Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for ordering grants of upstream bandwidth in a two-way grant-based communication system, such as a DOCSIS-based communication system. Typically, a central controller, such as a CMTS, sends a grant message to a set of end user devices, e.g., cable modems, wherein the message defines when each end user device can transmit upstream. The invention first determines, for each end user device, the time needed for processing the grant message. The central controller then constructs the grant message, such that grants for the end user devices associated with the shortest grant message processing times occur early in the grant message and represent the earliest grants. Grants for end user devices associated with the longest grant message processing times occur later in the grant message and represent later grants.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for dynamic adjustment of power, antenna direction and frequencies in a femtocell network are provided. In this regard, a communication system may comprise a plurality of femtocells, one or more base stations, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of the plurality of femtocells. One or more parameters may be communicated from one of the plurality of femtocells and/or one or more base stations to the femtocell management entity. The femtocell management entity may be enabled to utilize the one or more parameters to determine configuration information for one of the plurality of femtocells and/or for one or more remaining ones of the plurality of femtocells. One of the plurality of femtocells may be enabled to receive the determined configuration information from the femtocell management entity. One of the plurality of femtocells may be configured utilizing the received determined configuration information.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for preserving content timing across femtocell interfaces via timestamp insertion are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may receive a first time-stamped packet via a first interface and transcode the time-stamped packet. The femtocell may buffer the transcoded packet based on a time-stamp recovered from the packet and may transmit the buffered transcoded packet via a second interface. One of the first interface and the second interface may utilize the Internet Protocol. One of the first interface and the second interface may be a non-cellular interface and the other interface may be a cellular interface. The femtocell may be operable to generate a timestamp corresponding to a time instant at which a time-stamped packet arrived via the first interface or the second interface. The timestamp may be referenced to a clock within a cellular enabled communication devices communicatively coupled to the femtocell.

Abstract: Embodiments of a digital up-converter and an N-channel modulator are provided herein. The embodiments of the digital up-converter, in combination with the N-channel modulator, are capable of efficiently filling the spectrum of one or more RF signals with one or more types of information signals. For example, the digital up-converter can fill the spectrum of one or more RF signals with both broadcast and narrowcast video and data signals. In addition, the digital up-converter is capable of flexibly mapping the information signals to one or more channels of the one or more RF signals using a novel, three-level switching architecture.

Abstract: A method for increasing upstream bandwidth per cable modem user in a cable communications system that includes a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a plurality of cable modems is provided. The method permits a cable modem to transmit data to the CMTS on multiple upstream channels simultaneously using a technique called “channel bonding.” Channel bonding allows smaller bandwidth upstream channels to be bonded together to create a larger bandwidth pipe.

Abstract: A method to setup Quality of Service (QoS) parameters over a wireless network and over a wired network is described herein. A request to setup the QoS parameters may be initiated by a wireless device. The method includes the steps of receiving a first message from the wireless device that includes a first set of QoS parameters requested by the wireless device and determining a second set of QoS parameters for transmission over a wired network corresponding to the first set of QoS parameters. The method further includes the steps of transmitting a second message to a wired device including the second set of QoS parameters and receiving a response to the second message from the wired device that indicates whether the second set of QoS parameters was accepted by the wired device. The method also includes transmitting a response to the first message, based on the response to the second message, to the wireless device indicating whether the first set of QoS parameters are acceptable.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product in a wireless gateway to provide secured communications over a wireless network and a wired network is provided herein. The method includes the steps of receiving a first authentication credential from a wireless device and mapping the first authentication credential to a second authentication credential. The method further includes transmitting the second authentication credential to an authentication server and receiving a first authentication response from the authentication server. The method also includes generating a first shared secret and a second shared secret if the first authentication response indicates that authentication is successful and transmitting a second authentication response to the wireless device. The first shared secret is used to setup a first secured channel for communications with a service provider over a wired network and the second shared secret is used to setup a second secured channel for communications with the wireless device.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a combined wireless gateway and cable modem are provided herein. The method includes the step of generating an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period and transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon sending the indicator. The look-ahead time period is a time period from transmitting the indicator to transmitting the DOCSIS frame. The method further includes the step of receiving data from the wireless device and encapsulating the data in a DOCSIS format to generate a DOCSIS frame. The method also includes transmitting the DOCSIS frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity to a cable modem termination system (CMTS).

Abstract: A system and method to map a Quality of Service (QoS) of a traffic flow from a wireless network to a wired network is described herein. The method comprises the steps of receiving a packet of the traffic flow over the wireless network and determining a first Quality of Service associated with the traffic flow over the wireless network based on a first set of parameters associated with the packet. The method further comprises the step of determining a second parameter that identifies a second Quality of Service over the wired network, wherein the second Quality of Service is substantially equivalent to the first Quality of Service. The method also comprises inserting the second parameter in a field of the packet based on the determined second Quality of Service and transmitting the packet over the wired network.

Abstract: In a DOCSIS-based communications system, different upstream channel descriptors (UCDs) all identify a single logical upsteam channel identifier (UCID) regardless of the type of cable modem (CM) to which the UCDs are sent. Different CMs having different capabilities (e.g., CMs configured according to the different DOCSIS standards 1.x, 2.0, and 3.0) receive their respective UCDs from an upstream headend. All the UCDs, however, refer to the same logical upstream channel. The different CMs therefore share this single logical upstream channel.

Abstract: In a DOCSIS-based communications system, different upstream channel descriptors (UCDs) all identify a single logical upsteam channel identifier (UCID) regardless of the type of cable modem (CM) to which the UCDs are sent. Different CMs having different capabilities (e.g., CMs configured according to the different DOCSIS standards 1.x, 2.0, and 3.0) receive their respective UCDs from an upstream headend. All the UCDs, however, refer to the same logical upstream channel. The different CMs therefore share this single logical upstream channel.

