Methods for specialized data transfer in a wireless communication system

Abstract

A wireless communication system and method is provided for the transfer and processing of data in accordance with specialized data transfer protocols while utilizing conventional base station equipment. For example, the wireless communication system may include a subscriber station that provides for the modification of data packets in accordance with a proprietary protocol and the addressing of the modified data packets to a server. The server is adapted to reconstruct the data packets for transmission to other local subscriber stations or to a packet-switched network. In additional embodiments, the base station itself rather than a server operates to reconstruct the data packets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cable network system, comprising:
 a cable modem termination system (CMTS) configured to receive a modified data packet from a cable modem (CM) in accordance with a data protocol, the modified data packet being modified by the CM in accordance with a packet formatting protocol to include a first and a second header, and to route the modified data packet utilizing information within the first header; and   a server configured to receive the modified data packet from the CMTS in accordance with the data protocol, and to reconstruct an original data packet from the modified data packet utilizing the packet formatting protocol and information within the second header.   
     
     
         2 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the first header includes an internet protocol (IP) address of the server. 
     
     
         3 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the second header includes restoration data instructions. 
     
     
         4 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the second header includes information identifying the CM. 
     
     
         5 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the CMTS is further configured to provide an internet protocol (IP) address of the server to the CM. 
     
     
         6 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the packet formatting protocol is a protocol which is not compliant with a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol, and wherein the data transfer protocol is a DOCSIS protocol. 
     
     
         7 . The cable network system of  claim 1 , wherein the original data packet includes an original first, second, third, and fourth header, and
 wherein the second header includes the original first, second, third, and fourth headers.   
     
     
         8 . The cable network system of  claim 7 , wherein the original first header is an 802.3 Ethernet header,
 wherein the original second header is an internet protocol (IP) header,   wherein the original third header is a user datagram protocol (UDP) header, and   wherein the original fourth header is a real-time transport (RTP) header.   
     
     
         9 . In a cable network system, a method of routing and restoring an original data packet from a modified data packet which has been modified in accordance with a packet formatting protocol to include a first and a second header, comprising:
 receiving, by a cable modem termination system (CMTS), the modified data packet in accordance with a data transfer protocol;   routing, by the CMTS, the modified data packet in accordance with the data transfer protocol utilizing information within the first header;   receiving, by a server, the modified data packet in accordance with the data transfer protocol; and   reconstructing, by the server, the original data packet from the modified data packet in accordance with the packet formatting protocol utilizing information within the second header.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first header includes an internet protocol (IP) address of the server. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second header includes restoration data instructions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second header includes information identifying the CM. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing, by the CMTS, an internet protocol (IP) address of the server to the CM.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the packet formatting protocol is a protocol which is not compliant with a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol, and wherein the data transfer protocol is a DOCSIS protocol. 
     
     
         15 . A cable network system, comprising:
 a cable modem termination system (CMTS) configured to receive a data packet from a cable modem (CM) in accordance with a data transfer protocol, and to route the data packet based on whether the data packet includes appended data provided by the CM in accordance with a packet formatting protocol; and   a server configured to receive the data packet from the CMTS in accordance with the data transfer protocol, and to reconstruct an original data packet from the data packet in accordance with the packet formatting protocol utilizing the appended data,   wherein the CMTS is further configured to route the data packet to the internet and bypass the server if the data packet does not inc hide the appended data.   
     
     
         16 . The cable network system of  claim 15 , wherein the appended data includes a first and a second header, and wherein the first header includes an internet protocol (IP) address of the server. 
     
     
         17 . The cable network system of  claim 16 , wherein the second header includes restoration data instructions. 
     
     
         18 . The cable network system of  claim 16 , wherein the second header includes information identifying the CM. 
     
     
         19 . The cable network system of  claim 15 , wherein the CMTS is further configured to provide an internet protocol (IP) address of the server to the CM. 
     
     
         20 . The cable network system of  claim 15 , wherein the packet formatting protocol is a protocol which is not compliant with a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol, and wherein the data transfer protocol is a DOCSIS protocol.