Subscriber Access Network Achitecture

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory, wherein at least one of the at least one memory and the at least one processor stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to perform operations that include
• (a) receiving data across a first network interface, wherein
• the received data includes subscriber data packets for downstream forwarding to subscriber devices across a second network interface,
• the second network interface includes a plurality of separate communication channels, and
• the received data includes channel information identifying communication channels over which the subscriber data packets are to be forwarded downstream,
• (b) forwarding the subscriber data packets downstream across the second network interface in accordance with the channel information,
• (c) receiving upstream subscriber data packets from at least a portion of the subscriber devices across the second network interface,
• (d) forwarding the upstream subscriber data packets across the first network interface, and
• (e) periodically creating system management messages at the apparatus and transmitting the system management messages downstream across the second network interface, wherein the system management messages include a first message type identifying upstream transmission opportunities for at least some of the subscriber devices.

A method, comprising:

• (a) receiving, at a first network node and across a second network interface, requests from a plurality subscriber devices for opportunities to transmit upstream to the first network node across the second network interface;
• (b) forwarding the requests received in step (a) across a first network interface to a second network node, wherein the second network node and the first network node are separated by at least one mile;
• (c) forwarding data from the second network node to the first network node across the first network interface, wherein the data includes subscriber data packets for downstream forwarding to at least a portion of subscriber devices in the plurality, and wherein the data further includes responses to the requests forwarded in step (b);
• (d) receiving the data at the first network node;
• (e) forwarding the subscriber data packets downstream across the second network interface, wherein
• the second network interface includes a plurality of separate communication channels, and
• the data received in step (d) includes channel information identifying communication channels of the plurality over which the subscriber data packets are to be forwarded downstream;
• and
• (f) forwarding at least one system management message downstream across the second network interface, the at least one system management message including the responses received in step (c).

A system, comprising:

• a second network node, the second network node including at least one processor and at least one connection to a first portion of a network;
• a first network node separated by at least one mile from the second network node, the first network node including at least one processor, at least one connection to the first portion of the network, and at least one connection to a second portion of the network,
• wherein the at least one first network node processor and the at least one second network node processor are respectively configured to perform operations that include
• (a) receiving, at the first network node and across an interface to the second network portion, requests from a plurality subscriber devices for opportunities to transmit upstream to the first network node across the second network interface,
• (b) forwarding the requests received in step (a), across an interface to the first network portion, to the second network node,
• (c) forwarding data from the second network node to the first network node across the first network portion interface, wherein the data includes subscriber data packets for downstream forwarding to at least a portion of subscriber devices in the plurality, and wherein the data further includes responses to the requests forwarded in step (b),
• (d) receiving the data at the first network node,
• (e) forwarding the subscriber data packets downstream across the second network portion interface, wherein the second network portion interface includes a plurality of separate communication channels, and wherein the data received in step (d) includes channel information identifying communication channels of the plurality over which the subscriber data packets are to be forwarded downstream, and
• (f) forwarding at least one system management message downstream across the second network portion interface, the at least one system management message including the responses received in step (c).

A system comprising:

• at least one router coupling a backbone network with a plurality of access networks;
• a plurality of packet processing nodes located within the access networks;
• and
• a plurality of access nodes located within the access networks, wherein
• the at least one router is configured to forward broadcast data streams to subscriber devices such that said broadcast streams reach subscriber devices without passing through the packet processing nodes,
• the at least one router is configured to forward narrowcast and unicast data streams to subscriber devices through the packet processing nodes, and
• the access nodes are configured to forward narrowcast and unicast data streams from the packet processing nodes to subscriber devices and to forward upstream communications from subscriber devices to the packet processing nodes.