Back to results
US 9,867,117 B2Granted
Network admission control
AssigneeComcast Cable Communications, LLC
InventorsThomas William Lynn, Jr., Phillip A. Sanderson, Joseph Attanasio, Yash Lachmandas Khemani, James H. Davey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise determining a first modulation rate associated with a network device. A beacon can be transmitted at a second modulation rate, wherein the second modulation rate is greater than the first modulation rate. A user device can be associated with the network device based on the beacon if the user device is configured to support the second modulation rate.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a network device, a beacon at a first transmit power less than a second transmit power used for data transfer;
- transmitting, by the network device, data indicating at least one first signal characteristic to a user device, the at least one first signal characteristic comprising a noise floor of the network device;
- connecting the user device to the network device based on the beacon if the user device is configured to receive the beacon and if an estimated connection quality calculated by the user device and based on the at least one first signal characteristic satisfies a predefined threshold;
- and
- transmitting data to the user device at the second transmit power.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a user device, a beacon transmitted from a network device at a first transmit power less than a second transmit power used by the network device for data transfer;
- receiving, by the user device, at least one first signal characteristic from the network device, the at least one first signal characteristic comprising a noise floor of the network device;
- determining, by the user device, based on the first signal characteristic and at least one second signal characteristic, an estimated connection quality, the at least one second signal characteristic comprising at least one of a path loss to the network device or a transmit power of the user device;
- if the estimated connection quality satisfies a predefined threshold, connecting, by the user device, to the network device using the beacon;
- and
- receiving data from the network device at the second transmit power after connection.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
- transmit a beacon at a first transmit power less than a second power level used for data transfer;
- transmit data indicating at least one first signal characteristic to a user device, the at least one first signal characteristic comprising a noise floor of the network device;
- connect the user device to the network device based on the beacon if the user device is configured to receive the beacon and if an estimated connection quality calculated by the user device and based on the at least one first signal characteristic satisfies a predefined threshold;
- and
- transmit data to the user device at the second transmit power.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.