Abstract: The object is to control interference in a permissible range by applying the CDMA system to signal collision in the conventional CSMA and TDMA base multihop systems and to relax the hidden terminal problem and others to enhance the throughput of the entire system by grouping of channel groups in multihop transmission and by control of transmission based on an interference level from another station. A multihop relay station calculates a desired signal level, for example, from an interference level at its own station of a packet sent from a mobile station, and notifies the mobile station of the desired signal level; and the mobile station calculates a transmission power amount of a packet from the desired signal level, determines whether the packet is transmissible to the station as a source of the desired signal level, and transmits the packet to the source station determined as a packet-transmissible station.

Abstract: A method for setting and adjusting MAC fragmentation threshold for IEEE 802.11 networks operating at different data rates is presented. The fragmentation threshold is adjusted based on throughput performance, delay constraints and hidden node influence.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a differential communication system that is preferable for performing differential communication in a dynamically configured network. [Solving Means] Portable terminals 100 to 120 each generates difference information from information to be transmitted, based on reference information held by itself, and transmits the generated difference information to an intended portable terminal. Also, upon receiving difference information, each of the portable terminals 100 to 120 determines whether or not reference information held by a transmission source of the difference information and reference information held by itself are the same. Upon determining that they are not the same, each of the portable terminals 100 to 120 obtains the reference information held by the transmission source of the difference information, and, based on the obtained reference information, restores, from the received difference information, information to be transmitted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and bandwidth allocation message to a wireless station in a wireless network. The apparatus of the invention comprises a hybrid coordinator that is capable of (1) creating a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and a bandwidth allocation message for a wireless station and (2) sending the QoS service schedule and the bandwidth allocation message to the wireless station. The wireless station is capable of using the scheduling information to perform power management by entering a power save mode during times when the hybrid coordinator has not scheduled any transmission opportunities.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that resolves a possible ambiguity in WLAN measurement reports by having a measuring entity include timer values in returned measurement reports. The time a measurement was requested to be performed and the actual time it was done by a measuring entity can be compared by the receiver to ensure that no ambiguities occurred.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for channel assignment within an ad-hoc communication system utilizing multiple channels is provided herein. Individual nodes receive and send route-request (RREQ) packets on all channels rather than a single channel. Each route-request packet comprises a first and a second table. The first table comprises a channel state for the link and the second table comprises a channel quality metric for the link. Each node updates the channel state and channel quality tables and forwards them in the RREQ packet as part of the route-discovery process. When channel selection is made, the channel selection is based on the channel state and the channel quality tables.

Abstract: A method of selectively providing MIMO transmission/reception in a WLAN system includes using a TSPEC reservation and signaling mechanism to instantiate and tear down, dynamically, multi-channel operation in a WLAN; providing an inference algorithm to determine the minimum number of channels required to establish a TSPEC using a MIMO WLAN system; providing specific channel parameters as parameters to be negotiated in the TSPEC; providing frame exchange sequences to be used in Enhanced Distributed Coordinated Access contention based access and to be used in polled access; and providing a mechanism wherein an access point makes a decision as to whether to admit MIMO functionality on a given link, wherein a “link” is a set of communications between two specific WLAN stations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of user access authorization in wireless local area networks. The method comprises: when a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) user terminal is accessing a WLAN operational network, the WLAN operational network, while authenticating this WLAN user terminal, judging whether to allow this WLAN user terminal to access according to authorization conditions having an impact on the access of this WLAN user terminal, if yes, the WLAN operational network will determine the access rules of this WLAN user terminal according to the said authorization conditions; otherwise, the WLAN operational network will notify the WLAN user terminal about the failure. By adopting the method of the present invention, different users can be controlled to access the network according to different authorization conditions, and be restricted by different access rules after getting accessed.

Abstract: A system connected to a mobile station through a network and allocating a radio source to the mobile station for packet data service, the system including a base station connected to the mobile station through a wireless network, and having a physical layer connected to the mobile station through a wireless network and performing wireless access and a medium access control (MAC) layer performing service-specific resource allocation for the mobile station; and a control station having an upper layer connected to the base station through a wired network and receiving a result of service-specific resource allocation from the MAC layer, and performing as an interface between networks.

