Hybrid access system having channel allocation and prioritized polling schemes

In combination with a television signal broadcast facility, a host computer and a plurality of remote clients, the improvement comprising:

• a packet distribution facility in communication with said host computer for distributing data packets from said host computer to at least one of said plurality of remote clients,
• a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients so as to enable said remote clients to receive data packets transmitted from said host computer over a shared medium,
• at least one upstream channel for enabling said remote clients to transmit return data packets to said host computer, and
• a hybrid access system including a network manager for effecting transfers of data packets between said host computer and said remote clients, for effecting the assignment of one of a plurality of states to respective ones of said remote clients, for effecting polling of states of respective ones of said remote clients at a selectable periodicity depending upon the state of said clients and for enabling transfers of data packets from said remote clients to said host computer as a result of said polling.

In an asymmetric network communication system including a host server and a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that distributes information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to permit said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed information signals from said host server over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for enabling at least one of said remote clients to transmit return information signals to said host server at a lower rate than the rate of information signals transmitted over said downstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, a hybrid access system for implementing said downstream and upstream protocols including a network manager for effecting transfers of information signals between said host computer and said remote clients, for polling representations of respective ones of said remote clients at a selectable periodicity depending on the state of respective ones of said clients, for effecting the assignment of one of a plurality of states to respective ones of said remote clients and for enabling transfers of information signals from said remote clients to said host computer as a result of said polling, the combination of a respective remote link adapter associated with respective ones of said remote clients for receiving information signals transmitted from said host server in accordance with said downstream channel protocol implemented by said host server and for transmitting information signals from said remote clients to said host server in accordance with said upstream channel protocol implemented by said host server.

In an asymmetric communication system which includes a host server and a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that distributes information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to permit said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed information signals from said host server over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for enabling said remote clients to transmit return information signals to said host server at a lower speed than the speed of said information signals transmitted over said downstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, and a network manager for implementing said downstream and upstream protocols for effecting transfers of information between said host server and said remote clients, for effecting polling of status of respective ones of said remote clients at a selectable frequency for a given number of remote clients depending upon a detected status, for effecting the assignment of one of a plurality of states to respective ones of said remote clients and for enabling transfers of data from said remote clients to said host server in response to an assigned state, the combination including a remote link adapter associated with respective ones of said remote clients for receiving information transmitted from said host server in accordance with said downstream channel protocol implemented by said host server and for transmitting information from said remote client to said host server in accordance with said upstream channel protocol implemented by said host server.

In a network communication system which includes a host server, a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that distributes information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to convey information from said host server to said remote clients over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for said remote clients for conveying return information signals from said remote clients to said host server in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, and a network manager for implementing said downstream and upstream protocols for effecting transfers of information between said host server and said remote clients, for effecting polling of representations of status indications of respective ones of said remote clients at a selected polling cycle, for effecting the assignment of one of a plurality of status indications to respective ones of said remote clients and for enabling transfers of data from said remote clients to said host server in response to an assigned status, the combination of a remote interface associated with respective ones of said remote clients for receiving information signals transmitted from said host server in accordance with said downstream channel protocol implemented by said host server and for transmitting information signals from said remote client to said host server in accordance with said upstream channel protocol implemented by said host server.

An asymmetric network communication system comprising a host server and a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that transfers information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to permit said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed information signals from said host server over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for enabling said remote clients to transmit return information signals to said host server via said distribution facility at a lower speed than the speed of information signals transmitted over said downstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, and a network manager for effectuating transfers of information signals between said host server and said remote clients via said distribution facility, for polling representations of remote clients on said high-speed downstream channel to detect requests for upstream channel allocation by respective ones of said remote clients, for verifying whether a respective one of said remote clients is authorized, for allocating an upstream channel to a respective one of said remote clients to transmit information signals to said host server via said lower speed upstream channel, and for effectuating receipt of information signals from said remote clients via said lower speed upstream channel.

In an asymmetric network communication system comprising a host server and a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that transfers information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to permit said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed information signals from said host server over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for enabling said remote clients to transmit return information signals to said host server via said distribution facility at a lower speed than the speed of information signals transmitted over said downstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, and a network manager for providing transfers of information between said host server and remote clients, for sending a polling signal on said high-speed downstream channel to detect representations of respective ones of said remote clients indicative of a request for a channel allocation on said upstream channel, for allocating an upstream channel for respective ones of said remote clients to transmit information signals to said host server via said lower speed upstream channel, and for effectuating receipt of information from said remote clients via said lower speed upstream channel, the combination of a remote link adapter associated with respective ones of said remote clients for interfacing said asymmetric communication network, said remote link adapter including a controller for receiving information signals over said downstream channel in accordance with said downstream channel protocol and for transmitting information signals over said upstream channel in accordance with said upstream channel protocol.

