Abstract: A method and system for combining requests for data bandwidth by a data source for transmission of data over a wireless communication medium is provided. A central node receives one or more bandwidth requests from one or more data sources via wireless communication. A scheduler then combines one or more bandwidths requests from the same data source to create a single data burst bandwidth. The central node then grants the data burst bandwidth to the appropriate data source via wireless communication.

Abstract: A multi-source data multiplexing system that accepts information packets from a plurality of signal sources, evaluates the relative efficiencies of data transmission, and transmits the information packets in provided grant regions for maximum efficiency. The multi-source data multiplexing system may accept any form of information packet from any form of signal source. The system receives a grant region, typically comprising a transmission time on a data channel, and inserts a information packet into the grant region. The actual information packet placed in the grant region may be one other than the packet for which the grant region was intended. Further, the multi-source data multiplexing system may fragment an information packet and transmit only a portion of the information packet in the grant region.

Abstract: A supervisory communications node monitors and controls communications with a plurality of remote devices throughout a widely distributed network. A method is provided to convey and maintain information used to synchronize the packetization and burst operations within the network. During session setup, jitter constraints indirectly are used to explicitly communicate a synchronization timing reference. The timing reference is set at the beginning of a phase/period boundary used to service the session. In an embodiment, the announcement of the first grant is used as an explicit indication of the synchronization timing reference value. In another embodiment, the synchronization timing reference value is inferred if a remote device receives contiguous voice grants meeting certain conditions. In an embodiment implementing periodic scheduling, the actual arrival of the first grant is used to infer the synchronization timing reference value.

Abstract: A system for reducing the bandwidth required to wirelessly transmit a packet via a wireless network is provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a transmitting node configured to generate a packet to be transmitted via the wireless network, to select a suppression rule from a table of suppression rules based on the type of the packet to be transmitted, to apply the suppression rule to the packet to generate a suppressed packet, wherein the transmitter node applies the suppression rule by suppressing at least a portion of the header of the packet and by adding a descriptor associated with the header suppression rule to the packet, and to transmit the suppressed packet via the wireless network.

Abstract: A method and system for combining requests for data bandwidth by a data source for transmission of data over a communication medium is provided. A central node receives one or more bandwidths requests from one or more data sources via wireless communication. A scheduler then combines one or more bandwidths requests from the same data source to create a single data burst bandwidth. The central node then grants the data burst bandwidth to the appropriate data source via a communications medium.

Abstract: A method and system for increasing the efficiency of providing bandwidth for voice traffic to a data provider via communication mediums is provided. This is generally accomplished by not transmitting any data during the silence periods and playing out background noise (i.e., comfort noise) at the other end, to obtain significant bandwidth savings.

Abstract: A method and system for increasing the efficiency of providing bandwidth for voice traffic to a data provider via wireless communication mediums is provided. This is generally accomplished by not transmitting any data during the silence periods and playing out background noise (i.e., comfort noise) at the other end, to obtain significant bandwidth savings.

Abstract: A method and system for increasing the efficiency of providing bandwidth for voice traffic to a data provider via wireless communication mediums is provided. This is generally accomplished by not transmitting any data during the silence periods and playing out background noise (i.e., comfort noise) at the other end, to obtain significant bandwidth savings.

Abstract: A method and system for combining requests for data bandwidth by a data source for transmission of data over a wireless communication medium is provided. A central node receives one or more bandwidth requests from one or more data sources via wireless communication. A scheduler then combines one or more bandwidths requests from the same data source to create a single data burst bandwidth. The central node then grants the data burst bandwidth to the appropriate data source via wireless communication.

Abstract: A method and system for combining requests for data bandwidth by a data source for transmission of data over a wireless communication medium is provided. A central node receives one or more bandwidths requests from one or more data sources via wireless communication. A scheduler then combines one or more bandwidths requests from the same data source to create a single data burst bandwidth. The central node then grants the data burst bandwidth to the appropriate data source via wireless communication.

Abstract: A system and method for management of bandwidth in a fiber optic, ethernet-based, TDMA communications system. A request/grant process is used to control the use of upstream bandwidth. A sense of time must therefore be shared by a headend and remote end-user devices. The invention provides for a gigabit media-independent interface in a media access controller to detect start-of-frame delimiters in incoming data. This allows for synchronization of a headend and end-user devices. The invention also allows for phase locking a transmit bit rate, at a headend, to the headend's clock. Transmitted data can the be used downstream to derive a local clock. Synchronization can also be maintained by the use of synchronization bytes in MPEG frames and/or variable length frames. Efficient bandwidth usage can also be facilitated by the use of maximum data units in allocating bandwidth in unsolicited grants, and by allowing flexible fragmentation and/or prioritization of internet protocol (IP) packets.

Abstract: A control terminal such as a CMTS is initialized to receive packets of voice calls having parameters including a bit rate, a packetization interval, and a call identification. A plurality of queues is created to define a corresponding plurality of phases at a sub-multiple of the packetization interval. Voice calls are admitted to the control terminal. The voice calls are distributed among the queues in a predetermined order as the voice calls are admitted and the voice calls removed from the queues as the voice calls are terminated. USGs are periodically issued at the phases defined by the queues. The USGs include a call identification and a grant of bandwidth sufficient to transmit the packets.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for detecting collisions on a shared access network. In accordance with the present invention, two or more RF modulated signals having a plurality of different phase states are transmitted to a central controller, wherein two or more of the transmitted signals collide at the central controller. The collision detection system then determines a characteristic of the collision signal, such as the absolute value of the peak amplitude of the collision signal. The collision detection system then compares the characteristic with a plurality of thresholds and determines the number of RF modulated signals that collided as a function of the comparison. The method for detecting collisions may further include monitoring a plurality of collision events to determine a characteristic, such as the absolute value of the peak amplitude of the collision signal, of each of the collision events.