Abstract: A method comprises buffering at least one frame for a particular access class, e.g., video, in a transmission queue; performing contention-based procedures for access to a wireless medium; computing the size of the at least one frame in the transmission queue; predicting the size of at least one future frame expected to arrive in the transmission queue during transmission, e.g., using a time-domain or wavelet-domain prediction algorithm, of the at least one frame in the transmission queue on the wireless medium, possibly using a known pattern of frames, e.g., an MPEG GoP; and adjusting a MAC layer time value, e.g., TXOP, based on the size of the at least one frame in the transmission queue and the predicted size of the at least one future frame.

Abstract: Included are embodiments for communicating data using a plurality of formats. At least one embodiment of a method includes transmitting a plurality of first format data frames with a predetermined time period between transmitted first format data frames and determining a duration of the time period between the transmitted first format data frames. Similarly, some embodiments include fragmenting a second format data frame into a plurality of second format subframes such that the second format subframes may be transmitted during the time period between the transmitted first format data frames.

Abstract: In a synchronization judging circuit, a measuring portion measures a signal to interference power ratio of a received signal at each frame. An averaging portion calculates a moving average of a series of signal to interference power ratios for a predetermined number of frames to produce a mean value at each frame. A counter counts a number of consecutive frames each of which the mean value meets a predetermined threshold requirement. The counter further compares a counted value with a predetermined threshold value to decide whether to perform a transmission control operation or not.

Abstract: A user equipment, for use in a wireless communication system, comprises a receiver to receive resource usage information transmitted from a base station over an acquisition (or acknowledgement) indicator channel, and a controller operatively coupled to the receiver, to determine an available resource, with a high probability of success, based on the received resource usage information. A transmitter operatively coupled to the controller, is provided to transmit an access attempt signal and data packets over a random access channel, with the access attempt signal adapted to the available resource to request the base station to permit the user equipment access to the random access channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixed-media call formatting. A preferred format for a call can be determined from different mixed media communication formats. The mixed media communication formats can include a text format and an audible speech format. A media format mode signal can be sent or received. The media format mode signal can indicate a preferred format for a call. The call can be connected in the preferred format.

Abstract: A dynamic channel allocation method and system for use in a wireless network operates by monitoring at least the allocated channel allocated to a particular network node to generate one or more channel metrics relating to radio conditions on the channel. The metrics generated are Received signal power, signal to noise ratio of transmissions on the network and long-term mean square of the equaliser error used in each terminal. The generated metrics are communicated back to the cell access point or the network control server over a signalling channel, and a new frequency is allocated to the cell if it is determined from the metrics that the presently allocated channel is suffering interference. The signalling channel is preferably an ATM VPI/VCI pair, such that signalling messages are transmitted as ATM cells which can be communicated across the wireless channel using the sane signalling frame as is used for payload cells.

Abstract: A channel structure for use in communication systems. Two sets of physical channels, one for the forward link and another for the reverse link, are utilized to facilitate communication of a variety of logical channels. The physical channels comprise data and control channels. In the exemplary embodiment, the data channels comprise fundamental channels which are used to transmit voice traffic, data traffic, high speed data, and other overhead information and supplemental channels which are used to transmit high speed data. The fundamental channels can be released when the remote stations are idle to more fully utilized the available capacity. The control channels are used to transmit paging and control messages and scheduling information.

Abstract: The optimal direction-based flooding method for relaying a broadcast message for mobile ad-hoc networks comprises (a) an original source node selecting a first relay node; (b) selecting a message relaying direction into an area divided by a predetermined interval; (c) relaying the broadcast message by selecting the first relay node set for each message relaying direction; and (d) selecting a next relay node and relaying the broadcast message received by the previously selected relay node. Duplicated broadcast message transmissions, and competition and collision among the nodes to obtain transmission media, are reduced by transmitting the broadcast message using a minimum number of nodes in a mobile ad-hoc network including nodes having limited resources.

Abstract: A host and a storage system are connected via at least one intermediate device so as to be able to communicate. The storage system comprises a storage device, which makes it possible to store data. The host recognizes a logical path from this host to the storage device. In this case, a computer, which is able to read in and execute a computer program, carries out processing for specifying a plurality of physical paths, which exist between the host and the storage system; specifying to which physical path of the specified plurality of physical paths the logical path corresponds; and making the logical path correspond to the specified physical path.

