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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2005
Richard S. Prodan, Boulder, CO (US);
Joel Danzig, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Thomas J. Quigley, Franklin, NC (US);
Niki R. Pantelias, Duluth, GA (US);
Richard S. Prodan, Boulder, CO (US);
Joel Danzig, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Thomas J. Quigley, Franklin, NC (US);
Niki R. Pantelias, Duluth, GA (US);
Broadcom Corporation, Irvine, CA (US);
Abstract
A communication system that includes a supervisory node (e.g., a headend) and one or more remote nodes (e.g., cable modems). Packets are transmitted between the supervisory node and the one or more remote nodes via RF channels. A plurality of the RF channels are bonded, such that packets may be transmitted via any one or more of the RF channels that are bonded. Bonding may include higher-layer bonding and/or lower-layer bonding. In higher-layer bonding, the communication system further includes a forwarder and a plurality of edge modulators. Each edge modulator is connected to a different RF channel or group of RF channels. The forwarder determines to which edge modulator one or more packets or flows are to be transmitted. In lower-layer bonding, a packet is split into pieces. The pieces are assigned to respective RF channels that are associated with an edge modulator for transmission to a remote node.