Abstract: Signal detection for optical transmitters in networks with optical combining. Presented herein is a multi-faceted means for performing electrical to optical conversion such as in an optical transmitter as implemented within a communication system including at least some optical communication links therein. The turning on and turning off of a light source (e.g., a laser diode (LD), a light emitting diode (LED), and/or other component that performs electrical to optical conversion) is performed in accordance with a number of operational parameters. Some communication systems include multiple optical links (e.g., multiple fiber-optic links) from multiple transmitters that connect to a common receiver. In addition, some optical transmitters include multiple electrical links (e.g., multiple electrical communication links) from multiple communication devices that connect thereto.

Abstract: A Femtocell gateway is operable to determine resource usage information among associated Femtocells in a Femtocell network. The Femtocell gateway may be enabled to allocate resources for distributing traffic among the associated Femtocells based on the determined resource usage information comprising IP usage information, radio access usage, and/or physical layer capabilities among the Femtocells. The Femtocell gateway may be enabled to identify Femtocells with excess resources assigned and Femtocells with a need for additional resources to support a particular traffic based on the determined resource usage information. The Femtocell gateway is operable to allocate and/or reallocate at least a portion of excess resources to the Femtocells with the need for the additional resource to support the particular traffic. The Femtocells that share resources with other Femtocells in the Femtocell network is rewarded with credits.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for mitigating interference between a plurality of femtocells utilizing transmission deferral are provided. In this regard, prior to transmission of cellular signals by a femtocell, the femtocell may be operable to detect signals that interfere with cellular communications between the femtocell, one or more base stations, and a cellular enabled communication device that communicates with the femtocell. The femtocell may be operable to defer transmission of the cellular signals for a particular period of time based on the detected interfering signals. During transmission of cellular signals from the femtocell to a cellular enabled communication device, the femtocell may be operable to detect loss of one or more packets of data. The femtocell may be operable to defer transmission of the cellular signals for a particular period of time based on the detected loss of one or more packets of data.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for timely delivery of multimedia content via a femtocell are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may receive data via an upstream path and transmit data via a downstream path. One of the upstream path and downstream path may comprise a cellular path and the other may comprise a non-cellular path. One or both of the upstream path and the downstream path may be audio video bridging (AVB) paths. Data may be stored in the femtocell based on timing characteristics of one or both of the upstream path and the downstream path. Data may be delivered to the femtocell utilizing best effort delivery and the data may be forwarded by the femtocell with guaranteed quality of service. Resources in the femtocell may be reserved and/or synchronized, utilizing AVB protocols, for communication of one or more data streams.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for mitigating interference among femtocells via intelligent channel selection are provided. In this regard, signals which may interfere with cellular communications between a femtocell and a cellular communication device may be detected via the femtocell. Based on the detection, the femtocell may be configured to transmit and/or receive signals on one or more frequencies and/or channels. The one or more frequencies and/or channels may be determined in the femtocell and/or in a network management entity. Detecting interfering signals and configuring the one or more femtocells may occur periodically, upon installation of a femtocell, upon power-up of a femtocell, and/or upon command from a network administrator. The results of the detection may be communicated to one or more other femtocells and/or to a network management entity.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for communication are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may receive messages from a plurality of different sources comprising one or more other femtocells, one or more cellular enabled communication devices, and one or more non-cellular network nodes. The femtocell may select, based on the received messages, a master clock within one of the plurality of different sources as a master clock for synchronization of the plurality of different sources. A femtocell clock, a global navigational satellite signal (GNSS) clock, a cellular base station clock, or a cellular enabled communication device clock may be selected as the master clock. The femtocell may transmit and/or receive synchronization messages to and/or from the one or more cellular enabled communication devices and the one or more non-cellular network nodes.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for peer-to-peer cellular communications are provided in which one or more cellular communication channels may be established between a femtocell and a plurality of communication devices. The femtocell may control routing of data between the plurality of communication devices via the one or more cellular communication channels. The femtocell may enable multicasting and/or broadcasting data from one of the communication devices to two or more remaining ones of the communication devices. The multicast and/or broadcast data may be communicated via the cellular communication channels and may be additionally communicated via an IP connection to the femtocell. Data may be communicated over the cellular communication channels in compliance with 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) standards and/or 3rd generation partnership project 2 (3GPP2) standards. The femtocell may reformat data prior to communicating it to one or more of the plurality of communication devices.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for supporting a plurality of providers via a single femtocell are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may determine characteristics of one or more VLANs to which it is virtually communicatively coupled via a non-cellular connection and via a cellular connection. Based on the determined characteristics of the one or more VLANs, a cellular transmitter and/or receiver of the femtocell may be controlled to transmit and/or receive packets belonging to the one or more VLANs via the non-cellular connection and/or via the cellular connection. The characteristics of the one or more VLANs may comprise one or more of: cellular standards utilized by the one or more VLANs, cellular frequencies utilized in the one or more VLANs, access technologies utilized by the one or more VLANs, and a duplexing method utilized by the one or more VLANs.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for controlling access and utilization of femtocells via a network based service are provided. In this regard, a femtocell management entity communicatively coupled to a network and operable to manage one or more femtocells may be accessed via an end-user communication device. In this manner, the femtocell(s) may be managed via the end-user device such as one of the cellular enabled communication devices. The femtocell management entity may enable establishing one or more SLAs between the femtocell(s) and the cellular enabled communication device(s). The SLA(s) may enable the cellular enabled communication device(s) to establish one or more cellular communication channels with the femtocell(s). The SLA(s) may determine when the cellular communication channels may be established. The SLA(s) may determine how a femtocell owner/operator may be compensated for providing cellular service. The femtocell(s) may be accessed utilizing Internet Protocol.