Abstract: A communications system includes a local community having a local network coupled to various terminals. A server coupled to the local network includes a terminal proxy server and a switch module, such as a soft switch or a private branch exchange (PBX) application. A terminal, such as a remote terminal, can clone any of the terminals in the local community. The remote terminal sends a clone request to the terminal proxy server, which then associates the remote terminal as a clone of a local terminal. The cloning may override the local terminal, in which case the local terminal becomes inactive. Alternatively, the cloning may cause the remote terminal to be a replicate of the local terminal, in which case both terminals remain active. In another feature, multiple soft clients, replicating different local terminals, may co-exist on a single computer platform.

Abstract: A switching apparatus for relaying packet communication through a communication network between a plurality of servers and clients, at the time of relaying a packet to be transmitted from the server to the client, rewrites header information of the packet in question to have the contents to be set when the packet in question is transmitted from the switching apparatus and sends the rewritten packet to the client and from the time of relaying a data acquisition request from the client until the end of transmission of a packet of an acknowledgement to be transmitted from the server to the client, conducts one-way splicing in the direction from the server in question to the client in question, as well as successively conducting retransmission control and flow control with respect to communication from the client to the server.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile phone system, which can give a desired voice message to a user of an opposite party terminal without speaking in a state that limitation to usable voice messages has been reduced, while allowing a user existing under an environment that he/she can not speak to listen to a voice from the opposite party terminal. A mobile phone terminal 1 is provided with means 12 for transmitting a connection request of a packet switching line to the side of a network and means 11 for transmitting data corresponding to a desired voice message, while the network is provided with data/voice message converting means 4 for converting transmitted data to a voice message corresponding thereto and means for merging the converted voice message to a circuit switching line of the opposite party terminal to transmit the same.

Abstract: The present invention reduces latencies in a wireless network while decreasing bandwidth usage in the wireless network for mobile stations. The wireless network monitors the current access network identifier for a mobile station. Upon detecting a change in current access network identifier due to movement of the mobile station, the wireless network generates and transmits one or more messages containing the changed current access network identifier. The messages are subsequently processed and a portion of the wireless system registrar database corresponding to the mobile station is updated to reflect the change in current access network identifier. Based upon the change in the location of the mobile station, the wireless network invokes or ends corresponding location-based options.

Abstract: A method is described for operating a gateway to act as a conduit for a structured transaction between a first transaction peer and a second transaction peer, the structured transaction having at least a begin message for opening a logical communication path, a continue message for maintaining a logical communication path and an end message for closing a logical communication path. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a first begin message from the first transaction peer; receiving from the first transaction peer a continue message having a request element; determining a routing key identifying the second transaction peer from the continue message; constructing and sending a second begin message, including the component, to the second transaction peer; receiving a first end message including a response element from the second transaction peer; constructing and sending a second end message including the response element to the first transaction peer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that provides current location information services in a network are described. In one preferred embodiment, a location identifier and a user identifier are received from a user. A user profile associated with the user identifier is retrieved from a database of user profiles. The user profile includes one or more stored location identifiers associated with the user. The received location identifier is then compared to the stored location identifiers to determine matching location identifiers and further to determine current location information of the user.

Abstract: A multi-grained high-performance rotorswitch scaling to high capacities is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rotorswitch comprises common-memory switch modules each of which cyclically accessing each other switch module for an access interval of a predefined value and transmitting, during the access interval, a number of data segments collectively having a duration not exceeding the access interval. The data segments transmitted to a given switch module during an access interval may be destined to several other switch modules. The switch modules may cyclically connect to each other using a plurality of rotators of the same rotational speed. In another embodiment, the rotorswitch uses rotators of different speeds connecting common-memory switch modules so that each of the switch modules has parallel cyclic access, possibly at different cyclic rates, to each other switch module.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a multi-stage switch having at least one ingress switch module to receive data and to generate frames that are transmitted as a wavelength division multiplexed signal. The multi-stage switch further includes a core switch module operatively connected to receive the wavelength division multiplexed signal from the at least one ingress switch module and to switch the frames. The multi-stage switch additionally includes at least one egress switch module to receive the wavelength division multiplexed signal from the core switch module and to transmit data. The at least one ingress switching module and the at least one egress switching module are capable of replicating multicast data packets.

