General Instrument Corporation

Prema Venkatesulu

Thomas F Kister

Louis Dominick Bifano

Rick Dziekan

Gary Kimber

A method using a wireless telephone () for placing a call is provided. The method includes receiving () a media stream over a first channel (). The method also includes rendering () the media stream on the wireless telephone. Moreover, the method opens () a second channel () for a voice call while receiving the media stream over the first channel.

Wireless telephone for receiving a media stream while placing a call

A method is provided for determining a network address for an Media Terminal Adapter (MTA) associated with a given Cable Modem (CM) in a cable data network. The CM is embedded in the MTA. The method begins by providing a network address for the CM and identifying a first Management Information Base (MIB) table for the CM and MTA that includes information pertaining to interfaces of the CM and the MTA. Next, a first entry is located in the first MIB table, which first entry denotes an MTA-type interface. Based on the first entry, a second entry is located in the first MIB table associated with the MTA. The second entry uniquely identifies an interface of the MTA. A second MIB table is identified for the CM and MTA that includes addressing information pertaining to network addresses of the CM and MTA. A third entry is located in the second MIB table that is equal in value to the second entry in the MIB table. Based on the third entry, a fourth entry is located in the second MIB table. The fourth entry is the network address of the MTA associated with the CM.

Method and apparatus for associating a media terminal adapter with a cable modem in an HFC network

A system and method for performing Lifetest over a cable network system is provided which minimizes bandwidth usage by the Lifetest procedure while increasing the number of devices that the EMS may support. In accordance with the system and method, the EMS obtains device state information from the CMTS. Since the CMTS is constantly ranging its device population for state information, and since this information is stored in the DOCSIS Radio Frequency MIB, the EMS may obtain device state information by going to the MIB instead of directly to the device. This approach utilizes the distributed process inherently built into the system by taking advantage of the ranging that is already being performed by the CMTS. Since the EMS does not have to interact with every device in the system while performing Lifetest, consumption of bandwidth and processing resources is minimized.

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Feasterville, PA, United States of America

Prema Venkatesulu