Abstract: Systems and methods can operate to detect and avoid optical beat interference (OBI) in broadband devices by use of restrictive channel assignment. An OBI-mitigating mapper algorithm can leash OBI candidates in a circular queue to avoid scheduling service flows likely to result in OBI generation. In some implementations, the algorithm can automatically leash all pre-DOCSIS 3.0 service flows. In alternative implementations, the algorithm can allow the CMTS to normally load balance pre-DOCSIS 3.0 devices while manually adding and/or removing pre-DOCSIS 3.0 service flows from the OBI candidate queue based upon lost transmissions or a designated age-out timer.

Abstract: A Cable Access Module is periodically monitored to detect lock-up condition on an upstream channel. Traffic activity on an upstream channel of the CAM is compared to predetermined criteria to determine lock-up. If CMs are detected being coupled to the CAM, a PING message is sent to a group of CMs. If the PING is not acknowledged, a round robin counter is used to cycle through modems sending PINGs thereto. If no PINGs are acknowledged, the CAM is deemed satisfactory if upstream bytes over the upstream channel are detected. If not, an escalating maintenance subroutine implements corrective action of increasing magnitude during based on a recovery count variable that increments with each successive pass before returning to the monitor period parent routine. If CMs were detected as coupled to the CAM, but some data has been passed over the upstream channel being evaluated, the escalating maintenance subroutine is invoked.

Abstract: Different polling rates are applied to high priority BE service flows depending on whether the service flow contains, or is about to contain, traffic packets. A high priority service flow is identified upon boot-up of a user device, and defaults to a slow polling mode. A trigger causes the service flow to be serviced as a fast polling mode. The fast polling mode lasts for a predetermined period of time. If traffic continues at the end of the predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time is reset so that the fast-polling mode continues until traffic flow on the high priority service flow ceases.