Abstract: An ingress edge router (6) couples a set of input links (13) carrying packet information to a set of output links (14) carrying burst information. A plurality of input line cards (30) route information packets to one of a plurality of output line cards (32) associated with a desired output link (14) over a switching matrix (34). The output line cards (32) assemble information packets into data bursts, generate burst header packets for respective data bursts, and transmit the data bursts and burst header packets on the output links (14). The output line cards (32) include a plurality of burst processing units (40) for assembling data from the packets into data bursts, a plurality of transmitters (46) for transmitting data bursts on a respective channel of an output link and a switch (42) for passing bursts from a burst processing unit to a transmitter under control of a burst control unit (44).

Abstract: A technique for implementing VLANs across a service provider network involves establishing logical ports that have bindings to transport tunnels. The logical ports are then treated the same as physical ports in defining broadcast domains at particular service provider edge devices. Logical ports can be established for Layer 2 transport tunnels that use stacked VLAN tunneling and MPLS tunneling. Establishing a logical port that uses stacked VLAN tunneling involves binding a physical port and a stacked VLAN tunnel to the logical port. Establishing a logical port that uses MPLS tunneling involves binding an MPLS tunnel to a logical port. In one embodiment, the logical port is bound to a static MPLS tunnel and in another embodiment, the logical port is bound to a dynamic MPLS tunnel and the destination IP address of the destination service provider edge device.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include receiving a first packet from a first of a plurality of blade servers at a first data rate and determining a second blade server that may receive the first packet. Data responsive to the received first packet may be transferred to the second blade server at a negotiated first data rate. A second packet comprising at least a portion of the first received packet may be transferred to the second blade server at the negotiated data rate. At least a portion of the first received packet may be transferred to at least the second blade server via a common bus. In another aspect of the invention, at least a third packet may be received from a network at a second data rate. Data responsive to the third packet may be transferred to at least a third blade server at a newly negotiated data rate.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element and method for processing frames in a fibre channel network is provided. The switch element includes an address mapping cache that receives an incoming fibre channel frame in a receive and/or transmit segment, wherein the address mapping cache compares a D_ID of an incoming frame in the receive segment and/or a S_ID in the transmit segment; and if a FR_Header is received then a D_ID or S_ID is compared from a fibre channel header that follows the FR_Header; and if a compare fabric identifier flag is set, then the fabric identifier is compared. The address mapping cache may also be used for routing frames from one virtual fabric to another by comparing a VF_ID field to a Virtual fabric identifier in a VFT_Header.

Abstract: A method for controlling a flow of packet data in a memory management unit of a network switch fabric is disclosed. A first portion of a data packet is received at a port on an ingress bus ring of the network switch fabric. A class of service for the data packet is determined based on the first portion and the portion is stored in a packer RAM of the port based on the class of service. Subsequent portions of the data packet are stored in the packer RAM. Once the predetermined number of portions have been received, the predetermined number of portions is sent to a packet pool RAM. A reference pointer to a first predetermined number of portions is sent to a transaction queue once an end of packet is detected and an egress scheduler detects a presence of a ready packet in the transaction queue and notifies an unpacker of the ready packet. The unpacker puts the ready packet into a FIFO and the ready packet is sent to an ingress/egress module.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an interconnect device (e.g., a switch) includes an interface operably coupled to an interconnect logic capable of reducing inter-packet gaps in packet -based input/output communications. Based on, at least in part, a packet attribute associated with an inbound packet, the interconnect logic may determine an indication of transfer grant which may be issued in conjunction with a packet relay request, sending packet attribute information in advance of the packet attribute.

Abstract: A network address of a network to which an Internet telephone is connected is registered in a RAM. When an operator inputs an extension number of a destination terminal (an Internet telephone) that is connected to the same network, a CPU combines the registered network address in the RAM and the input extension number in order to generate an IP address. Based on this IP address, a call is placed to the destination terminal (the Internet telephone) of the extension number.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first packet is forwarded based on a network layer routing decision rendered by a router. A shortcut entry is generated based on a first header of the first packet. The shortcut entry is stored. In response to the shortcut entry, and absent a network layer routing decision rendered by a router, subsequent packets having a subsequent header are forwarded if the subsequent header has at least one field which matches a field of the first header. Such technique may be implemented by a switch coupled to the router.

