The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 2006

Filed:

Mar. 29, 2000
Applicants:

Mark O. Vogel, Hampshire, IL (US);

Philip T. Robinson, Lake Barrington, IL (US);

Inventors:

Mark O. Vogel, Hampshire, IL (US);

Philip T. Robinson, Lake Barrington, IL (US);

Assignee:

3Com Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 7/173 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

Methods for improved cable modem ranging in a data-over-cable system. One method includes receiving a value that characterizes how equipment in the network is configured. Using this characteristic value, a cable modem may estimate loss in its upstream path from a measurement of a downstream signal and thereby estimate its initial transmit level during ranging. Launching at a proper initial transmit level may ensure that range request messages arrive at the cable modem termination system with sufficient strength to be detected and hence ameliorate ranging. Another method collects difference between these estimated initial transmit levels and the final transmit levels that succeeded in evoking a response from the cable modem termination system. The collected differences are analyzed and the result of the analysis is passed to cable modems to adjust their estimated initial transmit levels. These methods may shorten a cable modem's time for ranging and may decrease collisions on the upstream path when many cable modems try to range simultaneously.


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