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US 11,962,404 B2Granted
Managing upstream transmission in a network
AssigneeComcast Cable Communications, LLC
InventorsJorge Salinger, David Urban
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bandwidth allocation and monitoring method may divide available bandwidth on a shared communication medium into a plurality of discrete tones that can be individually allocated to modems on an as-needed basis. The effective modulation rate that a particular modem can use for each discrete tone can be monitored over time using a schedule of pilot tones transmitted from the modems on different tones at different times. The schedule may define representative pilot tones, in which case effective modulation rates for neighboring tones may be inferred from a determined effective modulation rate of a pilot tone.
Claims60
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- receive a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- send, based on the schedule and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- adjust, based on data associated with sending of the plurality of pilot signals, a modulation scheme for subsequent sending of upstream signals via one or more of the plurality of tones;
- and
- send, based on the adjusted modulation scheme and via the one or more of the plurality of tones, an upstream signal.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a first device and a second device,
- wherein the first device comprises:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first device to:
- receive a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- send, to the second device, based on the schedule, and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- adjust, based on data associated with sending of the plurality of pilot signals, a modulation scheme for subsequent sending of upstream signals via one or more of the plurality of tones;
- and
- send, based on the adjusted modulation scheme and via the one or more of the plurality of tones, an upstream signal, and
- wherein the second device is configured to receive the plurality of pilot signals.
8 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
- receiving a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- sending, based on the schedule and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- adjusting, based on data associated with the sending of the plurality of pilot signals, a modulation scheme for subsequent sending of upstream signals via one or more of the plurality of tones;
- and
- sending, based on the adjusted modulation scheme and via the one or more of the plurality of tones, an upstream signal.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- receive a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- send, based on the schedule and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- receive, after sending of the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating an allocation of one or more selected tones, of the plurality of tones, to the apparatus for sending of subsequent upstream signals at a particular modulation rate;
- and
- send, based on the particular modulation rate and via the one or more selected tones, an upstream signal.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a first device and a second device,
- wherein the first device comprises:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first device to:
- receive a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- send, based on the schedule and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- receive, after sending of the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating an allocation of one or more selected tones, of the plurality of tones, to the first device for sending of subsequent upstream signals at a particular modulation rate;
- and
- send, based on the particular modulation rate and via the one or more selected tones, an upstream signal, and
- wherein the second device is configured to send the schedule to the first device.
8 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
- receiving a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods;
- sending, based on the schedule and via the plurality of tones, the plurality of pilot signals;
- receiving, after sending of the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating an allocation of one or more selected tones, of the plurality of tones, to a computing device for sending of subsequent upstream signals at a particular modulation rate;
- and
- sending, based on the particular modulation rate and via the one or more selected tones, an upstream signal.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- send, based on a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods, the plurality of pilot signals via the plurality of tones;
- receive, after sending the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating:
- a fundamental tone, of the plurality of tones, that is allocated to the apparatus;
- one or more harmonic tones corresponding to the fundamental tone;
- and
- adjustments of one or more modulation schemes for sending of subsequent upstream signals via the fundamental tone and the one or more harmonic tones;
- and
- send, based on the adjusted one or more modulation schemes and via the fundamental tone or the one or more harmonic tones, an upstream signal.
8 more elements
A system comprising:
- a first device and a second device,
- wherein the first device comprises:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first device to:
- send, based on a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods, the plurality of pilot signals via the plurality of tones;
- receive, after sending the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating:
- a fundamental tone, of the plurality of tones, that is allocated to the first device;
- one or more harmonic tones corresponding to the fundamental tone;
- and
- adjustments of one or more modulation schemes for sending of subsequent upstream signals via the fundamental tone and the one or more harmonic tones;
- and
- send, based on the adjusted one or more modulation schemes and via the fundamental tone or the one or more harmonic tones, an upstream signal, and
- wherein the second device is configured to send the schedule to the first device.
11 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
- sending, based on a schedule indicating a plurality of pilot signals to be sent via a plurality of tones during a plurality of time periods, the plurality of pilot signals via the plurality of tones;
- receiving, after sending the plurality of pilot signals, data indicating:
- a fundamental tone, of the plurality of tones, that is allocated to a computing device;
- one or more harmonic tones corresponding to the fundamental tone;
- and
- adjustments of one or more modulation schemes for sending of subsequent upstream signals via the fundamental tone and the one or more harmonic tones;
- and
- sending, based on the adjusted one or more modulation schemes and via the fundamental tone or the one or more harmonic tones, an upstream signal.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.