attenuated the dynamically determined amount prior to the signal being processed at an active device upstream from the particular node port experiencing the ingress. Distortion and/or saturation of the signal at the active device is advantageously prevented.

Abstract: Identifying a Node Port Experiencing Ingress. An element receives an indication that ingress noise may be present in one or more upstream channels. The one or more upstream channels may be supported by a cable node, such as a Remote PHY node or a Remote MACPHY node. In response, the element may obtain upstream spectrum data that describes an upstream spectrum received power over an interval of time having no transmissions carried by the one or more upstream channels for two or more different states in one or more of RF attenuation and upstream port/node port coupling or receive information about the SNR experienced by a RPD receiver of the upstream channels for different states in one or more of RF attenuation and upstream port/node port coupling for the node. The element processes the upstream spectrum data to deduce from which one or more node ports the ingress noise originates.

Abstract: Dynamic, seamless management of virtual network function (VNF) in a highly available (HA) environment. An instance management program instantiates software instances in which a plurality of VNFs reside. A type of VNF is a MAC Domain (MD) VNF, which is a virtual network function that implements the DOCSIS CMTS MAC layer for a particular MAC domain. Upon determining that a particular VNF executing within a first software instance managed by an instance management program should be moved to a second software instance, the particular VNF is moved from the first software instance to the second software instance without ceasing operation of any other VNF also executing in the first software instance. A software instance may have both active and standby VNFs comprised therein. Failover operations of a particular VNF may be performed during runtime without ceasing operation of any of software instance or VNF not associated with the failed VNF.

Abstract: A unit of network equipment that comprise at least one repositionable element. The unit of network equipment comprises a modular chassis as well as one or more internal components within its enclosure. Each repositionable element comprises an interface that is shaped to secure in place a line card or a fabric module within the repositionable element. Each repositionable element also comprises a stationary base secured in place and a means for moving the repositionable element between a first position that disposes the interface within the chassis and a second position that disposes the interface beyond a perimeter of the enclosure of the unit of network equipment. The repositionable element may be moved by sliding across one or more elongated rods, by extending one or more telescoping cylinders, using sliding rails, or one or more hinges. The enclosure of the unit of network equipment may conform to a BundesKabelnetz (BK) standard.

Abstract: Dynamic adjustment of the power amplifier bias of a power amplifier. Circuitry, disposed within an apparatus, measures the power level presently being handled by the power amplifier. The circuitry adjusts the power amplifier bias for a power amplifier based on the measurement of the power level presently being handled by the power amplifier and a desired fidelity experienced by RF signals processed by the power amplifier. The adjustment in the power amplifier bias for the power amplifier causes an adjustment in a power consumption of the power amplifier, thereby enabling great saving in the DC power required by a power amplifier, and thus, substantially reduces the power consumption of the apparatus in which it operates, such as a Remote PHY node, a Remote MACPHY node, a HFC RF amplifier, a wireless communication device, cellular transmission equipment, or a satellite transponder, for example.

Abstract: A directional coupler having coupling variability at separate portions of an operational frequency band. The coupler may be comprised within a Full Duplex (FDX) amplifier and itself may comprise input and output ports, a coupled port, a termination port, a first RF filter coupled to the coupled port, and a second RF filter coupled to the termination port. The first and second RF filters yield a first coupling value at one portion of the operational frequency band of the coupler and a second coupling value at a second portion of the operational frequency band. The first portion of the band corresponds to a range of frequencies at which higher coupling for the coupler is desired and greater loss in the signal is tolerable. The second portion of the band corresponds to a range of frequencies at which lower coupling for the coupler is tolerable and lower signal loss is desirable.

Abstract: Detecting an imminent failure of a power supply. The power supply may supply power to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) node, an Ethernet switch, a Community Access television (CATV) plant, an optical node, a smart optical node, an outdoor Wi-Fi hot-spot, an 802.11n Wi-Fi Access Point, a wireless base station, and a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM). An internal computerized component periodically reads a set of measurements from one or more sensors affixed to a power supply. The internal computerized component and power supply may reside in a variety of different technical contexts. The internal computerized component analyzes the set of measurements using, at least in part, a weighted set of factors, to detect the imminent failure in the power supply. The weighted set of factors may be updated or revised over time and may be specifically tailored for use with specific types of power supplies.

Abstract: Approaches for a machine comprising multiple CPU cores to process packets transmitted within a network using executable software. One or more packets are processing by advancing those packets through a sequence of two or more stage instances. Each stage instance of the sequence of two or more stage instances corresponds to one stage of a sequence of stages. The packets either carry DOCSIS data and/or is transmitted within a Passive Optical Network (PON). The packets may also be either received from the upstream direction or transmitted in the downstream direction. Each stage instance is restricted from being executed by more than one of the multiple CPU cores. Each stage instance can be executed by any one of the multiple CPU cores.

