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US 8,522,265 B2Granted
Modem apparatus for a cable data delivery system
OwnerScott E. Hrastar, Roy A. Bowouttinventors
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Abstract
A modem apparatus including means for communicating authentication information of a host along a first path to prompt a first validation for receiving data over the first path, and means for communicating identifying information of the modem apparatus and a request for network resource allocation over the first path to prompt a second validation after the first validation, the second validation enabling the reception of data over a second path that has a higher rate of transmission than the first path.
Claims18
A modem apparatus, comprising:
- a processor;
- a first interface communicatively coupled to a host;
- and
- a second interface configured with the processor to:
- communicate authentication information of the host to a headend to prompt a first validation of the host, the first validation enabling communication of data over a first path, wherein the first validation requires at least a user ID, user password, and a telephone number of a telephone modem pool;
- and
- communicate identifying information of the modem apparatus and a request for allocation of resources to prompt a second validation of the host after the first validation, wherein allocation of the resources to prompt the second validation requires a control and management component being configured to compare a serial number associated with the modem apparatus with a stored list of authorized serial numbers, the second validation enabling communication of data over a second path, the second path supporting a higher bandwidth than the first path,
- wherein the first interface communicatively coupled to the host comprises the first interface being configured to:
- dial the telephone number of the telephone modem pool,
- establish a point-to-point (PPP) link via the Public Switch Telephony Network between the modem apparatus and the telephone modem pool,
- send a dummy IP address to the host for validation by a control management server, and
- receive, via the PPP link, an assigned IP address from the control management server after the control management server determines the authentication information is valid, and
- wherein the second interface is further configured with the processor to:
- receive the assigned IP address of the modem apparatus via the PPP link,
- communicate the identifying information by communicating a packet to the headend, the packet including the assigned IP address of the modem apparatus and a frequency and stream identification pair corresponding to a unique identification of the second path to which the modem apparatus is coupled, and
- receive, via the second path, a channel, pipe, and link identifier triplet from the headend responsive to the communication of the packet.
13 more elements
A method performed by a modem apparatus, comprising:
- prompting a first validation of a host, wherein the first validation requires at least a user ID, user password, and a telephone number of a telephone modem pool, the first validation enabling communication of data over a first path to the host;
- prompting a second validation of the host after the first validation, wherein the second validation comprises:
- comparing a serial number associated with the modem apparatus with a stored list of authorized serial numbers, the second validation enabling communication of data over a second path, the second path supporting a higher bandwidth than the first path,
- dialing the telephone number of the telephone modem pool,
- establishing a point-to-point (PPP) link via the Public Switch Telephony Network between the modem apparatus and the telephone modem pool,
- sending a dummy IP address to the host for validation by a control management server, and
- receiving, via the PPP link, an assigned IP address from the control management server after the control management server determines the authentication information is valid;
- receiving the IP address of the modem apparatus responsive to the first validation;
- communicating the identifying information by communicating a packet to the headend, the packet including the assigned IP address of the modem apparatus and a frequency and stream identification pair corresponding to a unique identification of the second path to which the modem apparatus is coupled;
- receiving a channel, pipe, and link identifier triplet from the headend responsive to the communication of the packet;
- tuning to the frequency specified in the triplet;
- and
- reading packets on the pipe specified by the triplet responsive to the packets have the link identifier specified in the triplet.
10 more elements
A modem apparatus, comprising:
- means for communicating authentication information of a host along a first path to prompt a first validation for receiving data over the first path, wherein the first validation requires at least a user ID, user password, a telephone number of a telephone modem pool;
- means for communicating identifying information of the modem and a request for network resource allocation over the first path to prompt a second validation after the first validation, wherein the second validation requires comparison a serial number associated with the modem apparatus with a stored list of authorized serial numbers, the second validation enabling the reception of data over a second path that has a higher rate of transmission than the first path, wherein the means for communicating identifying information comprise:
- means for dialing the telephone number of the telephone modem pool,
- means for sending a dummy IP address to the host for validation by a control management server, and
- means for receiving an assigned IP address from the control management server after the control management server determines the authentication information is valid,
- means for receiving the IP address of the modem apparatus responsive to the first validation;
- means for communicating the identifying information by communicating a packet to the headend, the packet including the assigned IP address of the modem apparatus and a frequency and stream identification pair corresponding to a unique identification of the second path to which the modem apparatus is coupled;
- means for receiving a channel, pipe, and link identifier triplet from the headend responsive to the communication of the packet;
- means for tuning to the frequency specified in the triplet;
- and
- means for reading packets on the pipe specified by the triplet responsive to the packets have the link identifier specified in the triplet.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.