Methods for detecting and polling downstream modems

A method for discovering an address of a currently undiscovered device with an N-bit address on a shared media with a downstream channel and an upstream channel, the method comprising:

• A. Sending a first type message on the downstream channel;
• B. Interpreting a response occurring on the upstream channel as confirmation of the existence of at least one undiscovered device;
• C. Discerning the address of at least one of the responding undiscovered devices by:
• i. Sending a second type message on the downstream channel, the second type message containing an address field with a first bit set to a first binary value and the rest of the bits set to a second binary value;
• ii. If a response comes back on the upstream channel, then the first bit is set to a third binary value, else the first bit is set to a fourth binary value;
• iii. Setting bit Index=2;
• iv. FOR bit Index less than N;
• a. Sending a subsequent second type message with the previously discerned value(s) for the address, the next unknown bit set to a fifth binary value and any remaining bits set to a sixth binary value;
• b. If a response comes back on the upstream channel, then the next unknown bit is set to a seventh binary value, else the next unknown bit is set to an eighth binary value;
• and
• c. Increment bit Index=bit Index+1;
• and
• D. Sending an instruction to the newly discovered device through use of the discerned address to instruct the discovered device to not respond to subsequent first type messages.

A method for discovering an address of a currently undiscovered device with an N-bit address on a shared media with a downstream channel and an upstream channel, where N is greater than 2, the method comprising:

• A. Sending a first type message on the downstream channel;
• B. Interpreting a response occurring on the upstream channel as confirmation of the existence of at least one undiscovered device;
• C. Do Until all bits of the unknown device address are known:
• i. sending a downstream message having a specified address value;
• ii. discerning whether a response was sent on the upstream channel to the downstream message;
• iii. determining one bit of the address of the undiscovered device from whether a response was sent on the upstream channel to the downstream message;
• and
• D. Sending an instruction to the discovered device through use of the discerned address to instruct the discovered device to not respond to subsequent first type messages.

A method for first device to poll a group of client devices connected to a shared media with a downstream channel and an upstream channel, the method comprising:

• A. assigning each discovered client device a specific time slot for responding to a polling broadcast message;
• B. transmitting the polling broadcast message on the downstream channel;
• C. discerning which discovered client devices responded in their respective assigned time slots;
• and
• D. sending each of the responding client devices a polling message specifically addressed to that responding client device to request that the addressed device send data on the upstream channel.