Time division multiple access over broadband modulation method and apparatus

A method of providing dedicated bandwidth to a subscriber location for transmitting to a point of distribution, comprising:

• determining a propagation delay between the point of distribution and the subscriber location;
• programming the subscriber location with a transmit timing offset based on the determined propagation delay;
• programming the subscriber location with a subset of a predetermined number of time slots of repeating transmission windows of a frequency channel;
• repeatedly transmitting a window synchronization signal to the subscriber location, the window synchronization signal indicating timing of the repeating transmission windows of the frequency channel;
• calculating a start time of a first time slot of each transmission window based on when each window synchronization signal is received and the transmit timing offset;
• determining a start time of each remaining time slot of each transmission window relative to the first time slot;
• and
• burst transmitting from the subscriber location only during a programmed subset of time slots of each transmission window.

A communication system for providing dedicated bandwidth to at least one subscriber location for transmitting to a common point of distribution via an HFC network, comprising:

• a channel interface module, located at the point of distribution, including a transmitter that transmits a windowing signal via the HFC network;
• and
• a gateway, located at a subscriber location and coupled to the point of distribution via the HFC network, comprising:
• a processor that encapsulates subscriber data into data cells suitable for burst transmission;
• receive logic that receives the windowing signal;
• timing logic, coupled to the receive logic and the processor, that indicates burst transmission times only at programmed time slots within each of repeating transmission windows based on the windowing signal and a predetermined transmission timing offset;
• and
• a burst transmitter, coupled to the processor and timing logic, that burst transmits subscriber data cells in a predetermined upstream frequency channel when indicated by the timing logic.

A gateway configured to provide dedicated upstream bandwidth for transmitting to a point of distribution via an HFC network, the point of distribution transmitting a periodic synchronization signal to the gateway via the HFC within a predetermined downstream frequency channel, comprising:

• a diplexer for coupling to the HFC;
• receiver, coupled to the diplexer, that is tuned to the predetermined downstream frequency channel to receive communications from the point of distribution;
• frame logic, coupled to the receiver, configured to resolve downstream transmitted codewords;
• a communications processor, coupled to the frame logic, configured to convert subscriber data into data cells suitable for burst transmission;
• a burst transmitter, coupled to the communications processor, configured to burst transmit a data cell from the communications processor within a predetermined time slot of a predetermined upstream frequency channel upon receiving a transmit signal;
• timing logic, coupled to the frame logic, the communications processor and the burst transmitter, that is configured to detect the periodic synchronization signal from downstream codewords, to determine a start time for each time slot within the predetermined upstream frequency channel based on the synchronization signal, a timing offset value and a slot duration value, and to assert the transmit signal for each time slot indicated by a time slot assignment value;
• and
• a radio frequency (RF) circuit, coupled to the burst transmitter and the diplexer, that communicates burst transmissions to the point of distribution via the HFC network.