Abstract: Distributed assembly of data packets into messages at a group of interface devices that receive data packets from within a coverage area. Each interface device in the group will take ownership of a sequence of data packets forming a message when a data packet of the message meeting predetermined criteria is received by that interface device. Once an interface device takes ownership of a sequence of data packets, it sends a request to the other interface devices for any missing data packets of the sequence that the ownership claiming interface does not have, and then assembles message upon receiving all the data packets of the sequence.

Abstract: A non-blocking switching architecture having a fabric that is capable of switching on two levels by formatting signals crossing the switching fabric as “microcells” having a predetermined format. The microcells are routed by the switching fabric from an ingress line card to destination devices that can include egress line cards and/or processing resources. The processing resources can reformat the signals carried by the microcells to a second format. The reformatted signals can then be packaged as microcells and routed to a selected processing resource to provide switching in the second format. The processing resources transform the switched signals in the second format to a signal in the original format, which is carried by the switching fabric as microcells to an egress line card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for scheduling unicast and multicast data in an input-queued network device. According to one aspect of the present invention, a combined schedule is created by pipelined staging of multicast and unicast scheduling. Multicast cells are scheduled for transmission among multiple interfaces of a crossbar by performing a multicast cell scheduling cycle for multiple classes of service that are supported by the network device. Then, unicast cells are scheduled for transmission among the interfaces at a lower priority than the previously scheduled multicast cells by performing a unicast cell scheduling cycle for the multiple classes of service using only those interfaces that remain unmatched after completion of the multicast cell scheduling cycle.

Abstract: A method and system for switching data in a data switch. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises receiving a plurality of cells at a merged input queue of the data switch, wherein a cell of the plurality of cells is characterized by a priority and a destination. In one embodiment, the destination identifies an output port of the data switch. An age tag is assigned to at least one cell of the plurality of cells. In one embodiment, the age tag indicates the relative length of time a cell of has been in the merged input queue as compared to other cells of the plurality of cells. A portion of the plurality of cells is selected according to a priority selection. It is determined whether any cells of the portion have the same destination. At least one connection request associated with cells of the portion is transmitted, wherein cells having the same destination are transmitted according to the age tag.

Abstract: An operating system allows assignment of an input message priority to a particular socket. This priority is used by the operating system to determine what socket's inbound packets get discarded when the server resources are constrained. Sockets of a lower priority than another will have its inbound packets discarded before higher priority sockets. This allows an application to give selected sockets higher inbound message priority over other sockets.

Abstract: Disclosed is a protocol embodying system and method in the GGSN. An IP layer is provided between the GPRS network and the PDN and performs routing between the two networks, and performs routing between the protocols of the first and second network layers and the transfer layer protocol on the GPRS network. A virtual driver is provided on the lower part of the IP layer, is connected to the protocol of the GPRS tunneling provided to the upper part of the IP layer on the GPRS network, and is operable as the lower interface of the IP layer. Since the upper part and the lower part of the IP are appropriately connected by the virtual driver, a single IP is needed in the system, and the embodied configuration becomes simpler.

Abstract: An IP address updating system and related method is applied to a network server having a management controller for the management controller to update IP installation information. The system includes an acquiring module, a comparing module and an updating module. The method first detects MACs of NICs attached to the network server and LAN channels of the management controller, and then compares the MACs of the NICs with the MACs of the LAN channels. When a MAC of one of the NICs is matched with a MAC of one of the LAN channels, installation fields of the matched LAN channel are updated with IP installation information of the matched NIC. Therefore, a system manager needs not to update the IP address time after time any more, and the network server has better efficiency of management.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deep packet processing including a parsing and a searching method supported by a data structure storing the state-transition rules in the state-transition rule tables of a programmable state machine for parsing. The state-transition rule table is then compressed using the BaRT compression algorithm. Each transition rule comprises a test value, a test mask and a next state field. In a second embodiment the state-transition rule table is split into more than one state-transition rule table corresponding to disjoints state spaces, thus allowing more flexibility in the use of storage space. Finally a parsing and searching method can be implemented using the same hardware. The searching and parsing methods can be implemented alternatively or in any combination at wire-speed.

