Charter Communications Operating, LLC

Matthew Petersen

David Claussen

Roger Graham Stafford

Mark Teflian

Thomas Holloran

Systems and methods for evaluating a customer premise equipment (CPE) device. A network element management system may send an alteration request to a configurable coaxial tap that includes a radio frequency modulator-demodulator combination. The alteration request include information that causes the configurable coaxial tap to directly examine packets that are sent to or received from the CPE device.

System and method for evaluating a customer premise equipment (CPE) device

Apparatus and methods for premises device identification and characterization. In one embodiment, the premises devices are IoT ('internet of things') devices having wireless interfaces, and the disclosed apparatus and methods “passively” canvass or assess a given premises as to its IoT profile, including both transparent and proxy-managed installations via a software-defined radio (SDR) device incorporated into a host device at the premises (e.g., DOCSIS modem, DSTB, wireless AP/router, or gateway). The SDR is controlled by logic operative to run on the host device (and optionally a network-side process), enabling the SDR to scan the RF environment within the premises in particular frequency bands typically associated with IoT devices and protocols. Information regarding each particular device is transmit to a network-side management process for use in populating the user's cloud-based EPG, selectively targeting advertising or other content to the premises, or yet other functions.

Apparatus and methods for premises device existence and capability determination

Methods and systems for Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation optimization. A method includes a data collector collecting IP address information from sources of IP address inventory and an optimization controller generating a data set from the collected IP address information, minimizing IP address allocations for network components in a network using IP address allocation and IP address utilization for a network component from the data set, minimizing IP address inventory costs using IP address inventory and IP address utilization from the data set and IP address transactional costs, tracking the IP address inventory, sending configuration information to network component(s) to change respective IP address allocations based on minimized IP address allocation, sending transaction information to IP address provider(s) to change the IP address inventory based on minimized IP address inventory costs, and performing the above on a defined interval.

Method and system for internet protocol address allocation

Systems and methods for evaluating a customer premise equipment (CPE) device. A network element management system may send an alteration request to a configurable coaxial tap. The alteration request may cause the configurable coaxial tap to alter the characteristics of the configurable coaxial tap and/or to manipulate the radio frequency (RF) characteristics of a CPE device coupled to the configurable coaxial tap. The network element management system may receiving impaired operation reports from a cable modem termination system (CMTS), and send an un-alteration request to the configurable coaxial tap. The un-alteration request may cause the configurable coaxial tap to undo the alterations to the characteristics of the configurable coaxial tap or to undo the manipulated RF characteristics of the CPE. The network element management system may receive and use information the CMTS to determine modem-tap-port correlations and the physical location of the CPE.

System and method for remotely identifying physical location of communications device

A customer premises device including an optical modem including at least one upstream laser is power controlled to provide one or more reduced power levels of service in response to a detected AC input power failure, and/or in response to control commands, e.g., from an optical line terminal (OLT). The commands control the customer premises device to switch to a reduced power consumption mode of operation. During the reduced power mode one or a few lasers are powered, e.g., on an intermittent but predictable basis. During normal operation mode each of the upstream lasers are powered. One or more receiver circuits are also powered off during reduced power mode operation in some embodiments. A schedule is used in some embodiments to control when one or more upstream lasers and/or receivers are powered. In some embodiments the schedule is determined based on information provided by the OLT.

Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption in optical devices

Systems and methods for evaluating a customer premise equipment (CPE) device. A network element management system may send an alteration request to a configurable coaxial tap that cause the configurable coaxial tap to alter the characteristics of the configurable coaxial tap and/or to manipulate the radio frequency (RF) characteristics of a customer premise device (CPE) coupled to the configurable coaxial tap. The network element management system may then receive impaired operation reports from a cable modem termination system, sending an un-alteration request to the configurable coaxial tap to undo the alterations, and receive restored operation reports from the cable modem termination system. The network element management system may use any or all of the received information to generate and use modem-tap-port correlations to determine the physical location of the CPE.

Apparatus and methods for premises device identification and characterization. In one embodiment, the premises devices are IoT ('internet of things') devices having wireless interfaces, and the disclosed apparatus and methods 'passively' canvass or assess a given premises as to its IoT profile, including both transparent and proxy-managed installations via a software-defined radio (SDR) device incorporated into a host device at the premises (e.g., DOCSIS modem, DSTB, wireless AP/router, or gateway). The SDR is controlled by logic operative to run on the host device (and optionally a network-side process), enabling the SDR to scan the RF environment within the premises in particular frequency bands typically associated with IoT devices and protocols. Information regarding each particular device is transmit to a network-side management process for use in populating the user's cloud-based EPG, selectively targeting advertising or other content to the premises, or yet other functions.

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Highlands Ranch, CO, United States of America

Matthew Petersen