Broadcom Corporation

Dolors Sala

Ajay Chandra V Gummalla

John O Limb

Richard Protus

Daniel Harvey Howard

Fred Bunn

Ted Rabenko

Niki Roberta Pantelias

Shashidhar Merugu

Richard J Protus

In a wireless communication system, a multi-source data multiplexing system (e.g., a media access control (MAC)) accepts information packets from a plurality of signal sources, evaluates the relative efficiencies of data transmission, and transmits the information packets in provided grant regions for maximum efficiency. The multi-source data multiplexing system may accept any form of information packet from any form of signal source. The system receives a grant region, typically including a transmission time on a data channel, and inserts an information packet into the grant region. The actual information packet placed in the grant region may be one other than the packet for which the grant region was intended. Further, the multi-source data multiplexing system may fragment an information packet and transmit only a portion of the information packet in the grant region. Alternately, the multi-source data multiplexing system may concatenate multiple information packets, or information packet fragments, from any combination of signal sources and transmit the concatenated result in the grant region. As long as any signal source is active, the composite flow of information packets remains active, and the composite flow then serves as the primary mechanism for requesting and transmitting additional bandwidth in the wireless communication system.

Methods of allocating packets in a wireless communication system

A system and method is provided for scheduling transmissions from a plurality of services operating over a widely distributed communications network. A headend communications device (such as a cable modem termination system) arbitrates bandwidth among a plurality of cable modems configurable for bi-directional communications. The headend grants a bandwidth region to a specified cable modem or assigns contention regions for a group of cable modems. Each cable modem contains a local scheduler that sends requests for bandwidth according to local policies or rules. Upon receipt of a grant from the headend, the local scheduler selects packets to be transmitted to best serve the needs of the services associated with the cable modem. Accordingly, a service requesting bandwidth may not be the service utilizing the grant corresponding to bandwidth request. Nonetheless, the local scheduler manages bandwidth allocation among its local services such that all requesting services eventually receive bandwidth.

Scheduling wireless communications

Devices and a system for synchronizing time between a centralized controller device and at least one subscriber device on a fiber access network. The control layer of a network device is expanded, and additional messaging control is added via the transmission of data frames. The expansion prevents reliance on a physical layer signal. The time synchronization also allows a time stamp to be incorporated into a message. Thus, bandwidth is not wasted by simply transmitting a time stamp by itself. In an embodiment, the centralized controller device measures the time difference between the time at which a particular ranging request is transmitted and the time at which the particular ranging request is received. The time difference represents the time adjustment value for the particular subscriber device and allows the device to synchronize its time with that of the centralized controller device.

Devices and system for fiber access

A supervisory communications node monitors and controls communications with a plurality of remote devices throughout a widely distributed network. A method is provided to convey and maintain information used to synchronize the packetization and burst operations within the network. During session setup, jitter constraints indirectly are used to explicitly communicate a synchronization timing reference. The timing reference is set at the beginning of a phase/period boundary used to service the session. In an embodiment, the announcement of the first grant is used as an explicit indication of the synchronization timing reference value. In another embodiment, the synchronization timing reference value is inferred if a remote device receives contiguous voice grants meeting certain conditions. In an embodiment implementing periodic scheduling, the actual arrival of the first grant is used to infer the synchronization timing reference value. In an embodiment, the present invention enables the synchronization timing reference value and/or the periodicity to be modified if network conditions indicate that packetization and burst operations are out-of-synchronization.

Method for synchronizing voice traffic with minimum latency in a communications network

A system and method for management of bandwidth in a fiber optic, ethernet-based, TDMA communications system. A request/grant process is used to control the use of upstream bandwidth. A sense of time must therefore be shared by a headend and remote end-user devices. The invention provides for a gigabit media-independent interface in a media access controller to detect start-of-frame delimiters in incoming data. This allows for synchronization of a headend and end-user devices. The invention also allows for phase locking a transmit bit rate, at a headend, to the headend's clock. Transmitted data can the be used downstream to derive a local clock. Synchronization can also be maintained by the use of synchronization bytes in MPEG frames and/or variable length frames. Efficient bandwidth usage can also be facilitated by the use of maximum data units in allocating bandwidth in unsolicited grants, and by allowing flexible fragmentation and/or prioritization of internet protocol (IP) packets.

System and method for bandwidth management in ethernet-based fiber optic TDMA networks

A method and system for increasing the efficiency of providing bandwidth for voice traffic to a data provider via communication mediums is provided. This is generally accomplished by not transmitting any data during the silence periods and playing out background noise (i.e., comfort noise) at the other end, to obtain significant bandwidth savings.

System and method for suppressing silence in voice traffic over a wireless communication medium

Method for scheduling wireless communications

A method for reducing the bandwidth required to transmit a data packet via a wireless network is provided. In an embodiment, the method includes generating a packet to be transmitted via the wireless network. Once a packet is generated, a packet a packet type of the packet to be transmitted via the wireless network is determined. Based on the packet type, a suppression rule is selectively applied to the packet to generate a suppressed packet. Applying the suppression rule includes suppressing at least a portion of the header of the packet and adding a descriptor associated with the header suppression rule to the packet. The method concludes with the transmittal of the suppressed packet via the wireless network.

Method for a generalized packet header suppression mechanism using a wireless communications medium

A system, method, and computer program product for synchronizing time between a centralized controller device and at least one subscriber device on a fiber access network. The control layer of a network device is expanded, and additional messaging control is added via the transmission of data frames. The expansion prevents reliance on a physical layer signal. The time synchronization also allows a time stamp to be incorporated into a message. Thus, bandwidth is not wasted by simply transmitting a time stamp by itself. In an embodiment, the centralized controller device measures the time difference between the time at which a particular ranging request is transmitted and the time at which the particular ranging request is received. The time difference represents the time adjustment value for the particular subscriber device and allows the device to synchronize its time with that of the centralized controller device.

System, method, and computer program product for fiber access

Allocation of packets in a wireless communication system

A wireless communication system is adapted for compatible inter-operation of a plurality of devices operating in accordance with a plurality of protocols. The wireless communication system includes a first group of one or more subscriber stations that interface with a base station in accordance with a first protocol and a second group of one or more subscriber stations that interface with the base station in accordance with a second protocol. The base station includes a protocol processor that identifies transmissions from the first and second groups of subscriber stations and routes transmissions from the first group of subscriber stations to a first processor operating in accordance with the first protocol and routes transmissions from the second group of subscriber stations to a second processor operating in accordance with the second protocol.

Apparatuses to utilize multiple protocols in a wireless communication system

Methods to utilize multiple protocols in a wireless communication system

A two way communication system is adapted for compatible inter-operation of a plurality of devices operating in accordance with a plurality of protocols. The communication system includes a first group of one or more remote devices that interface with a local host in accordance with a first protocol and a second group of one or more remote devices that interface with the local host in accordance with a second protocol. The local host includes a protocol processor that identifies transmissions from the first and second groups of remote devices and routes transmissions from the first group of remote devices to a first processor operating in accordance with the first protocol and also routes transmissions from the second group of remote devices to a second processor operating in accordance with the second protocol.

Apparatuses and methods to utilize multiple protocols in a communication system

A method and system for combining requests for data bandwidth by a data source for transmission of data over a wireless communication medium is provided. A central node receives one or more bandwidth requests from one or more data sources via wireless communication. A scheduler then combines one or more bandwidths requests from the same data source to create a single data burst bandwidth. The central node then grants the data burst bandwidth to the appropriate data source via wireless communication.

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Dolors Sala