Abstract: A fiber node may include a cable modem termination system (CMTS) that includes a first receiver to receive first signals from a plurality of cable modems over a plurality of upstream channels, and extract data from the first signals; a second receiver to receive second signals, the second signals being in a different format than the first signals; and a processor, connected to the first receiver and the second receiver, to receive the extracted data from the first receiver, receive the second signals from the second receiver, compress the extracted data and the second signals, merge the extracted data and the second signals, and transmit, to an upstream facility, the merged extracted data and the second signals over a common network path.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.

Abstract: Enhanced Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) functionality, including programmable digital domain modulators and demodulators for dynamic channel assignment, is incorporated into Fiber Nodes (FNs) or mini Fiber Nodes (mFNs), yielding enhanced Fiber Nodes (eFNs). These eFns distribute CMTS functionality deep into Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Networks (HFCN) rather than centralizing the CMTS functions within a single location. Moving the cable modem terminations closer to the subscribers shortens the analog RF paths required to support cable modems. Communication of both subscriber data and CMTS control data is performed over Ethernet-compatible packet networks between the field-based CMTSs and an upstream facility (e.g., the Head End), which includes an Internet gateway. Packet data for multiple subscriber cable modems is easily compressed and merged over common network paths, reducing cabling plant complexity and increasing bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: A network device and system are provided. The network device may include a chassis configured to receive a line card and an input/output (I/O) card that operatively connects to a network via cabling. The chassis may include a bus structure. The bus structure may include an I/O interface to couple to a chassis interface of the I/O card, and a line card interface to couple to a chassis interface of the line card using a connector away that includes at least one RF conductor which may be associated with a set of connectors configured to shield the at least one RF conductor.

Abstract: Enhanced Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) functionality, including programmable digital domain modulators and demodulators for dynamic channel assignment, is incorporated into Fiber Nodes (FNs) or mini Fiber Nodes (mFNs), yielding enhanced Fiber Nodes (eFNs). These eFns distribute CMTS functionality deep into Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Networks (HFCN) rather than centralizing the CMTS functions within a single location. Moving the cable modem terminations closer to the subscribers shortens the analog RF paths required to support cable modems. Communication of both subscriber data and CMTS control data is performed over Ethernet-compatible packet networks between the field-based CMTSs and an upstream facility (e.g., the Head End), which includes an Internet gateway. Packet data for multiple subscriber cable modems is easily compressed and merged over common network paths, reducing cabling plant complexity and increasing bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.

Abstract: Enhanced Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) functionality, including programmable digital domain modulators and demodulators for dynamic channel assignment, is incorporated into Fiber Nodes (FNs) or mini Fiber Nodes (mFNs), yielding enhanced Fiber Nodes (eFNs). These eFns distribute CMTS functionality deep into Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Networks (HFCN) rather than centralizing the CMTS functions within a single location. Moving the cable modem terminations closer to the subscribers shortens the analog RF paths required to support cable modems. Communication of both subscriber data and CMTS control data is performed over Ethernet-compatible packet networks between the field-based CMTSs and an upstream facility (e.g., the Head End), which includes an Internet gateway. Packet data for multiple subscriber cable modems is easily compressed and merged over common network paths, reducing cabling plant complexity and increasing bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: Enhanced Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) functionality, including programmable digital domain modulators and demodulators for dynamic channel assignment, is incorporated into Fiber Nodes (FNs) or mini Fiber Nodes (mFNs), yielding enhanced Fiber Nodes (eFNs). These eFns distribute CMTS functionality deep into Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Networks (HFCN) rather than centralizing the CMTS functions within a single location. Moving the cable modem terminations closer to the subscribers shortens the analog RF paths required to support cable modems. Communication of both subscriber data and CMTS control data is performed over Ethernet-compatible packet networks between the field-based CMTSs and an upstream facility (e.g., the Head End), which includes an Internet gateway. Packet data for multiple subscriber cable modems is easily compressed and merged over common network paths, reducing cabling plant complexity and increasing bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.

Abstract: A system for redundancy switching of line cards in a communications system. When a line card needs to be replaced or serviced or becomes inoperable, signal traffic is switched to and through a redundant line card. This is achieved by implementing a switching fabric on I/O cards, where the I/O cards carry signal traffic to and from line cards. The switching fabric enables traffic to and from an I/O card servicing the line card to be replaced to instead service the redundant line card.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for tunneling (transparently transmitting) over a packet network, from a source to a destination, the spectrum of one or more bandpass channels individually selected from a larger spectrum at the source. Each channel is selected, translated to baseband (using sampling techniques), digitized, framed, merged with other digital services, transmitted (along with associated attribute information) using packet techniques, and later reconstructed. The present invention provides a selective and efficient use of available bandwidth, in that it is not necessary to transmit the entire spectrum, when only one or few portions of the spectrum are desired. This in turn, reduces bandwidth requirements all along the transmission path and at the source and destination. The reduced bandwidth requirements have associated reductions in power and costs.

Abstract: A system for redundancy switching of line cards in a communications system. When a line card needs to be replaced or serviced or becomes inoperable, signal traffic is switched to and through a redundant line card. This is achieved by implementing a switching fabric on I/O cards, the I/O cards carrying signal traffic to and from line cards. The switching fabric enables traffic to and from and I/O card servicing the line card to be replaced to instead service the redundant line card.

Abstract: Enhanced Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) functionality, including programmable digital domain modulators and demodulators for dynamic channel assignment, is incorporated into Fiber Nodes (FNs) or mini Fiber Nodes (mFNs), yielding enhanced Fiber Nodes (eFNs). These eFns distribute CMTS functionality deep into Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Networks (HFCN) rather than centralizing the CMTS functions within a single location. Moving the cable modem terminations closer to the subscribers shortens the analog RF paths required to support cable modems. Communication of both subscriber data and CMTS control data is performed over Ethernet-compatible packet networks between the field-based CMTSs and an upstream facility (e.g., the Head End), which includes an Internet gateway. Packet data for multiple subscriber cable modems is easily compressed and merged over common network paths, reducing cabling plant complexity and increasing bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: A Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) is partitioned into Line Cards, I/O Cards, and a midplane to provide enhanced Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability. Each I/O Card provides a cabling interface for coupling an assigned Line Card to other portions of a Hybrid-Fiber-Coax Network. A plurality of RF signals is coupled via connectors between each Line Card and a corresponding I/O Card, via the midplane. This permits a Line Card to be removed for servicing without requiring recabling of the corresponding I/O Card. Preferably, a rectangular-multi-pin collinear connector-cascade (Line Card jack, midplane double-plug, and I/O Card jack) is used to couple the plurality of RF signals. The connector-cascade is configured with protective RF ground pins adjacent and surrounding each of a plurality of RF signal pins.