Abstract: A gateway, configured for providing connectivity between a wide area network and mobile routers within a mobile ad hoc network, is configured for registering the mobile routers with their respective home agents using a prescribed mobile IP protocol. The gateway identifies the mobile routers using a prescribed proactive mobile ad hoc network routing protocol. The gateway locates, for each identified mobile router, its corresponding home agent via the wide area network according to the prescribed mobile IP protocol, and registers the corresponding identified mobile router with the home agent according to the prescribed mobile IP protocol. The gateway can then forward a packet received from a home agent to the corresponding mobile router. Hence, the gateway provides mobile routers within a mobile ad hoc network with access to the wide area network, without any necessity for the prescribed mobile IP protocol to be implemented within the mobile routers.

Abstract: A transmission system comprising a relaying apparatus and concentrated subscriber line transmission apparatuses, the relaying apparatus including a first buffer memory for buffering a control request to be transmitted to one of the concentrated subscriber line transmission apparatuses, a second buffer memory for buffering data to be downloaded to specific one of the concentrated subscriber line transmission apparatuses, and a control unit for generating maintenance frames each including a control request, and download frames each including download data, and transmitting these frames to one of the concentrated subscriber line transmission apparatuses, selectively. The control unit controls the transmission of download frames, depending on status of traffic of frames being relayed from the communication network toward one of the concentrated subscriber line transmission apparatuses and on whether a control request awaiting transmission is buffered.

Abstract: A system for Instant Messaging based control of the digital personal video stream manager (102), for example, to program a video recording device (114). The system includes a personal computer (110) having an Instant Messaging client (2202) and equipping the Instant Messaging client with a DPVSM control plug in (2204). The DPVSM control plug in (2204) is adapted to identify a special DPVSM control Instant Message (2301) which is then translated by the DPVSM control program (312). The digital personal video stream manager (102) then activates at the appropriate time to record the program.

Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for collecting, analyzing, and/or displaying signaling information for a call through a network, including: receiving a request for signaling information, wherein the request identifies a particular call handled by at least one network element within a voice over internet protocol network, querying the at least one network element for signaling information related to the particular call, and displaying the signaling information for the particular call. According to some embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods may further include storing signaling information on a network element, generating a call detail record based on the signaling information, wherein the call detail record identifies the network element and the particular call, sending the call detail record to a database, and searching the database based on the one or more criteria to identify the at least one network element.

Abstract: Method and system for supporting serverless VoIP service are provided. Network information of a first device and a second device is exchanged through a telecommunication network. A VoIP connection between the first and second devices can be established through an internet based network according to the exchanged network information. The network information may comprise an IP address and a port number, and can be delivered by short message service.

Abstract: The invention concerns a data transmission technique for real-time applications and non real-time applications in a communication network comprising several nodes connected by communication channels. The invention is characterized in that the data are cyclically and deterministically transmitted, the data for the real-time applications being processed in priority, such that, during one transmission cycle, all the data for the real-time applications are first sent, then, in the time interval remaining prior to the next transmission cycle, the data for non real-time applications are sent.

Abstract: A communication system includes a controller for managing a number of communications devices. The controller receives registration requests from the devices and selectively registers the devices based on various factors. The controller may support a token registration process by which a device requests a token and, in response to the controller granting a token, registers with the controller using a token registration request.

Abstract: A cable node and a cable hub that communicate on a CATV network are configured to switch compression modes without signal noise or degradation due to excessive delays in switching compression modes. In particular, a cable node sends one or more mute commands in an outgoing data stream to the cable hub, causing the cable hub to disable the RF outputs. Afterward, or along with the one or more mute commands, the cable node can send a switch mode command, thereby causing the cable hub to switch to the appropriate next communication mode, such as a communication mode using a new compression rate. When the cable node and the cable hub have switched to the appropriate next communication mode, the cable hub can then properly receive a corresponding data stream from the cable node using the next communication mode.