Abstract: Systems and methods for connecting new stations to a secure network. New stations can send connection requests to a headend device. The headend device can retrieve a device access key associated with the new station and can provide a network membership key to the new station based upon authentication of the new station using the device access key.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating and authenticating end-to-end management keys to stations to facilitate communications between stations in the network. A nonce based upon a pseudo-random number generated by the station(s) can be included with the end-to-end management key (EMK). The station(s) can compare the nonce to the generated pseudo-random number to authenticate the EMK.

Abstract: Communicating between stations over a shared medium comprises: receiving a first waveform at a first station transmitted over the shared medium from a second station, the first waveform including a payload having multiple segments, and during reception of a first segment of the payload, initiating processing of one or more segments of the payload received before the first segment of the payload to generate acknowledgement information that specifies which of one or more segments of the payload including the one or more processed segments have been correctly decoded by the first station; transmitting a second waveform from the first station over the shared medium, the second waveform including the acknowledgement information; and transmitting a third waveform from the first station over the shared medium, after transmitting the second waveform, the third waveform including acknowledgement information that specifies which of one or more segments of the payload including the first segment of the payload have been

Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing a customer premise equipment (CPE) device to join a network through a network termination unit (NTU). The CPE device can send an encrypted connection request, and an authorization server can decrypt the connection request and provide a network membership key (NMK) associated with the CPE device to the NTU. The authorization server can encrypt the NMK associated with the CPE device using a device access key (DAK) associated with the NTU.

Abstract: A tone map includes physical layer transmission properties for a multi-carrier communications channel. The physical layer transmission properties indicate modulation mode and transmission power to be used on one or more frequencies (i.e. “tones”). The transmission power may be reduced on a first frequency having a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) so that performance will improve for a second frequency having a lower SNR. Transmission power may be reduced on a first frequency having an unusably low SNR so that performance will improve on a second frequency. A tone map message is used to efficiently communicate modulation and transmission power adjustments on a per-carrier basis.

Abstract: Associating service agents in communication over a network to one or more respective clients coupled to the network at respective ports of the network is described. At a first service agent, a first signal is received from a first client coupled to the network at a first port. The first signal propagates over a first signal propagation path between the first service agent and the first port. An association between the first service agent and the first client is established based at least in part on a difference between: the first signal propagation path between the first service agent and the first port, and a second signal propagation path between the first service agent and a second port or between a second service agent and the first port.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating key rotation communications. Key rotation communications can include a key counter known to both a headend device and a station. Comparison between a local key counter and the key counter included in the key rotation communication can be used to authenticate the key rotation communication.

Abstract: A tone map includes physical layer transmission properties for a multi-carrier communications channel. The physical layer transmission properties indicate modulation mode and transmission power to be used on one or more frequencies (i.e. “tones”). The transmission power may be reduced on a first frequency having a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) so that performance will improve for a second frequency having a lower SNR. Transmission power may be reduced on a first frequency having an unusably low SNR so that performance will improve on a second frequency. A tone map message is used to efficiently communicate modulation and transmission power adjustments on a per-carrier basis.

Abstract: Communicating among stations in a network includes providing repeated beacon transmissions from at least some of the stations including a first station. The first station is assigned to a first level. Any stations that can reliably receive transmissions from the first station are assigned to a second level. Any stations not assigned to any of the preceding levels that can reliably receive transmissions from the preceding level are assigned to each of one or more higher levels. Timing information at each station in a given level is synchronized according to transmissions received from at least one station in the preceding level.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing transmissions among nodes communicating over a shared communication medium. The method includes: transmitting a frame from a sender node to a plurality of receiver nodes, the frame including at least a portion of a data packet and control information associated with accessing the communication medium; transmitting over the communication medium information indicating an end of a time window allocated for transmission of acknowledgement signals to the sender node from at least some of the plurality of receiver nodes; assigning each of a plurality of time slots in the time window to different subsets of the plurality of receiver nodes; and for a given receiver node, transmitting an acknowledgement signal from the given receiver node to the sender node during a time slot assigned to the given receiver node, the acknowledgement signal responsive to at least the frame.

