Abstract: A method for synchronizing counters in a wireless terminal device with those of an administrative device. With each increment of the frame counter in a wireless terminal device, the wireless device minislot counter advances by an amount equal to the number of minislots per frame. Likewise, with each increment of the frame counter, the wireless device's timestamp counter is incremented by the number of timestamps per frame. This continues until the counters at the wireless device are within one frame of the administrative device's counters. The minislot counter is then incremented. With each increment of the minislot counter, the timestamp counter is incremented by an amount equal to the number of timestamps per minislot. This continues until the wireless devices counters are within a minislot of the administrative device's counters. The timestamp counter is then incremented until the wireless device's counters match those of the administrative device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing trellis coded modulation of signals for transmission on a TDMA channel of a cable network, such as a DOCSIS cable network, is provided. In an embodiment, an upstream modulator portion of a cable modem receives burst data, selectively encodes the burst data for trellis coded modulation to generate encoded symbols, and modulates the encoded symbols for selective transmission over a time division multiple access (TDMA) channel or a synchronous code division multiple access (S-CDMA) channel of the cable network.

Abstract: Upstream requests such a bandwidth requests, are processed by CMTS out of order on a priority basis to reduce latency in responding to the request. Specifically, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is connected to a plurality of cable modems by a cable plant. The CMTS has a burst receiver adapted to be connected to the cable plant to process upstream data packet units and bandwidth requests transmitted by the cable modems. Each packet includes a header that uniquely distinguishes the bandwidth requests from other data types. Packet data units are arranged in a first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are arranged in a second memory queue. The headers of the packets processed by the burst receiver are inspected as they arrive at the CMTS to determine if the packets are packet data units or bandwidth requests. Packet data units are routed to the first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are routed to the second memory queue.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing counters in a wireless terminal device with those of an administrative device. A wireless terminal device advances its frame counter. With each increment of the frame counter, the wireless terminal device minislot counter advances by an amount equal to the number of minislots per frame. Likewise, with each increment of the frame counter, the wireless terminal, device's timestamp counter is incremented by the number of timestamps per frame. This continues until the counters at the wireless terminal device are within one frame of the administrative device's counters. The minislot counter is then incremented. With each increment of the minislot counter, the timestamp counter is incremented by an amount equal to the number of timestamps per minislot. This continues until the wireless terminal devices counters are within a minislot of the administrative device's counters.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing counters in a terminal device, such as a cable modem in a DOCSIS-based system, with those of an administrative device, such as a headend. A cable modem advances its frame counter. With each increment of the frame counter, the cable modem's minislot counter advances by an amount equal to the number of minislots per frame. Likewise, with each increment of the frame counter, the cable modem's timestamp counter is incremented by the number of timestamps per frame. This continues until the counters at the cable modem are within one frame of the headend's counters. The minislot counter is then incremented. With each increment of the minislot counter, the timestamp counter is incremented by an amount equal to the number of timestamps per minislot. This continues until the cable modem's counters are within a minislot of the headend's counters. The timestamp counter is then incremented until the cable modem's counters match those of the headend.

Abstract: A plurality of base station devices are linked together and synchronized to facilitate communication between the respective base station devices and respective downlink subscriber stations. According to one embodiment of the invention, one of the base station devices is designated as a master device, and the other base station devices are designated as slave devices. The respective base station devices are connected to each other by means of a synchronization bus. The master base station device then generates and broadcasts a future time stamp value, which is received by the respective slave base station devices. When the time stamp counter in the master base station device reaches the transmitted value, a control signal is broadcast over the synchronization bus. The slave base station devices then retrieve the time stamp value and reset their respective local time stamp counters to the received value. In this manner, the base station devices are synchronized.

Abstract: A downstream adaptive modulation system and method. The downstream adaptive modulation system comprises a wireless access termination system and one or more wireless modems. The wireless access termination system includes a plurality of queues and a parser. The parser parses data traffic onto the plurality of queues. Each queue is associated with a different coding and modulation scheme. Each of the one or more wireless modems receives data traffic from the plurality of queues based on the wireless modem's ability to demodulate and decode the signal from each of the plurality of queues. When a wireless modem experiences a change in signal strength, the present invention enables the wireless modem to adapt to data from other queues to compensate for the change in signal strength. Thus, if the signal strength improves over a period of time, the wireless modem may receive data at a higher order modulation and FEC code rate.

Abstract: A downstream adaptive modulation system and method. The downstream adaptive modulation system comprises a wireless access termination system and one or more wireless modems. The wireless access termination system includes a plurality of queues and a parser. The parser parses data traffic onto the plurality of queues. Each queue is associated with a different coding and modulation scheme. Each of the one or more wireless modems receives data traffic from the plurality of queues based on the wireless modem's ability to demodulate and decode the signal from each of the plurality of queues. When a wireless modem experiences a change in signal strength, the present invention enables the wireless modem to adapt to data from other queues to compensate for the change in signal strength. Thus, if the signal strength improves over a period of time, the wireless modem may receive data at a higher order modulation and FEC code rate.

Abstract: A system and method that provides an integrated circuit which includes a small on-chip buffer to store collected data, thereby shifting the burden of storing the majority of the collected data to external system memory, which is typically comprised of commodity memory chips. Since this external system memory is already in use by other system functions, utilizing such unused regions of this external memory increases overall hardware efficiency, while achieving lower ASIC manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A timing recovery system and method for accelerated clock synchronization of remotely distributed electronic devices is provided. The system includes a phase locked loop, a linear estimator and control logic. The method includes sampling a clock signal received from an electronic device, applying a linear estimation technique to estimate the frequency and phase of the received signal and providing those estimates to a phase locked loop to accelerate the phase locked loop acquisition rate and secure signal lock quickly.

