General Instrument Corporation

Arris Enterprises LLC

Robert L Howald

Erik C Metz

Ted Nelson Booth

Daniel Harvey Howard

John Ulm

Timothy J Brophy

George S Karpati

Sebnem Zorlu Ozer

Mao Zhu Zhang

Sean Gallagher

Sebnem Zorlu-Ozer

Combining network and client based adaptive streaming approaches enable a distributed and adaptive resource management system for carrier quality video transmission over cable Wi-Fi systems. The adaptive resource management over cable Wi-Fi heterogeneous networks includes a network based approach using client based feedback. The resource management of a video stream is performed on a service provider's network, for example in a cable modem termination system, by evaluating a margin and a fairness index. In embodiments, the rate of a video stream to a requesting client is adjusted and, in embodiments, the rate of a video stream for non-requesting clients is adjusted. Embodiments include mechanisms for call admission control and adaptive streaming based on adjustable resource margins and fairness indices for DOCSIS and Wi-Fi hetnet systems.

Adaptive resource management for multi-screen video applications over cable Wi-Fi networks

A device for stacking signals in an expanded frequency range includes an upconverter and a multiplexer. The upconverter is configured to receive upstream signals that are in a first frequency range, upconvert some of the upstream signals that are in a first frequency sub-range of the first frequency range and pass some of the upstream signals that are in a second frequency sub-range of the first frequency range. The multiplexer is configured to stack the upconverted upstream signals and the upstream signals in the second frequency sub-range and output the stacked upstream signals.

System for stacking signals in an expanded frequency range

Provided is a device for use with a headend, a household and an amplifier. The headend is able to provide signals within a high-frequency band f. The household is able to provide signals within a low-frequency band f, and to provide signals within a super-high-frequency band f, where f&#x3c;f&#x3c;f. The device includes a splitter, a diplexer and a combiner. The splitter is arranged to receive the signals within the high-frequency band fand to split the signals within the high-frequency band finto a first signal portion within the high-frequency band fand a second signal portion within the high-frequency band f. The diplexer is operable to pass the second signal portion within the high-frequency band fto the household, to pass the signals within the low-frequency band fto the splitter and to pass the signals within the super-high-frequency band f. The combiner is operable to provide, to the amplifier, the first signal portion within the high-frequency band fand the signals within the super-high-frequency band f.

Return feed forward

An adaptive data stream filter removes narrowband interference from the CATV return path prior to these paths being combined in the network. A method for removing narrowband interference from the CATV return path detects potential narrowband interference in real-time and adapts a filter to remove this potential narrowband interference. An exemplary embodiment of the above method uses previously created filters that are combined based on detected interference in an adaptive manner to continually adapt to new interference sources. Another exemplary embodiment of the above method calculates new filter coefficients for the data stream filter based on detected interference. In another embodiment, two filters are operated in a ping-pong manner for each band of interference identified as above threshold. This enables updating of one filter while another filter is performing the data stream filter operation.

Narrowband interference and identification and digital processing for cable television return path performance enhancement

A method and system for multi-port aggregation in a digital return path CATV system digitizes each of a plurality of return path signals, splits each of the plurality of return path signals into a low band and an upper band (), combines each of the plurality of low band signals to form a combined low band signal (), downconverts each of the plurality of upper band signals from an original frequency range into a new downconverted frequency range () and time division multiplexes the plurality of downconverted upper band signals with the combined low band signal to form an aggregate data stream ().

Band limited port aggregation in a digital return path CATV system

A method of allocating power among a plurality of signals, at least two of the signals employing different signal formats, located on different channels of the return path of a cable data network, divides a total power available for the signals on the return path in accordance with a minimum value of an average BER for all the signals and allocates power to each of the signals in accordance therewith. Specifically, a number of parameters are obtained including modulation type and symbol rate for each signal format employed on the return path, the AWGN noise floor across the reverse link, the nominal maximum available RF power for transmitting signals on the reverse path. A predetermined BER expression for each of the modulation types employed on the return path is then obtained, each of the expressions requiring a plurality of input values that includes the above-noted parameters. An expression is then formulated for an average BER based on the predetermined BER expressions and on a number of channels of each signal format type associated with a corresponding BER expression. The power to be allocated to each signal format by minimizing the average BER is then calculated.

Enhanced return path performance using modulation-based alignment criteria

In a cable return path system, a method for performing digital companding adds a predetermined offset to the digital value to be companded, and employs a modified &#x3bc;-law or a-law companding technique to obtain a reduced bit length digital value. One embodiment of this modified approach adds a predetermined offset (e.g., 129 for a 12-bit implementation) to the digital value before companding and then employs a two-bit chord and a 5-bit step for the 12-bit implementation. The end result is that the performance metrics are not significantly compromised by this bit reduction when compared to current transmission methods without this technique.

Digital signal processing scheme for high performance HFC digital return path system with bandwidth conservation

A method and apparatus for digitizing multiple data streams having different clocks spreads an error due to clock drift is spread across many clock cycles in extremely small amounts. To combine two data streams, the method interpolates one or more samples between existing samples of one of the two data streams and then adjusts a number of samples of said one of the two data streams to maintain balance in a downstream synchronizing buffer. This occurs prior to combining the two data streams. The adjusting may be performed by adding or decimating samples from the interpolated samples. To combine two asynchronous data streams having clocks offset in frequency, first, a first data stream is clocked into and out of a first buffer using a first clock associated with the first data stream. Second, a second data stream is clocked into a second buffer using a second clock associated with the second data stream and clocking the second data stream out of the second buffer using the first clock. Third, samples are interpolated into and decimated from samples of the second data stream prior to clocking the second data stream into the second buffer based on an overflow or underflow of the second buffer. Finally, the outputs of the first and second buffers are combined.

Method and apparatus for summing asynchronous signal samples in a cable television digital return path

An HFC return path system uses digital conversion and transport at the fiber optic node, so as to replace analog laser technology with a high-speed baseband digital technology, thereby providing immunity from the troublesome analog laser impairments, enabling longer distances to be covered, potentially avoiding the need for hub repeater hardware required in analog systems, among other benefits.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Robert L Howald