Abstract: A method for communicating among nodes in a network includes determining, by a transmitter, a first frequency band and at least a second frequency band to be used for communicating data packets, wherein a maximum allowable power spectral density in the first frequency band is greater than a maximum allowable power spectral density in the second frequency band. The method also includes adjusting power spectral density for a first group of frequencies in the first frequency band such that the adjusted power spectral density of the first group does not exceed the maximum allowable power spectral density of the first frequency band and a quantization noise introduced by the transmitter is less than a threshold value for a signal transmitted in the second frequency band. The method further includes modulating at least a portion of a data packet transmitted by the transmitter to at least a first receiver in accordance with the adjusted power spectral density.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for communicating among stations in a network. A station in the network can determine costs between that station and a headend through a number of other stations. The station can select a low cost path from among the possible paths. Cost data from the determination can be transmitted from the station to other stations in the network for use in selecting low cost paths at those stations.

Abstract: Communicating among stations in a network includes, from each of multiple stations in the network, transmitting information indicating which other stations from which that station is able to reliably receive transmissions. A schedule for communicating among the stations is determined based on the information from the stations and transmitting the schedule over the network. The schedule includes a plurality of time slots during which respective sets of stations are assigned to communicate using a contention-based protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing customer premise equipment into a network. A publicly available network membership key can be provided to enable initial connection to the network. Unique network membership keys associated with various customer premise equipment can be provided to enable service level access to the network and/or authorization into a sub-cell associated with the network.

Abstract: Associating service agents in communication over a network to one or more respective clients coupled to the network at respective ports of the network is described. At a first service agent, a first signal is received from a first client coupled to the network at a first port. The first signal propagates over a first signal propagation path between the first service agent and the first port. An association between the first service agent and the first client is established based at least in part on a difference between: the first signal propagation path between the first service agent and the first port, and a second signal propagation path between the first service agent and a second port or between a second service agent and the first port.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing a customer premise equipment (CPE) device to join a network through a network termination unit (NTU). The CPE device can send an encrypted connection request, and an authorization server can decrypt the connection request and provide a network membership key (NMK) associated with the CPE device to the NTU. The authorization server can encrypt the NMK associated with the CPE device using a device access key (DAK) associated with the NTU.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing a customer premise equipment (CPE) device to join a network through a network termination unit (NTU). The CPE device can send an encrypted connection request, and an authorization server can decrypt the connection request and provide a network membership key (NMK) associated with the CPE device to the NTU. The authorization server can encrypt the NMK associated with the CPE device using a device access key (DAK) associated with the NTU.

Abstract: Communicating between stations over a shared medium comprises: receiving a first waveform at a first station transmitted over the shared medium from a second station, the first waveform including a payload having multiple segments, and during reception of a first segment of the payload, initiating processing of one or more segments of the payload received before the first segment of the payload to generate acknowledgement information that specifies which of one or more segments of the payload including the one or more processed segments have been correctly decoded by the first station; transmitting a second waveform from the first station over the shared medium, the second waveform including the acknowledgement information; and transmitting a third waveform from the first station over the shared medium, after transmitting the second waveform, the third waveform including acknowledgement information that specifies which of one or more segments of the payload including the first segment of the payload have been

Abstract: A method for communicating among nodes in a network includes determining, by a transmitter, a first frequency band and at least a second frequency band to be used for communicating data packets, wherein a maximum allowable power spectral density in the first frequency band is greater than a maximum allowable power spectral density in the second frequency band. The method also includes adjusting power spectral density for a first group of frequencies in the first frequency band such that the adjusted power spectral density of the first group does not exceed the maximum allowable power spectral density of the first frequency band and a quantization noise introduced by the transmitter is less than a threshold value for a signal transmitted in the second frequency band. The method further includes modulating at least a portion of a data packet transmitted by the transmitter to at least a first receiver in accordance with the adjusted power spectral density.

Abstract: Communicating among stations in a network includes providing repeated beacon transmissions from at least some of the stations including a first station. The first station is assigned to a first level. Any stations that can reliably receive transmissions from the first station are assigned to a second level. Any stations not assigned to any of the preceding levels that can reliably receive transmissions from the preceding level are assigned to each of one or more higher levels. Timing information at each station in a given level is synchronized according to transmissions received from at least one station in the preceding level.