Electronic device and method for enabling DOCSIS 4.0 FDD/FDX operation in HFC plants

A method for delivering content to legacy MPEG/QAM set-top boxes (STBs) by an electronic device, the method comprising:

• identifying a QAM channel from a bank of QAM modulator channels of the electronic device that has spare capacity to transmit a MPEG/QAM program stream for a program N, and a unique MPEG program number corresponding to the program N;
• joining an IP multicast from a broadband network that includes the program N, and setting up QAM modulation to send the program N on a target frequency corresponding to the identified QAM channel;
• transmitting the target frequency to the STBs, wherein transmitting the target frequency notifies the STBs of the target frequency to which the STB is to be tuned and the program N to look for;
• and
• transmitting the MPEG/QAM program stream for the program N to the STBs on the target frequency corresponding to the identified QAM channel.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for delivering content to legacy MPEG/QAM set-top boxes (STBs), the instructions when executed by a processor of an electronic device causing the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

• identifying a QAM channel from a bank of QAM modulator channels of the electronic device that has spare capacity to transmit a MPEG/QAM program stream for a program N, and a unique MPEG program number corresponding to the program N;
• joining an IP multicast from a broadband network that includes the program N, and setting up QAM modulation to send the program N on a target frequency corresponding to the identified QAM channel;
• transmitting the target frequency to the STBs, wherein transmitting the target frequency notifies the STBs of the target frequency to which the STB is to be tuned and the program N to look for;
• and
• transmitting the MPEG/QAM program stream for the program N to the STBs on the target frequency corresponding to the identified QAM channel.

An electronic device for delivering content to digital video broadcasting (DVB) or advanced television systems committee (ATSC) set-top boxes (STBs), the electronic device comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
• identify a DVB or ATSC channel from a bank of DVB or ATSC modulator channels of the electronic device that has spare capacity to transmit a MPEG/DVB program stream or a MPEG/ATSC program stream for a program N, and a unique MPEG program number corresponding to the program N;
• join an IP multicast from a broadband network that includes the program N, and set up DVB or ATSC modulation to send the program N on a target frequency corresponding to the identified DVB or ATSC channel;
• transmit the target frequency to the STBs, wherein transmitting the target frequency notifies the STBs of the target frequency to which the STB is to be tuned and the program N to look for;
• and
• transmit the MPEG/DVB program stream or the MPEG/ATSC program stream for the program N to the STBs on the target frequency corresponding to the identified DVB or ATSC channel.