# US 2014/0153584 A1 · Systems and methods for distributing content over multiple bandwidth mediums in a service provider network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153584 A1 - Document ID: US20140153584A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,768 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Cox Communications, Inc. - Applicants: Cox Communications, Inc. - Inventors: Jeff Finkelstein - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153584A1 ## CPC - H04Q 11/0067: {Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring} - H04L 5/0064: {Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority} - H04L 47/50: Queue scheduling - H04Q 11/0071: {Provisions for the electrical-optical layer interface} - H04L 47/125: by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Systems and methods for distributing content over various mediums in a service provider network are disclosed. Such mediums may include an optical fiber and a cable line having a bandwidth less than that associated with the optical fiber. In certain embodiments herein, content may be distributed over the cable line, or relatively low bandwidth medium, according to characteristics of the optical fiber, or relatively high bandwidth medium. In one embodiment, data packets may be scheduled using first in first out (FIFO) scheduling for distribution over the cable line using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). Using this approach, increased bandwidths may be achieved over cable lines. Additionally, certain embodiments herein are directed to maintaining a forward/reverse channel split, which may exist in a PON, over a cable line. Further, certain embodiments herein may relate to dynamic allocation of subcarriers in an OFDM signal in response to changes in quality of service. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: at least one memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive, over a first medium having a first bandwidth capacity, one or more PON packets; determine one or more subcarriers in an OFDM signal for carrying the one or more PON packets; schedule the one or more PON packets, wherein the scheduling comprises encoding the one or more PON packets onto the one or more subcarriers according to a scheduling technique; and distribute the OFDM signal over a second medium, wherein the second medium comprises a second bandwidth that is less than the first bandwidth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first medium comprises an optical fiber and the second medium comprises a cable line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the scheduling technique comprises first in first out (FIFO) scheduling. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cable line comprises a forward channel and a reverse channel, wherein the distribution of the OFDM signal occurs the forward channel, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive, over the reverse channel, a request for content. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the system further comprising an Optical Line Terminator (OLT), an Optical Network Terminator, one or more amplifiers for amplifying the signal distributed over the second medium, and one or more user locations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more subcarriers comprise one or more first subcarriers, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, in response to a change in quality of service, allocate one or more second subcarriers in the signal for carrying one or more additional data packets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the quality of service indicates a bandwidth, wherein the determination comprises calculating a number of the one or more subcarriers based at least in part on the bandwidth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the at least one processor further configured to: identify information associated with the one or more PON packets, the information comprising a respective destination associated with the one or more PON packets; and store the one or more PON packets in a respective memory queue associated with the respective destination. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: receiving, by a media converter comprising one or more computing devices, over a first medium having a first bandwidth capacity, one or more PON packets; determining, by the media converter, one or more subcarriers in an OFDM signal for carrying the one or more PON packets; scheduling, by the media converter, the one or more PON packets, wherein the scheduling comprises encoding the one or more PON packets onto the one or more subcarriers according to a scheduling technique; and distributing, by the media converter, the OFDM signal over a second medium, wherein the second medium comprises a second bandwidth that is less than the first bandwidth. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first medium comprises an optical fiber and the second medium comprises a cable line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the scheduling technique comprises first in first out (FIFO) scheduling. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the cable line comprises a forward channel and a reverse channel, wherein the distribution of the OFDM signal occurs the forward channel, the method further comprising receiving, over the reverse channel, a request for content. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more subcarriers comprise one or more first subcarriers, the method further comprising, in response to a change in quality of service, allocating, by the media converter, one or more second subcarriers in the signal for carrying one or more additional data packets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the quality of service indicates a bandwidth, wherein the determination comprises calculating a number of the one or more subcarriers based at least in part on the bandwidth. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: identifying, by the media converter, information associated with the one or more PON packets, the information comprising a respective destination associated with the one or more PON packets; and storing, by the media converter, the one or more PON packets in a respective memory queue associated with the respective destination. ### Claim 16 One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, over an optical fiber having a first bandwidth, one or more PON packets; determining one or more subcarriers in an OFDM signal for carrying the one or more PON packets; scheduling the one or more PON packets, wherein the scheduling comprises encoding the one or more PON packets onto the one or more subcarriers according to a first in first out (FIFO) schedule; and distributing the OFDM signal over a cable line, wherein the cable line comprises a bandwidth that is less than the first bandwidth. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the cable line comprises a forward channel and a reverse channel, wherein the distribution of the OFDM signal occurs the forward channel, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operation comprising receiving, over the reverse channel, a request for content. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the request for content is associated with customer premise equipment at a user location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the one or more subcarriers comprise one or more first subcarriers, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operation comprising, in response to a change in quality of service, allocating one or more second subcarriers in the signal for carrying one or more additional data packets. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operations comprising: identifying information associated with the one or more PON data packets, the information comprising a respective destination associated with the one or more PON packets; and storing the one or more PON packets in a respective memory queue associated with the respective destination.