Abstract: A integrated circuit device for use in a line card of a digital networking system is capable of intercepting one or more control messages corresponding to a requested data channel sent from at least one customer premises equipment (CPE) device. The integrated circuit device is also capable of receiving a plurality of data channels from a data server of the digital networking system and providing the one or more requested data channels to the at least one CPE device, thereby providing faster data channel selecting and switching capabilities.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting data in a network-based data communication system includes a first network node comprising a first port couplable to at least a second network node for transferring data in a first format between the first and second network nodes. The first network node further includes a processor operatively coupled to the first port, the processor being configurable to receive one or more frames of data and/or transmit one or more frames of data, the frames of data having an overhead processing portion that is otherwise standard. The processor uses only a subset of the overhead processing portion and is configured such that utilizing only the subset of the overhead processing portion of the one or more data frames enables one or more functional blocks to be eliminated from the first network node, the one or more functional blocks being otherwise required for implementing substantially all of the overhead processing portion of the one or more data frames.

Abstract: A network-based data distribution system includes a physical layer device connectable to a network processor operative in a link layer or higher layer. The physical layer device is configurable for interfacing with a plurality of destination devices via corresponding physical layer links. The physical layer device is operative to receive data traffic from the network processor and to replicate at least a portion of the data traffic at a physical layer for distribution to at least two of the plurality of destination devices associated with the physical layer links.