Upstream frequency response measurement and characterization

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication interface;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• capture a plurality of sample sets corresponding to a ranging burst that is received via the communication interface, wherein each sample set of the plurality of sample sets corresponds to a respective center frequency of a plurality of center frequencies of a plurality of sub-channels distributed across a channel;
• perform spectral analysis of each sample set of the plurality of sample sets to generate a plurality of channel response estimates, wherein each channel response estimate of the plurality of channel response estimates corresponds to a respective channel response estimate of a respective sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels;
• and
• splice the plurality of channel response estimates together to generate a full channel response estimate of the channel.

A method for execution by a communication device, the method comprising:

• via an input of the communication device, receiving a ranging burst from another communication device;
• capturing a plurality of sample sets corresponding to the ranging burst, wherein each sample set of the plurality of sample sets corresponds to a respective center frequency of a plurality of center frequencies of a plurality of sub-channels distributed across a channel;
• performing spectral analysis of each sample set of the plurality of sample sets to generate a plurality of channel response estimates, wherein each channel response estimate of the plurality of upstream channel response estimates corresponds to a respective channel response estimate of a respective sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels;
• and
• splicing the plurality of channel response estimates together to generate a full channel response estimate of the channel.