Data transmission over multiple upstream channels within a cable modem system

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for transmitting upstream data from a cable modem within a cable television plant. One aspect of the invention pertains to a method that includes transmitting a first portion of the upstream data on a first upstream channel from the cable modem and transmitting a second portion of the upstream data on a second upstream channel from the cable modem. The second upstream channel differs from the first upstream channel. In another aspect, the invention pertains to a cable modem that includes a processor configured to initiate transmission on multiple upstream channels. The cable modem further includes an upstream transmitting component operating in conjunction with the processor and configurable by the processor to transmit data over multiple upstream channels. In one embodiment, the upstream transmitting component includes a first transmitter that is capable of being configured by the processor to transmit data at both a first upstream channel and a second transmitter that is capable of being configured by the processor to transmit at a second upstream channel that differs from the first upstream channel.

1 . A method for transmitting upstream data from a cable modem within a cable plant, the method comprising: 
 selecting a first upstream channel for transmission of a first portion of the upstream data and selecting a second upstream channel for transmission of a second portion of the upstream data;    transmitting the first portion of the upstream data on a the first upstream channel from a first PHY block of the cable modem; and    transmitting the second portion of the upstream data on the second upstream channel from a second PHY block of the cable modem, the second upstream channel differing from the first upstream channel in their respective frequency ranges, wherein the first PHY block differs from the second PHY block.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 obtaining the first upstream channel from information in the downstream channel input to the cable modem; and    obtaining the second upstream channel from the information in the downstream channel input to the cable modem.    
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a first type of data are transmitted over the first upstream channel, and a second type of data are transmitted over the second upstream channel.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein data are transmitted over the first upstream channel when it is less congested than the second upstream channel, and data are transmitted over the second upstream channel when it is less congested than the first upstream channel  
   
   
       5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein data are primarily transmitted over the first upstream channel, and data are transmitted over the second upstream channel to facilitate load balancing.  
   
   
       6 . A head end for receiving upstream data from a cable modem, comprising a splitter that receives an upstream signal from the cable modem, the upstream signal including a first portion of the upstream data on a first upstream channel and a second portion of the upstream data on a second upstream channel and wherein the first upstream channel has a different frequency range than the second upstream channel, the splitter being arranged to separate the first portion of the upstream data transmitted over the first upstream channel from the second portion of the upstream data transmitted over the second upstream channel for further processing of the separated data, wherein the head end is further operable to assign the first upstream channel and the second upstream channel to the cable modem.  
   
   
       7 . A head end as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a downstream line for outputting a downstream channel to the cable modem, wherein the head end is operable to output the first upstream channel in the downstream channel and to output the second upstream channel in the downstream channel to the cable modem.  
   
   
       8 . A head end as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first upstream channel includes a first data type and the second upstream channel includes and a second data type.  
   
   
       9 . A head end as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first upstream channel differs from the second upstream channel.  
   
   
       10 . A head end as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first upstream channel is the same as the second upstream channel.  
   
   
       11 . A head end as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the head end is operable to output a subsequent second upstream channel in the downstream channel to the cable modem when two upstream channels are available for the cable modem, wherein the subsequent second upstream channel differs from the first upstream channel.  
   
   
       12 . A cable modem comprising: 
 a first media access controller associated with a first memory portion into which data is written for transmission upstream from the cable modem;    a second media access controller associated with a second memory portion into which data is written for transmission upstream from the cable modem;    a first PHY block coupled with the first media access controller;    a second PHY block coupled with the second media access controller; and    a processor configured to receive a downstream signal within a downstream channel into the cable modem, configure the first PHY block to transmit data over a first upstream channel obtained from the downstream signal, configure the second PHY block to transmit data over a second upstream channel having a different frequency than the first upstream channel and obtained from the downstream signal if the second upstream channel is available, select the first upstream channel for transmission of a first data portion by writing to the first memory portion of the first media access controller so that the first data portion is transmitted through the first PHY block and select the second upstream channel for transmission of a second data portion by writing to the second memory portion of the second media access controller so that the second data portion is transmitted through the second PHY block.