Multi-point to point communication system with remote unit burst identification

A multi-point to point communication system having a distribution network between a head end and a plurality of remote units, comprising:

• means for transmitting information from the head end to the plurality of remote units in a plurality of regions of a first frequency bandwidth, each of the regions having at least one control channel associated therewith, the transmitting means further for periodically transmitting identification information corresponding to each remote unit of a set of n remote units of the plurality of remote units on the at least one control channel of one of the plurality of regions of the first frequency bandwidth during a first predetermined time period of an identification and synchronization time period, the identification information for each remote unit of the set of n remote units being transmitted out of phase with respect to the identification information for the other remote units of the set of n remote units;
• means, at each of the n remote units, for scanning the at least one control channel of each of the plurality of regions in the first frequency bandwidth to detect identification information during the first predetermined time period corresponding to each of the n remote units to identify a particular region of the plurality of regions that each of the n remote units is to use for receiving information from the head end;
• means, at each of the n remote units, for modulating at least upstream telephony information on at least one carrier in a second frequency bandwidth orthogonal at the head end terminal to at least one other carrier in the second frequency bandwidth and for adjusting at least one local transmission characteristic in response to an adjustment command from the head end;
• and
• means at the head end for detecting the at least one local transmission characteristic of each of the n remote units and for generating the adjustment commands as a function of the detected at least one transmission characteristic for transmittal to the n remote units to serially perform synchronization for each of the n remote units during a second predetermined time period of the identification and synchronization time period.

A method of initializing and activating a plurality of service units in a distribution network, the method comprising:

• receiving, at each of the plurality of service units, a plurality of modulated orthogonal carriers having information modulated thereon in a plurality of regions of a first frequency bandwidth transmitted from a head end terminal, each of the regions having at least one control channel associated therewith;
• determining, at each of the plurality of service units, within which region of the first frequency bandwidth the service unit is to receive information, wherein determining includes:
• scanning each of the plurality of regions of the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• detecting a unique identifier corresponding to the service unit being periodically transmitted from the head end on the at least one control channel of one of the plurality of regions of the first frequency bandwidth during a first predetermined time frame;
• and
• wherein the unique identifier for each of the plurality of service units is transmitted out of phase with respect to the unique identifier for the other remote units.

A communication system, comprising:

• a head end terminal;
• a first plurality of service units;
• a distribution network, coupled between the head end terminal and the first plurality of service units;
• wherein the head end terminal includes:
• a head end multicarrier modem adapted to modulate signals on a plurality of orthogonal carriers in a plurality of regions in a first frequency bandwidth, the plurality of orthogonal carriers in each of the regions including a plurality of information channels thereon, each of the regions having at least one control channel associated therewith for transmission of control data, wherein the head end multicarrier modem periodically transmits identification information corresponding to each service unit on the at least one control channel during a first predetermined time period of an identification and activation time period;
• and
• a head end controller operatively connected to the head end multicarrier modem for controlling receipt of signals;
• and
• wherein each of the first plurality of m service units include:
• a second multicarrier modem, operatively connected to the distribution network for modulating signals on at least one carrier orthogonal at the head end terminal to at least one other carrier in the frequency bandwidth;
• a second controller operatively connected to the second multicarrier modem for controlling the modulation performed by the second multicarrier modem;
• and
• a scanner adapted to scan each of the plurality of regions in the first frequency bandwidth and to lock onto the at least one control channel in each of the plurality of regions and detect identification information for the service unit to determine within which region of the first frequency bandwidth the service unit is to receive information, wherein the identification information for each service unit is out of phase with respect to the identification information for the other service units of the first plurality of service units.

A communication system having a distribution network between a head end and a plurality of remote units, comprising:

• a head end terminal for transmitting information from the head end to the plurality of remote units in a plurality of regions of a first frequency bandwidth, each of the regions having at least one control channel associated therewith, the head end terminal further periodically transmitting identification information corresponding to each remote unit of a set of n remote units of the plurality of remote units on the at least one control channel of one of the plurality of regions of the first frequency bandwidth during a first predetermined time period of an identification and synchronization time period, the identification information for each remote unit of the set of n remote units being transmitted out of phase with respect to the identification information for the other remote units of the set of n remote units;
• a scanner, associated with each of the n remote units, for scanning the at least one control channel of each of the plurality of regions in the first frequency bandwidth to detect identification information during the first predetermined time period corresponding to each of the n remote units to identify a particular region of the plurality of regions that each of the n remote units is to use for receiving information from the head end;
• a multicarrier modem operatively coupled to the distribution network at each of the n remote units for modulating at least upstream telephony information on at least one carrier in a second frequency bandwidth orthogonal at the head end terminal to at least one other carrier in the second frequency bandwidth and for adjusting at least one local transmission characteristic in response to an adjustment command from the head end;
• and
• a head end controller coupled to the multicarrier modem for detecting the at least one local transmission characteristic of each of the n remote units and for generating the adjustment commands as a function of the detected at least one transmission characteristic for transmittal to the n remote units to serially perform synchronization for each of the n remote units during a second predetermined time period of the identification and synchronization time period.

A method of initializing a plurality of service units, the method comprising:

• transmitting information from a head end to the plurality of service units in a plurality of regions of a first frequency bandwidth, each of the regions having at least one control channel associated therewith;
• periodically transmitting identification information corresponding to each service unit of a set of m service units of the plurality of remote units on the at least one control channel of one of the plurality of regions of the first frequency bandwidth during a first predetermined time period of an identification and synchronization time period, the identification information for each remote unit of the set of n remote units being transmitted out of phase with respect to the identification information for the other remote units of the set of n remote units;
• scanning, at each of the m service units, the at least one control channel of each of the plurality of regions in the first frequency bandwidth to detect identification information during the first predetermined time period corresponding to each of the m service units to identify a particular region of the plurality of regions that each of the m service units is to use for receiving information from the head end;
• modulating, at each of the m service units, at least upstream telephony information on at least one carrier in a second frequency bandwidth orthogonal at the head end terminal to at least one other carrier in the second frequency bandwidth;
• adjusting, at each of the m service units, at least one local transmission characteristic in response to an adjustment command from the head end;
• detecting, at the head end terminal, the at least one local transmission characteristic of each of the m service units;
• generating, at the head end terminal, the adjustment commands as a function of the detected at least one transmission characteristic for transmittal to the m service units;
• and
• serially performing synchronization for each of the m service units during a second predetermined time period of the identification and synchronization time period.