# US 10,873,650 B2 · System, methods, and devices for distributed physical layer networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,650 B2 - Document ID: US10873650B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/287,858 - Filed: 2016-10-07 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-07 - Assignees: Cox Communications, Inc. - Applicants: Cox Communications, inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey L. Finkelstein - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873650B2 ## CPC - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 45/04: {Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products to provide application layer, Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and physical (PHY) layer functionality by separate discrete devices, for example, in order to form a distributed MAC/PHY architecture for communications networks. In various embodiments, an application layer (layer-3) device can communicate (e.g., serialize and/or send data frames and/or packets) with a MAC layer (layer-2) device. Further, the layer-2 device may perform the activities of a switch that switches the IP layer (layer-3) information to MAC layer information. Further the layer-2 device can use addressing information determined or received from the layer-3 device to choose a particular PHY layer (layer-1) device. The layer-2 device can then instruct the layer-1 device, using one or more parameters, to modulate information on one or more predetermined frequencies and/or wavelengths over a given physical medium. In various embodiments, the layer-1, layer-2, and layer-3 devices may be separated geographically. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a first computing entity comprising one or more physical layer (PHY) devices configured to, at least in part, modulate and demodulate data packets, the one or more PHY devices being in communication with a second computing entity comprising one or more media access control (MAC) layer devices, wherein the first computing entity and the second computing entity are placed in separate geographic locations; the second computing entity configured to transfer first data packets to the one or more PHY devices using a first serialized data stream and receive second data packets from the one or more PHY devices using a second serialized data stream, wherein the one or more MAC layer devices provide modulation instructions to the one or more PHY devices using the first serialized data stream, the modulation instructions comprising first parameters associated with demodulating the second data packets for the one or more MAC layer devices using the one or more PHY devices, wherein the second data packets received by the second computing entity from the one or more PHY devices are demodulated by the one or more PHY devices based at least in part on the modulation instructions; and one or more application layer devices in communication with the one or more MAC layer devices, wherein the one or more application layer devices are configured to control and monitor routing functions associated with the system, to determine second parameters including a segmentation parameter, and to provide video content to the one or more MAC layer devices according to the second parameters and using a third serialized data stream, wherein the one or more PHY devices are configured to provide data associated with the demodulated second data packets to the one or more MAC layer devices using the second serialized data stream. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation frequency and a demodulation frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation protocol and a demodulation protocol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameters comprise synchronization data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameters comprise segmentation data specifying a format for transmitting data, wherein the format comprises at least a header being appended to raw data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a third computing entity comprising the one or more application layer devices, wherein the first computing entity, the second computing entity, and the third computing entity are placed in separate geographic locations wherein the third computing entity is geographically closer to a customer than the first computing entity and the second computing entity, and wherein the second computing entity is closer to the customer than the first computing entity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first data packets are associated with a MAC scheduler of the one or more MAC layer devices and with a modulator of the one or more PHY devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more MAC layer devices are configured to receive, using a scheduler, a request from the one or more PHY devices, wherein the first data packets are sent to the one or more PHY devices in response to the request, wherein the first data packets comprise an indication of a transmission schedule, and wherein the second data packets are sent by the one or more PHY devices based on the transmission schedule. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more MAC layer devices are configured to determine a service flow identifier associated with the video content received from the one or more application layer devices. ### Claim 10 Non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: modulating and demodulating data packets, by one or more physical layer (PHY) devices of a first computing entity, for transmission between the first computing entity and a second computing entity comprising one or more media access control (MAC) layer devices, wherein the first computing entity and the second computing entity are placed in separate geographic locations; transferring first data packets, by the second computing entity and using a first serialized data stream, to the one or more PHY devices and receiving second data packets, using a second serialized data stream, from the one or more PHY devices, wherein the one or more MAC layer devices provide modulation instructions to the one or more PHY devices using the first serialized data stream, the modulation instructions comprising first parameters associated with demodulating the second data packets for the one or more MAC layer devices using the one or more PHY devices, and wherein the second data packets received by the first computing entity from the one or more PHY devices are demodulated by the one or more PHY devices based at least in part on the modulation instructions; and providing video content, by one or more application layer devices in communication with the one or more MAC layer devices, to the one or more MAC layer devices, wherein the one or more application layer devices are configured to control and monitor routing functions associated with a system, to determine second parameters including a segmentation parameter, and to provide the video content to the one or more MAC layer devices according to the second parameters and using a third serialized data stream, wherein the one or more PHY devices are configured to provide data associated with the demodulated second data packets to the one or more MAC layer devices using the second serialized data stream. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation frequency and a demodulation frequency. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation protocol and a demodulation protocol. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first parameters comprise synchronization data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first parameters comprise segmentation data specifying a format for transmitting data, wherein the format comprises at least a header being appended to raw data. ### Claim 15 A method comprising: modulating and demodulating data packets, by one or more physical layer (PHY) devices of a first computing entity, the one or more PHY devices being in communication with a second computing entity comprising one or more media access control (MAC) layer devices, wherein the first computing entity and the second computing entity are placed in separate geographic locations; and transferring first data packets, by the second computing entity, to the one or more PHY devices using a first serialized data stream and receiving second data packets from the one or more PHY devices using a second serialized data stream, wherein the one or more MAC layer devices provide modulation instructions to the one or more PHY devices using the first serialized data stream, the modulation instructions comprising first parameters associated with demodulating the second data packets for the one or more MAC layer devices using the one or more PHY devices, and wherein the second data packets received by the second computing entity from the one or more PHY devices are demodulated by the one or more PHY devices based at least in part on the modulation instructions; and providing video content, by one or more application layer devices in communication with the one or more MAC layer devices, to the one or more MAC layer devices, wherein the application layer devices are configured to control and monitor routing functions associated with a system, to determine second parameters including a segmentation parameter, and to provide the video content to the one or more MAC layer devices according to the second parameters and using a third serialized data stream, wherein the one or more PHY devices are configured to provide data associated with the demodulated second data packets to the one or more MAC layer devices using the second serialized data stream. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation frequency and a demodulation frequency. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first parameters comprise at least one of a modulation protocol and a demodulation protocol. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first parameters comprise synchronization data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first parameters comprise segmentation data specifying a format for transmitting data, wherein the format comprises at least a header being appended to raw data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more application layer devices are located in a third computing entity, and wherein the first computing entity, the second computing entity, and the third computing entity are placed in separate geographic locations wherein the third computing entity is geographically closer to a customer than the first computing entity and the second computing entity, and wherein the second computing entity is closer to the customer than the first computing entity.