Multi-domain scheduling for subordinate networking

Abstract

Multi-domain scheduling for subordinate networking is contemplated. The scheduling may include controlling a terminal to facilitate interfacing an Internet Protocol (IP) network with a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) network where the P2MP network includes one or more aggregating devices to facilitate interfacing signaling with devices/units associated with one or more subordinate P2MP networks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system utilizing a plurality of communication protocols having a multi-domain scheduler to facilitate regulating signaling carried over multiple paths to avoid conflict or collision, the system comprising:
 a plurality of subordinate networks implemented as non-optical networks;   a plurality of sets of non-optical subordinate units, wherein at least one set of subordinate units is configured with each the subordinate network;   an optical primary network implemented as an optical network;   an aggregating device for facilitating communication between the optical primary network and the non-optical subordinate networks;   a terminal for facilitating communication between an IP network and the primary network, configured with a scheduler for coordinating communication between multi-domain networks formed by the primary and subordinate networks;   wherein the scheduler is configured to control the non-optical subordinate units such that communication originating from two or more of the subordinate units within the subordinate networks arrive at the terminal without conflict or collision.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth network implemented as a wire-line network. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more subordinate networks of the plurality of subordinate networks are implemented as one or more of a wireless network, a coaxial network, a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC). 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the scheduler is further configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth to one or both of the aggregating device and the subordinate units. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregating device is a fiber cable unit and the subordinate units are cable network units. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregating device is a plurality of aggregating devices, one for each subordinate network for facilitating communication between the respective subordinate network and the primary network. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the scheduler controls multi-path signaling carried over the non-optical subordinate networks to regulate single path communication with aggregating device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the scheduler controls multipath signaling carried over the optical primary network to regulate single path communication over the primary network to the terminal. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the scheduler is in communication with and configured to control:
 the subordinate units to coordinate multi-path signaling carried over the non-optical subordinate networks to regulate single path communication between each subordinate network's non-optical subordinate units and the subordinate network's aggregating device; and   the aggregating device (1) to facilitate pass-through communication between the terminal and the subordinate units for coordinating communication therebetween and (2) to coordinate multipath signaling carried over the optical primary network to regulate single path communication between the aggregating device and the terminal.   
     
     
         10 . The system  claim 9 , wherein the scheduler is in communication with and configured to control:
 the aggregating device to facilitate pass-through communication between the terminal and subordinate units for coordinating communication to reduce communication time.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregator includes conversion instructions to facilitate transmit of the first and second data to the terminal, the conversion instructions facilitating the aggregating device receiving data from the non-optical subordinate units over the non-optical networks and transmitting the data to the terminal over the optical network. 
     
     
         12 . A communication system utilizing a plurality of communication protocols having a multi-domain scheduler to facilitate regulating signaling carried over multiple paths to avoid conflict or collision, the system comprising:
 a plurality of subordinate networks utilizing a first communication protocol;   a plurality of sets of subordinate units, wherein at least one set of subordinate units is configured with each subordinate network;   a primary network utilizing a second communication protocol;   an aggregating device for facilitating communication between the primary network and the subordinate networks and includes conversion instructions to facilitate the aggregating device:
 receiving a first communication protocol data from the subordinate units over the subordinate networks, converting the first communication protocol data to a second communication protocol data and transmitting the second communication protocol data to the terminal over the primary network; and 
 receiving second communication protocol data from the terminal over the primary network, converting the second communication protocol data to first communication protocol data and transmitting the first communication protocol data to one or more subordinate units over the subordinate network; and 
   a terminal for facilitating communication between an IP network and the primary network, configured with a scheduler for coordinating communication between multi-domain networks formed by the primary and subordinate networks;   wherein the scheduler is configured to control the subordinate units such that communication originating from two or more of the subordinate units within the subordinate networks arrive at the terminal without conflict or collision.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of non-transitory instructions operable with a scheduler to facilitate multi-domain scheduling for subordinate networking, the subordinate networking characterized by a terminal interfacing an Internet Protocol (IP) network with a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) optical network where the P2MP optical network includes at least a first aggregating device for a first subordinate P2MP wireless network and a second aggregating device for a second subordinate P2MP wireless network, the first aggregating device aggregating wireless data received from one or more of a first plurality of wireless devices connected to the first subordinate P2MP wireless network for transmit over the P2MP optical network to the terminal and the second aggregating device aggregating wireless data received from one or more of a second plurality to wireless devices connected to the second subordinate P2MP wireless network for transmit over the P2MP optical network to the terminal, the terminal being unable to simultaneously receive data from both of the first and second aggregating devices over the P2MP optical network, the non-transitory instructions being sufficient for:
 scheduling transmit of a first data from the first aggregating device to the terminal over the P2MP optical network and transmit of a second data from the second aggregating device to the terminal over the P2MP optical network such that the first data is completely received before the terminal begins receiving the second data, the first data being transmitted to the first aggregating device from a first wireless device of the first plurality of wireless devices and the second data being transmitted to the second aggregating device from a second wireless device of the second plurality of wireless devices, including scheduling the transmit of the first data from the first aggregating device as a function of a first data transmission request transmitted from the first wireless device and the transmit of the second data from the second aggregating device as a function of a second data transmission request transmitted from the second wireless device, the first and second aggregating devices using pass-through data transmission requests to respectively deliver the first and second data transmission requests from the first and second devices to the terminal;   issuing a first allocation of network resources to the first aggregating device to schedule the transmit of the first data from the first aggregating device to the terminal at a first time, the first time occurring after the terminal receives the first data transmission request;   issuing a second allocation of network resources to the second aggregating device to schedule the transmit of the second data from the second aggregating device to the terminal at a second time, the second time occurring after the terminal receives the second data transmission request;   issuing via a pass-through of the first aggregating device a third allocation of network resources to the first device to schedule transmit of the first data from the first device to the first aggregating device at a third time, the third time occurring prior to the first time; and   issuing via a pass-through of the second aggregating device a fourth allocation of network resources to the second device to schedule transmit of the second data from the second device to the second aggregating device at a fourth time, the fourth time occurring prior to the second time.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13  further comprising instructions sufficient for issuing the first, second, third and fourth allocation of network resources such that the first, second, third and fourth times occur prior to receiving any data transmission request from the first device and the second device after the first and second data transmission request. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13  further comprising instructions sufficient for receiving the first and second data transmission request then issuing the third and fourth allocation of network resources and then issuing the first and second allocation of network resources. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13  further comprising instructions sufficient for issuing the first and second allocation of network resources such that the first aggregating device begins transmitting the first data to the terminal prior to receiving an entirety of the first data from the first device. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16  further comprising instructions sufficient for issuing the third and fourth allocation of network resources such that the first and second devices begin transmitting the first and second data to the first and second aggregating devices at approximately the same time. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising providing conversion instructions to the first and second aggregating devices to facilitate transmit of the first and second data to the terminal, the conversion instructions facilitating the first and second aggregating devices receiving the first and second data from the first and second devices over a non-optical communication medium and transmitting the first and second data to the terminal over an optical communication medium.