In an asymmetric network communication system comprising a host server and a plurality of remote clients, an information distribution facility that transfers information signals between said host server and remote clients, a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to permit said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed information signals from said host server over a shared medium of said distribution facility in accordance with a downstream channel protocol, at least one upstream channel for enabling said remote clients to transmit return information signals to said host server via said distribution facility at a lower speed than the speed of information signals transmitted over said downstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, and a network manager for providing transfers of information between said host server and remote clients via said distribution facility, for polling representations of remote clients on said high-speed downstream channel to detect requests for upstream channel allocation by respective ones of said remote clients, for verifying whether said remote client is authorized, for allocating an upstream channel to respective ones of said remote clients to transmit information signals to said host server via said lower speed upstream channel, and for effectuating receipt of information signals from said remote clients via said lower speed upstream channel, the combination of a remote link adapter associated with respective ones of said remote clients for interfacing said asymmetric communication network, said remote link adapter including a controller for receiving information signals over said downstream channel in accordance with said downstream channel protocol and for transmitting information signals over said upstream channel in accordance with said upstream channel protocol.

A two-way asymmetric communication system for effecting communications with at least a single remote data processor, said asymmetric communication system comprising:

• a network including:
• a shared medium including a downstream channel, and
• an upstream channel which is independent of said downstream channel, said upstream channel conveying information at a lower speed that said downstream channel;
• a downstream router in communication with said network to send information over said shared medium;
• an upstream router in communication with said network to receive lower speed return information over said upstream channel;
• a common network management system operating on a unitary control platform and in communication with said downstream router and said upstream router to effect transmission of information over said shared medium in an interactive session in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and to enable transfer of return information over said network in accordance with a lower speed upstream channel protocol;
• a broadcast unit connected to said downstream router and in communication with said downstream channel, said broadcast unit being capable of providing point-to-multipoint broadcast links on said network over said shared medium;
• and
• remote interface equipment associated with said single remote data processor to enable said single remote data processor to communicate over said upstream channel and said downstream channel.

A two-way asymmetric communication system for providing interactive communication between a server and a plurality of remote clients, said system including an information distribution network for distributing information signals to said plurality of remote clients, said system comprising:

• a shared downstream medium that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to receive high-speed data packets from said server via a downstream channel;
• an independent upstream channel independent of said downstream channel, to enable at least one of said plurality of remote clients to convey lower-speed return data packets to said server;
• and
• a network management system that effects control at a common communication layer of network sessions between said server and said at least one of said plurality of remote clients of both high-speed data packets from said server to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared downstream medium in accordance with a high-speed downstream channel protocol and lower-speed return data packets from said at least one of said plurality of remote clients to said server over said independent upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said network management system being operated with a point-to-multipoint communication path between said server and said plurality of remote clients.

A network communication system including a host, a plurality of remote users and an information distribution network including a shared medium for distributing information signals to said plurality of remote users, said network communication system comprising:

• a downstream channel shared by said plurality of remote users to receive information signals transmitted from said host over said shared medium at a high speed,
• at least one independent upstream channel independent from said downstream channel to enable said plurality of remote users to convey information signals to said host at a lower speed than said high speed of said downstream channel;
• and
• an access system to enable a transfer of information signals from said host to said plurality of remote users over said distribution network via broadcasts over said shared medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and to enable a transfer of information signals from said plurality of remote clients to said host at said lower speed over said at least one independent upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said access system being operable to provide a two-way session between said host and at least one of said plurality of remote users including a point-to-multipoint path between said host and said plurality of remote users, said access system including:
• an interface in communication with said host,
• a downstream path for conveying high speed information to said plurality of remote users over said shared medium,
• an upstream path for conveying return information from said plurality of remote users, and
• a network management system for managing communications over both said downstream path and said upstream path, respectively, at physical layers so that said network management system may handle transferred data irrespective of one of a link layer and network layer protocol employed by said plurality of remote users and said host.