Abstract: An optical line terminal (OLT) monitors and controls communications with a plurality of optical nodes (ONs), such as optical network units (ONUs) and/or optical network terminators (ONTs), within a passive optical network (PON), such as, but not exclusively, an Ethernet-based passive optical node (EPON). A tagging mechanism is implemented to identify an origin ON that introduces a frame into the PON segment linking the origin ON with the OLT. The origin ON produces a PON tag to associate its identifier (ON_ID) to the frame. The PON tag facilitates filtering and forwarding operations, and enables the physical layer interface (PHY) to the PON segment to emulate a point-to-point and/or shared communications link. The PON tag allows a MAC control layer to create virtual ports to traffic incoming and outgoing optical signals, and supply the virtual ports to a forwarding entity for frame filtering and forwarding.

Abstract: A system and method for a generalized packet header suppression mechanism is described. This mechanism is implemented via a descriptor table. An exact copy of the descriptor table is stored in both the sender and receiver of packets via a communication medium. Entries in the descriptor table provide the information necessary to both suppress and expand the headers of well-known packets. The sender of the packet uses the descriptor table to suppress the packet header prior to transmitting the packet over the communication medium. When the packet reaches the receiver, the receiver uses the descriptor table to expand or reconstruct the packet header. This procedure results in less bandwidth required to transmit well-known messages because known header data is not transmitted via the medium, thereby not wasting bandwidth. The suppression mechanism allows the complete suppression of the header of a packet (as opposed to the traditional payload suppression) by a shorter message descriptor.

Abstract: An optical line terminal (OLT) monitors and controls communications with a plurality of optical nodes (ONs), such as optical network units (ONUs) and/or optical network terminators (ONTs), within a passive optical network (PON), such as, but not exclusively, an Ethernet-based passive optical node (EPON). A tagging mechanism is implemented to identify an origin ON that introduces a frame into the PON segment linking the origin ON with the OLT. The origin ON produces a PON tag to associate its identifier (ON_ID) to the frame. The PON tag facilitates filtering and forwarding operations, and enables the physical layer interface (PHY) to the PON segment to emulate a point-to-point and/or shared communications link. The PON tag allows a MAC control layer to create virtual ports to traffic incoming and outgoing optical signals, and supply the virtual ports to a forwarding entity for frame filtering and forwarding.

Abstract: A supervisory communications node monitors and controls communications with a plurality of remote devices throughout a widely distributed network. A method, system, and computer program product are provided to convey and maintain information used to synchronize the packetization and burst operations within the network. During session setup, jitter constraints indirectly are used to explicitly communicate a synchronization timing reference. The timing reference is set at the beginning of a phase/period boundary used to service the session. In an embodiment, the announcement of the first grant is used as an explicit indication of the synchronization timing reference value. In another embodiment, the synchronization timing reference value is inferred if a remote device receives contiguous voice grants meeting certain conditions. In an embodiment implementing periodic scheduling, the actual arrival of the first grant is used to infer the synchronization timing reference value.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for scheduling transmissions from a plurality of services operating over a widely distributed communications network. A headend communications device (such as a cable modem termination system) arbitrates bandwidth among a plurality of cable modems configurable for bi-directional communications. The headend grants a bandwidth region to a specified cable modem or assigns contention regions for a group of cable modems. Each cable modem contains a local scheduler that sends requests for bandwidth according to local policies or rules. Upon receipt of a grant from the headend, the local scheduler selects packets to be transmitted to best serve the needs of the services associated with the cable modem. Accordingly, a service requesting bandwidth may not be the service utilizing the grant corresponding to bandwidth request. Nonetheless, the local scheduler manages bandwidth allocation among its local services such that all requesting services eventually receive bandwidth.

Abstract: A system for reducing the bandwidth required to wirelessly transmit a packet via a wireless network is provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a transmitting node configured to generate a packet to be transmitted via the wireless network, to select a suppression rule from a table of suppression rules based on the type of the packet to be transmitted, to apply the suppression rule to the packet to generate a suppressed packet, wherein the transmitter node applies the suppression rule by suppressing at least a portion of the header of the packet and by adding a descriptor associated with the header suppression rule to the packet, and to transmit the suppressed packet via the wireless network.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for synchronizing time between a centralized controller device and at least one subscriber device on a fiber access network. The control layer of a network device is expanded, and additional messaging control is added via the transmission of data frames. The expansion prevents reliance on a physical layer signal. The time synchronization also allows a time stamp to be incorporated into a message. Thus, bandwidth is not wasted by simply transmitting a time stamp by itself. In an embodiment, the centralized controller device measures the time difference between the time at which a particular ranging request is transmitted and the time at which the particular ranging request is received. The time difference represents the time adjustment value for the particular subscriber device and allows the device to synchronize its time with that of the centralized controller device.