Abstract: A timing recovery system and method for accelerated clock synchronization of remotely distributed electronic devices is provided. The system includes a phase locked loop, a linear estimator and control logic. The method includes sampling a clock signal received from an electronic device, applying a linear estimation technique to estimate the frequency and phase of the received signal and providing those estimates to a phase locked loop to accelerate the phase locked loop acquisition rate and secure signal lock quickly.

Abstract: A plurality of CMTS devices are linked together and synchronized to facilitate communication between the respective CMTS devices and respective downstream cable modems. According to one embodiment of the invention, one of the CMTS devices is designated as a master device, and the other CMTS devices are designated as slave devices. The respective CMTS devices are connected to each other by means of a synchronization bus. The master CMTS device then generates and broadcasts a future time stamp value, which is received by the respective slave CMTS devices. When the time stamp counter in the master CMTS device reaches the transmitted value, a control signal is broadcast over the synchronization bus. The slave CMTS devices then retrieve the time stamp value and reset their respective local time stamp counters to the received value. In this manner, the CMTS devices are synchronized.

Abstract: A plurality of CMTS devices are linked together and synchronized to facilitate communication between the respective CMTS devices and respective downstream cable modems. According to one embodiment of the invention, one of the CMTS devices is designated as a master device, and the other CMTS devices are designated as slave devices. The respective CMTS devices are connected to each other by means of a synchronization bus. The master CMTS device then generates and broadcasts a future time stamp value, which is received by the respective slave CMTS devices. When the time stamp counter in the master CMTS device reaches the transmitted value, a control signal is broadcast over the synchronization bus. The slave CMTS devices then retrieve the time stamp value and reset their respective local time stamp counters to the received value. In this manner, the CMTS devices are synchronized.

Abstract: Upstream requests such a bandwidth requests, are processed by CMTS out of order on a priority basis to reduce latency in responding to the request. Specifically, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is connected to a plurality of cable modems by a cable plant. The CMTS has a burst receiver adapted to be connected to the cable plant to process upstream data packet units and bandwidth requests transmitted by the cable modems. Each packet includes a header that uniquely distinguishes the bandwidth requests from other data types. Packet data units are arranged in a first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are arranged in a second memory queue. The headers of the packets processed by the burst receiver are inspected as they arrive at the CMTS to determine if the packets are packet data units or bandwidth requests. Packet data units are routed to the first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are routed to the second memory queue.

Abstract: Upstream requests such a bandwidth requests, are processed by CMTS out of order on a priority basis to reduce latency in responding to the request. Specifically, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is connected to a plurality of cable modems by a cable plant. The CMTS has a burst receiver adapted to be connected to the cable plant to process upstream data packet units and bandwidth requests transmitted by the cable modems. Each packet includes a header that uniquely distinguishes the bandwidth requests from other data types. Packet data units are arranged in a first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are arranged in a second memory queue. The headers of the packets processed by the burst receiver are inspected as they arrive at the CMTS to determine if the packets are packet data units or bandwidth requests. Packet data units are routed to the first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are routed to the second memory queue.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of the present invention includes implementing an automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol in a DOCSIS wireless environment for fixed wireless applications. More specifically, an ARQ protocol is implemented at the medium access control (MAC) layer to provide fast response relative to convention ARQ protocols and logic that are implemented at higher layers (e.g., TCP/IP) in the OSI layered approach to system architecture and design. To achieve this result, a DOCSIS defined signal and header is modified to include an ARQ header containing various ARQ parameters. While some known approaches to ARQ involve retransmission of entire frames or blocks, the present invention contemplates provide control down to the packet data unit (PDU) level. To achieve this level of granularity, the ARQ header includes sequence numbers within each ARQ header.

Abstract: A system and method that provides an integrated circuit which includes a small on-chip buffer to store collected data, thereby shifting the burden of storing the majority of the collected data to external system memory, which is typically comprised of commodity memory chips. Since this external system memory is already in use by other system functions, utilizing such unused regions of this external memory increases overall hardware efficiency, while achieving lower ASIC manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A system and method that provides an integrated circuit which includes a small on-chip buffer to store collected data, thereby shifting the burden of storing the majority of the collected data to external system memory, which is typically comprised of commodity memory chips. Since this external system memory is already in use by other system functions, utilizing such unused regions of this external memory increases overall hardware efficiency, while achieving lower ASIC manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A plurality of CMTS devices are linked together and synchronized to facilitate communication between the respective CMTS devices and respective downstream cable modems. According to one embodiment of the invention, one of the CMTS devices is designated as a master device, and the other CMTS devices are designated as slave devices. The respective CMTS devices are connected to each other by means of a synchronization bus. The master CMTS device then generates and broadcasts a future time stamp value, which is received by the respective slave CMTS devices. When the time stamp counter in the master CMTS device reaches the transmitted value, a control signal is broadcast over the synchronization bus. The slave CMTS devices then retrieve the time stamp value and reset their respective local time stamp counters to the received value. In this manner, the CMTS devices are synchronized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing trellis coded modulation of signals for transmission on a TDMA channel of a cable network, such as a DOCSIS cable network, is provided. In an embodiment, an upstream modulator portion of a cable modem receives burst data, selectively encodes the burst data for trellis coded modulation to generate encoded symbols, and modulates the encoded symbols for selective transmission over a time division multiple access (TDMA) channel or a synchronous code division multiple access (S-CDMA) channel of the cable network.