A client-server network including a host server, a plurality of remote clients and a distribution facility for distributing data packets to said plurality of remote clients, said client-server network comprising:

• at least one downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients, for receiving high speed data packets from said host server over a shared medium;
• at least one independent upstream channel that carries lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote clients to said host server;
• a network management that effects within a common control unit transfers of data packets from said host server to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts from said distribution facility over said shared medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and that effects within said common control unit transfers of lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote clients to said host server over an independent upstream channel located on a physical medium that is different from said shared medium of said downstream channel, said independent upstream channel being assigned in accordance with an upstream channel protocol and channel control information transmitted on said downstream channel, said common network management system being operable to provide two-way communication between said host server and said plurality of remote clients;
• an interface that enables communications between said common network management system and said host server;
• downstream routing equipment that conveys high speed data packets to said plurality of remote clients over said shared medium;
• and
• upstream routing equipment that receives return data packets from said plurality of remote clients and that effects conveyance of said return data packets to said host server.

A client-server system including a split-channel asymmetric network for enabling multiple users to share information, said client-server system comprising:

• a host server;
• a plurality of remote users;
• a distribution network for distributing information signals to said plurality of remote users;
• a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote users to enable said plurality of remote users to receive high speed data packets from said host server over a shared medium;
• at least one upstream channel that is independent of said downstream channel, to enable said plurality of remote users to convey return data packets to said host server at a lower speed than a data packet rate transmitted in said downstream channel;
• an access system that directly controls, at a network layer or lower, both a transfer of data packets from said host server to said plurality of remote users via broadcasts over said shared medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and a transfer of lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote users to said host server over said at least one upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said access system being operable to provide two-way communication between said host server and said plurality of remote users in an interactive session wherein transmission of upstream information is controlled, in part, by control information transmitted over said downstream channel, said access system comprising:
• a host interface that enables communication with said host server,
• a downstream path to route high speed data packets to said plurality of remote users over said shared medium,
• an upstream path for conveying return data packets from said plurality of remote users, and
• a common network management system operating on a unitary control platform for managing information flow over said downstream path and said upstream path, respectively, at a selected one of a common network layer and link layer.

In combination with a multi-user computer system including at least one host computer and a plurality of remote clients, the improvement comprising:

• a packet distribution network in communication with said at least one host computer for distributing data packets from said at least one host computer to said plurality of remote clients;
• a downstream channel residing in a medium shared by said plurality of remote clients to enable said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed data packets from said at least one host computer;
• at least one upstream channel that is independent of said downstream channel, to enable said plurality of remote clients to convey return data packets to said at least one host computer at a speed that is lower than a data packet rate transmitted in said downstream channel;
• a downstream switching path to enable transmission of high speed data packets to said plurality of remote clients over said shared medium;
• an upstream switching path for conveying return data packets from said plurality of remote clients;
• and
• a common network management system operating on a unitary control platform without internal link layer or network layer control paths, located at a headend facility of an information distribution network to effect conveyance of data packets from said at least one host computer to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and conveyance of lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote clients to said at least one host computer over said at least one independent upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said common network management system being operable with a two-way network that includes a point-to-multipoint communication path between said at least one host computer and said plurality of remote clients.

In combination with a CATV broadcast transmission facility including a shared medium downstream channel that is shared by a plurality of remote clients to receive high speed data packets from a host server, the improvement comprising:

• respective remote RF interfaces associated with said plurality of remote clients in communication with said shared medium and tuned to receive high speed transfers of data packets for conveyance to said plurality of remote clients;
• at least one independent upstream channel that carries lower speed return data packets to said host server from a respective at least one of said plurality of remote clients;
• a common network management system operating on a unitary control platform without internal link layer or network layer control paths, located at a central headend facility of a data distribution network to effect conveyance of data packets from said host server to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and conveyance of lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote clients to said host server over said at least one independent upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said common network management system being operable to provide two-way communication with a network that includes a point-to-multipoint communication path between said host server and said plurality of remote clients in a session wherein transmission of upstream information is at least one of monitored and controlled, at least in part, by said common network management system, said common network management system including:
• an interface that communicates with said host server,
• a downstream routing path to enable transmission of high speed data packets to said plurality of remote clients over said shared medium at one of a network layer and a link layer, and an upstream routing path for conveying return data packets from said plurality of remote clients at one of a network layer and a link layer.

