Method and apparatus for improving bus utilization

Abstract

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for improving bus utilization, such as for transferring data to a modem, for example, are described.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A system, comprising: 
 a computing platform, said computing platform coupled to a modem via a bus and said modem coupled to a central office via a network, said modem to receive a training signal and operational information from the central office, said modem to use the training signal and the operational information to determine a network communications data transfer rate at which the modem may transmit and receive data via the network and said computing platform to adjust a data rate of the bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the data rate of the bus comprises an isochronous data rate.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein a connection between the modem and the network comprises a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the bus comprises a universal serial bus (USB).  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said computing platform to set the data rate of the bus to an initial value and said computing platform to reduce the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is less than the initial value.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said computing platform to set the data rate of the bus to an initial value and said computing platform to raise the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is greater than the initial value.  
   
   
       29 . A method, comprising: 
 receiving by a modem a training signal and operational information from a central office;    using the training signal and the operational information to determine a network communications data transfer rate at which the modem may transmit and receive data via a network; and    adjusting a data rate of a bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the data rate of the bus comprises an isochronous data rate.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a connection between the modem and the network comprises a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the bus comprises a universal serial bus (USB).  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said adjusting the data rate of the bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate comprises reducing the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is less than an initial value for the data rate of the bus.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said adjusting the data rate of the bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate comprises increasing the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is more than an initial value for the data rate of the bus.  
   
   
       35 . An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to receive by a modem a training signal and operational information from a central office; use the training signal and the operational information to determine a network communications data transfer rate at which the modem may transmit and receive data via a network; and adjust a data rate of a bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate.  
   
   
       36 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the data rate of the bus comprises an isochronous data rate.  
   
   
       37 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein a connection between the modem and the network comprises a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection.  
   
   
       38 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the bus comprises a universal serial bus (USB).  
   
   
       39 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein said adjusting the data rate of the bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate comprises reducing the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is less than an initial value for the data rate of the bus.  
   
   
       40 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein said adjusting the data rate of the bus based at least in part upon the network communications data transfer rate comprises increasing the data rate of the bus if the network communications data transfer rate is more than an initial value for the data rate of the bus.