Abstract: Dynamic creation of a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) modulation profile. Conditions of a channel are probed to obtain a plurality probing samples, which are data that describe observed conditions of the channel. The plurality of probing samples is clustered to identify one or more clusters, which are each represented by one or more cluster center points. For each cluster, a spread value is determined. The spread value is data that describes a shape and size of the cluster relative to the one or more cluster center points associated therewith. For each cluster, a threshold modulation error (MER) is identified using the one or more cluster center points associated therewith and the spread value determined for that cluster. The threshold MER identified for each cluster is converted into a bit loading value. A modulation profile is created for each cluster using the bit loading value for that cluster.

Abstract: A piece of equipment having a specialized Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). While there is external power supplied to the piece of equipment, a main power supply continuously supplies the entirety of the piece of equipment with a particular amount of power. The internal UPS supplies power to either the entirety of equipment or a proper subset of subcomponents within the piece of equipment when the piece of equipment is not supplied external power. The energy storage element of the internal UPS supplies power for a duration no longer than one minute and consists of one or more capacitors and not a battery. The amount of power supplied to subcomponents not in the proper subset of subcomponents is reduced while maintaining to supply the proper subset of subcomponents with the particular amount of power to conserve an amount of power remaining in the energy storage element.

Abstract: Dynamic adjustment of the power amplifier bias of a power amplifier. Circuitry, disposed within an apparatus, measures the power level presently being handled by the power amplifier. The circuitry adjusts the power amplifier bias for a power amplifier based on the measurement of the power level presently being handled by the power amplifier and a desired fidelity experienced by RF signals processed by the power amplifier. The adjustment in the power amplifier bias for the power amplifier causes an adjustment in a power consumption of the power amplifier, thereby enabling great saving in the DC power required by a power amplifier, and thus, substantially reduces the power consumption of the apparatus in which it operates, such as a Remote PHY node, a Remote MACPHY node, a HFC RF amplifier, a wireless communication device, cellular transmission equipment, or a satellite transponder, for example.

Abstract: Approaches for processing packets transmitted within a Passive Optical Network (PON) using executable software. Processing packets within a PON may be performed by classifying one or more packets, of a plurality of received packets, to a particular PON system component, and then processing the one or more packets classified to the same PON system component on a single physical or virtual processor. The one or more packets may be forwarded between a sequence of one or more software stages. The software stages may each be configured to execute on separate logical cores or on a single logical core.

Abstract: Recovering or restarting an execution instance. In response to detecting that a particular execution instance in which a software application, such as an optical line terminal (OLT) software application or a broadband network gateway (BNG) software application, providing services for a Passive Optical Network (PON) has failed, restarting the execution instance having only downstream service flow classifiers and entries of an access control list for the particular execution instance to support default service flows and/or voice calls. After restarting the execution instance, the configuration of the instance is adjusted over time to add one or more downstream service flow classifiers or access control list entries such that the instance can provide additional services, beyond the initially supported default service flows and voice calls, to optical network units. Required time to register optical network units with the execution instance is advantageously reduced while maintaining quality of service.

Abstract: Extending the operational lifespan of a supercapacitor. A device, deployable in temperatures reaching or extending outside a nominal industrial temperature range, comprises a power supply, backup power supply, and thermoelectric cooler control module. The backup power supply comprises one or more supercapacitors, one or more temperature sensors, and one or more thermoelectric coolers (TECs). The control module instructs the TECs to regulate operation of removing heat from the supercapacitors based upon temperature data received from the temperature sensors. An insulated enclosure may enclose the supercapacitors, temperature sensors, TECs, and optionally the thermoelectric cooler control module to further prevent the supercapacitors from overheating. The thermoelectric cooler control module may change the rate at which the temperature of the supercapacitors is reduced in response to detecting a change in temperature difference between the external environment and the supercapacitors.

Abstract: Cable television (CATV) equipment having a specialized Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The CATV equipment comprises a coaxial cable power input, one or more Remote PHY (R-PHY) devices, a main power supply designed to supply an entirety of the CATV equipment with power continuously while there is AC power supplied to the CATV equipment over the coaxial cable power input, and an internal UPS for supplying power to either the entirety of the CATV equipment or a set of subcomponents thereof when the CATV equipment is not supplied power over the coaxial cable power input. An energy storage element of the internal UPS includes one or more capacitors but not a battery. The internal UPS adjusts how power is supplied in response to determining that a configurable amount of time has passed since the interruption in power to the CATV equipment.

Abstract: Encoding a digital video using a Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) operation. Advantageously, digital video may be encoded in a manner that conserves computational resources. A software encoder searches a decision tree in a random forest in furtherance of encoding of the digital video by causing a physical hardware component to perform a single operation on multiple data operands concurrently. The single operation may be a comparison of two or more thresholds of a single feature of a single frame, or a portion thereof, of the digital video. The decision tree may be arranged to position comparisons involving a single feature near the root of the decision tree.