In combination with a satellite broadcast facility, the improvement comprising:

• a host computer;
• a plurality of remote clients;
• an information distribution facility in communication with said host computer, to distribute information from said host computer to said plurality of remote clients;
• a shared broadcast medium including a downstream channel that is shared by said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed data packets from said host computer;
• at least one upstream channel that is independent of said downstream channel, to enable said plurality of remote clients to convey return data packets to said host computer at a lower speed than an information transfer rate of said downstream channel;
• and
• a common network management system that effects a transfer of information from said host computer to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared broadcast medium in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol and a transfer of lower speed return information from said plurality of remote clients over said at least one upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said common network management system being operable in a two-way network that includes a point-to-multipoint communication path between said host computer and said plurality of remote clients.

A packet delivery system for use in an asymmetric network to provide two-way communication, said packet delivery system including a host server and at least one remote client, said at least one remote client including an RF interface operating in accordance with a high speed downstream protocol and a low speed interface operating in accordance with a lower speed upstream protocol, said packet delivery system comprising:

• a shared medium including a downstream channel that is shared by said at least one remote client, to receive high speed data packets from said host server;
• at least one independent upstream channel that enables said at least one remote client to convey lower speed return data packets to said host server;
• an access system to effect control of data packets from said host server to said at least one remote client over said shared medium in accordance with said high speed downstream protocol, and to monitor communication over said at least one independent upstream channel thereby to schedule upstream communication in accordance with a predefined rule, said access system including:
• an interface that enables communication with said host server, a downstream routing device to send high speed data packets to said
• at least one remote client over said shared medium,
• an upstream routing device to receive return data packets from said at least one remote client, and
• a common network management system located at a headend facility of a data distribution network for managing said downstream router and said upstream router.

A method of two-way asymmetric communication comprising:

• providing a shared downstream channel;
• providing an independent upstream channel independent of said shared downstream channel;
• transmitting information over said shared downstream channel in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol;
• receiving lower speed return information over said independent upstream channel in accordance with a lower speed upstream channel protocol, said lower speed upstream channel carrying information at a lower speed than that of said shared downstream channel;
• effecting management of both said transmission of information over said shared downstream channel and said reception of said lower speed return information over said independent upstream channel by a network management system operating on a unitary control platform that effects control of said upstream and downstream transmissions at a network layer or lower;
• providing point-to-multipoint broadcast links over said shared downstream channel;
• and
• enabling said single remote data processor to communicate over said independent upstream channel and said shared downstream channel.

A method of two-way asymmetric communication with a plurality of remote clients in an information distribution network including a server, said method comprising:

• sharing a downstream medium among said plurality of remote clients;
• receiving high-speed information signals from said server by at least one of said plurality of remote clients via said downstream medium;
• conveying lower-speed return data packets to said server from said at least one of said plurality of remote clients over an independent upstream channel independent of said downstream medium;
• and
• controlling, in a common network management system, both a conveyance of said high-speed data packets from said server to said at least one of said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared downstream medium in accordance with a high-speed downstream channel protocol, and a conveyance of lower-speed return data packets from said at least one of said plurality of remote clients to said server over said independent upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol;
• and
• whereby a point-to-multipoint communication path is provided between said server and said plurality of remote clients.

A method of managing the conveyance of upstream and downstream data packets in an asymmetric communication system, comprising:

• distributing data packets from a host computer to a plurality of remote clients;
• enabling said plurality of remote clients to receive high speed data packets from said host computer over a shared downstream channel shared by said plurality of remote clients;
• enabling said plurality of remote clients to convey return data packets to said host computer over an upstream channel that is independent of said shared downstream channel at a speed that is lower than a data packet rate transmitted in said downstream channel;
• managing, in a common network management unit operating on a unitary control platform, both the conveyance of data packets from said host computer to said plurality of remote clients via broadcasts over said shared downstream channel in accordance with a high speed downstream channel protocol, and the conveyance of lower speed return data packets from said plurality of remote clients to said host computer over said upstream channel in accordance with an upstream channel protocol, said common network management system being operable with a two-way network that includes a point-to-multipoint communication path between said host computer and said plurality of remote clients;
• enabling a downstream routing device at a network layer or lower to transmit high speed data packets to said plurality of remote clients over said shared downstream channel;
• and
• enabling an upstream routing device at a network layer or lower to convey return data packets from said plurality of remote clients.