Abstract: A method and apparatus for flexibly filtering upstream scheduling messages in a communication system is described. The inventive method and apparatus uses software to rapidly filter a MAP message comprising a plurality of information elements. In accordance with the inventive method, a communication device inputs a MAP message and outputs a filtered MAP message comprising upstream transmission information relevant only to the communication device. The communication device stores data relevant to its upstream transmit opportunities. This data is derived from information elements that are associated with the communication device. In one embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time. In another embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time and a transmit duration. In yet another embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time, a transmit duration and an IUC.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling upstream data packets in a communication system is described. The present inventive method obtains a priority value (PV) for an upstream data packet and compares (using hardware registers) the PV of a queued upstream data packet to a current system timer. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the current system timer comprises the current clock time of the communication system. When a PV equals the current system timer, the method transmits the upstream data packet associated with the PV to the CMTS via the upstream transmission path.

Abstract: A communication device such as a cable modem that has a first interface for receiving data from a cable media, and a pattern matching engine that evaluates patterns in the data that is received at the first interface of the cable modem and that enables the determination of appropriate procedures for treatment of the data. The pattern matching engine of the cable modem may be configured to match address segments of the data that is received at the first interface of the cable modem. In addition, the pattern matching engine is often a programmable pattern matching engine that may be programmed according to patterns that are desired to matched during various operations of the cable modem. Of note, the pattern matching engine enables pattern matching of various length frame portions. Various aspects of the present invention may also be found in a method for a communication device to compare a predetermined pattern to a pattern that corresponds to a portion of a data frame.

Abstract: An interrupt driven interface coupling a programmable media access controller (MAC) and a process controller. The interrupt driven interface is operable within a cable modem system. The specification by which the cable modem operates to transfer data between the programmable media access controller (MAC) and the control processor is loaded into a memory location within the system, and the physical system is operable to provide for backward compatibility, in that, the addition of new messages and the deletion of old messages within the specification is performed via software upgrade. The necessity of a re-design and re-fabrication of the programmable media access controller (MAC) and the control processor, and the interface between them is completely obviated by the present invention.