# US 2022/0045906 A1 · Apparatus and methods for optimizing capacity in wireline cable networks with virtual service groups > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0045906 A1 - Document ID: US20220045906A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/986,131 - Filed: 2020-08-05 - Published: 2022-02-10 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-05 - Assignees: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Applicants: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Inventors: Matt Petersen; David Claussen; Roger Stafford - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220045906A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - H04L 12/2801: {Broadband local area networks} - H04L 12/2898: {Subscriber equipments (DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801)} - H04L 41/0816: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events - H04L 41/0823: characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability (for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02) - H04L 47/125: by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering - H04L 47/78: Architectures of resource allocation - H04L 47/783: Distributed allocation of resources, e.g. bandwidth brokers - H04L 47/827: {Aggregation of resource allocation or reservation requests} - H04L 47/828: {Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Apparatus and methods for optimizing bandwidth utilization and services in a data network infrastructure. In one embodiment, the data network is a managed Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) cable network, and the network infrastructure is configured to enable dynamic allocate of frequency bands to individual consumer premises device (e.g., DOCSIS-compliant cable modems). In one variant, the improved network infrastructure enables creation of virtual Service Groups (vSGs), and allocation of individual ones of the CM to such vSGs, to some degree irrespective of topological or “hardwired” location within the network. The allocations can be dynamic, and based on factors such as load balancing, evacuation of portions of the physical network topology (such as to support infrastructure upgrades or replacement), or for yet other reasons such as relating to subscriber tier or service level agreement (SLA). ## Claims ### Claim 1 Computerized apparatus configured for operation within a managed data distribution network, comprising: network interface apparatus configured for exchanging data with a data network; processor apparatus in data communication with the network interface apparatus; and storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus and comprising a storage medium, the storage medium comprising a at least one computer program, the at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to: receive data from at least one modem apparatus in data communication with the managed data distribution network, the received data relating to a configuration of the at least one modem apparatus; use at least the received data to evaluate to which of a plurality of virtual service groups the at least one modem apparatus should be allocated; based at least on the evaluation, cause allocation of the at least one modem apparatus to only one of the plurality of virtual service groups; and cause transmission of configuration data to the at least one modem apparatus, the configuration data causing the at least one modem apparatus to selectively utilize only the one virtual service group for at least a period of time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computerized apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of modulator apparatus configured to generate waveforms within respective frequency bands associated with respective ones of the plurality of virtual service groups. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computerized apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of modulator apparatus is configured to generate both QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) waveforms and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexed) waveforms within a respective frequency band associated with one of the plurality of virtual service groups. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data received from the at least one modem apparatus comprises data relating to: (i) a highest DOCSIS version which the at least one modem apparatus supports, and (ii) at least one frequency range which the at least one modem is capable of operation within. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual service groups each comprise groups associated with one or more particular frequency bands supported by the infrastructure of the managed data distribution network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computerized apparatus of claim 5, wherein a first of the one or more particular frequency bands supported by the infrastructure of the managed data distribution network comprises a first legacy frequency band, and a second of the one or more particular frequency bands comprises an expansion or upgrade band. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computerized apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the managed data distribution network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network; the first legacy frequency band comprises a band between approximately 366 MHz and 750 MHz; and the expansion or upgrade band comprises a band between approximately 750 MHz and 1.2 GHz. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computerized apparatus comprises a RMD (Remote MAC Device), and the network interface apparatus comprises a digital optical network interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computerized apparatus comprises a headend-based cable modem termination system (CMTS), and the network interface apparatus comprises an analog optical network interface. ### Claim 10 A method of allocating spectrum to a plurality of premises devices in a managed network architecture, the method comprising: forming a first virtual service group (vSG), and associating data channels in a first frequency band to the first vSG; forming a second vSG, and associating data channels in a second frequency band to the second vSG; allocating each of the plurality of premises devices to either the first vSG or the second vSG, but not both; monitoring data utilization within the first and the second frequency bands; and optimizing subsequent ones of the allocations of premises devices to the first or second vSGs based at least in part on the monitoring. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the allocating comprises allocating premises devices capable of operating within either the first or second frequency bands only to the first vSG. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling one or more load balancing features associated with the premises devices capable of operating within either the first or second frequency bands. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the optimizing subsequent ones of the allocations of premises devices to the first or second vSGs based at least in part on the monitoring comprises selectively causing allocation of each of the subsequent ones to a respective one of the first or second vSGs based on then-existing load associated with the first and second frequency bands. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the optimizing subsequent ones of the allocations of premises devices to the first or second vSGs based at least in part on the monitoring comprises selectively causing allocation of each of the subsequent ones to a respective one of the first or second vSGs based on planned future upgrades to at least a portion of the managed network architecture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the managed network architecture comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) architecture; and the selectively causing allocation of each of the subsequent ones to a respective one of the first or second vSGs based on planned future upgrades to at least a portion of the managed network architecture comprises selectively causing allocation of subsequent ones of the premises devices associated with the at least portion to the first vSG only after the upgrade to the at least portion has been completed; and wherein the at least portion comprises a portion of coaxial cable infrastructure within the HFC architecture. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the managed network architecture comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) architecture; the associating data channels in the first frequency band to the first vSG comprises associating the data channels to an expanded capability frequency band; and the associating data channels in the second frequency band to the second vSG comprises associating the data channels to a legacy frequency band. ### Claim 17 Computerized premises modem apparatus configured for operation within a managed data network, comprising: first network interface apparatus configured for exchanging data with the managed data network; second network interface apparatus configured for exchanging data with a premises data network; processor apparatus in data communication with the first and second network interface apparatus; and storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus and comprising a storage medium, the storage medium comprising at least one computer program, the at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to: transact data with at least one network apparatus in the managed data network, at least a portion of transacted data relating to a configuration of the at least one premises modem apparatus; and receive configuration data from the network apparatus, the configuration data causing the at least one modem apparatus to selectively utilize only one of a plurality of virtual service groups associated with the managed data network for at least a period of time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computerized premises modem apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the managed data network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network; the first network interface apparatus comprises a radio frequency modem apparatus configured to operate within multiple frequency bands of the HFC cable network; and the selective utilization of the one virtual service group comprises selective utilization of only an added frequency band associated with the managed data network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computerized premises modem apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to read the received configuration file upon a reboot event; and wherein the selective utilization comprises causing the computerized modem apparatus to (i) tune the first network interface apparatus to the added frequency band; and (ii) invoke modem negotiation protocols with the network apparatus to establish data service for the computerized modem apparatus using at least portions of the added frequency band. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computerized premises modem apparatus of claim 18, wherein: The multiple frequency bands of the network comprise (i) a first band utilizing only a first type of modulation scheme; and (ii) a second band utilizing both the first type of modulation scheme and a second type of modulation scheme different from the first type.