Systems and methods for initializing cable modems

Abstract

A system includes a first device and a second device. The first device is configured to transmit a discover message on a first upstream channel, where the discover message includes information representing capabilities of the first device. The second device is configured to receive the discover message from the first device and determine whether to switch the first device to a second upstream channel based on the capabilities information in the discover message. The second device makes the determination before a registration of the first device. The second device transmits a message to the first device instructing the first device to switch to the second upstream channel based on a result of the determination.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first device, a first message from a second device on a first channel of the second device;   determining, at the first device, whether to switch the second device to a second channel based on receiving the first message, the determining occurring before a registration of the second device;   causing, by the first device, the second device to switch to the second channel, the second channel being different than the first channel;   receiving, at the first device, a second message from the second device; and   determining, at the first device and based on receiving the second message, whether to switch the second device to a third channel, the third channel being different than the first channel and being different than the second channel and the determining whether to switch the second device to the third channel occurring before the registration of the second device.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 recording information included in the first message; and   transmitting the information to a third device, the third device transmitting a fourth message to the second device, and the fourth message including an available network address usable by the second device to transmit a fifth message to the third device to cause the third device to allocate the available network address to the second device.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 determining, based on information included in the first message, a class of service associated with the second device; and   using the class of service to determine whether to switch the second device to the second channel.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 determining, based on information included in the first message, that the second device handles Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic; and   causing, based on determining that the second device handles VoIP traffic, the second device to switch to the second channel, the second channel being associated with VoIP traffic.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 receiving a third message from the second device; and   determining, based on receiving the third message, whether to switch the second device to a fourth channel, the fourth channel being different than the first channel, being different than the second channel, and being different than the third channel.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , where the first message is a dynamic host configuration protocol discover message. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , where the dynamic host configuration protocol discover message includes at least one of:
 a hardware field associated with the second device;   an identifier field associated with the second device; or   a parameter request list associated with the second device.   
     
     
         36 . A system comprising:
 a first device to:
 receive a first message from a second device on a first channel of the second device; 
 determine whether to switch the second device to a second channel based on receiving the first message, the determining occurring before a registration of the second device; 
 cause the second device to switch to the second channel, the second channel being different than the first channel; 
 receive a second message from the second device; and 
 determine, based on receiving the second message, whether to switch the second device to a third channel, the third channel being different than the first channel and being different than the second channel and the first device is to determine whether to switch the second device to the third channel before the registration of the second device. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , where the first device is further to:
 record information included in the first message; and   transmit the information to a third device, the third device transmitting a fourth message to the second device, and the fourth message including an available network address usable by the second device to transmit a fifth message to the third device to cause the third device to allocate the available network address to the second device.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , where the first device is further to:
 determine, based on information included in the first message, a class of service associated with the second device; and   use the class of service to determine whether to switch the second device to the second channel.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , where the first device is further to:
 determine, based on information included in the first message, that the second device handles Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic; and   cause, based on determining that the second device handles VoIP traffic, the second device to switch to the second channel, the second channel being associated with VoIP traffic.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , where the first device is further to:
 receive a third message from the second device; and   determine, based on receiving the third message, whether to switch the second device to a fourth channel, the fourth channel being different than the first channel, being different than the second channel, and being different than the third channel.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , where the first message is a dynamic host configuration protocol discover message. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , where the dynamic host configuration protocol discover message includes at least one of:
 a hardware field associated with the second device;   an identifier field associated with the second device; or   a parameter request list associated with the second device.   
     
     
         43 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first device, a message from a second device on a first channel, the message including information regarding capabilities of the second device;   determining, at the first device, whether to switch the second device to a second channel based on the information regarding capabilities of the second device, the determining occurring before a registration of the second device;   causing, by the first device, the second device to switch to the second channel without rebooting the second device, the second channel being different than the first channel.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 recording information included in the message; and   transmitting the information to a third device, the third device transmitting a second message to the second device, and the second message including an available network address.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 determining, based on information included in the message, a class of service associated with the second device; and   using the class of service to determine whether to switch the second device to the second channel.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 determining, based on information included in the message, that the second device handles Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic; and   causing, based on determining that the second device handles VoIP traffic, the second device to switch to the second channel, the second channel being associated with VoIP traffic.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , where the message is a dynamic host configuration protocol discover message. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , where the dynamic host configuration protocol discover message includes at least one of:
 a hardware field associated with the second device;   an identifier field associated with the second device; or   a parameter request list associated with the second device.