System for queuing flows to channels

Abstract

A system for queuing flows to channels.

1 . A system for queuing service flows for a cable system comprising:
 (a) a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network that includes a remote fiber node that converts received data to analog data suitable to be provided on a coaxial cable for said plurality of customer devices, where said head end includes at least one processor;   (b) said head end queuing a service flow to a group of a plurality of channels, which is less than all available said channels;   (c) said head end free from queueing said service flow individually to said plurality of channels;   (d) said head end dequeuing said service flow based upon data indicating said group of said plurality of channels;   (e) providing said dequeued service flow to one of said plurality of customer devices.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of a MAC domain. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between said head end and a remote phy device, where said remote phy device is not part of said head end. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between a remote mac phy device and one or more of said plurality of customer devices, where said remote mac phy device is part of said head end. 
     
     
         5 . A system for queuing service flows for a cable system comprising:
 (a) a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network that includes a remote fiber node that converts received data to analog data suitable to be provided on a coaxial cable for said plurality of customer devices, where said head end includes at least one processor;   (b) said head end queuing a plurality of service flows to a plurality of channels;   (c) said queuing including a matrix representing service flows and downstream channels;   (d) said matrix representing a series of bits forming a word suitable to be written to memory as a series of consecutive bits for a single service flow for a plurality of channels, where each bit is representative of a different channel and the series of consecutive bits is representative of said service flow for said plurality of channels;   (e) said head end dequeuing said service flows based upon said matrix to one of said plurality of customer devices.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of a MAC domain. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between said head end and a remote phy device, where said remote phy device is not part of said head end. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between a remote mac phy device and one or more of said plurality of customer devices, where said remote mac phy device is part of said head end. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said matrix includes a plurality of said series of bits each of which representing a different channel. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said matrix includes a value for a bit of said series of bits forming said word representative of an absence of a corresponding said service flow. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said matrix includes a value of zero for services flow not assigned to one of said channels. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5  wherein an additional service flow is appended to said series of consecutive bits at a tail end. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said series of consecutive bits is used as a circular queue. 
     
     
         14 . A system for queuing service flows comprising:
 (a) a data source device that includes at least one processor providing data to a plurality of receiving devices each of which includes at least one processor through a transmission network;   (b) said data source device queuing a service flow to a group of a plurality of channels, which is less than all available said channels;   (c) said data source device free from queueing said service flow individually to said plurality of channels;   (d) said data source device dequeuing said service flow based upon data indicating said group of said plurality of channels;   (e) providing said dequeued service flow to one of said plurality of receiving devices.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of a MAC domain. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between said data source device and a remote phy device, where said remote phy device is not part of said data source device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of between a remote mac phy device and one or more of said plurality of receiving devices, where said remote mac phy device is part of said data source device. 
     
     
         18 . A system for queuing service flows comprising:
 (a) a data source device that includes at least one processor providing data to a plurality of receiving devices each of which includes at least one processor through a transmission network;   (b) said data source device queuing a plurality of service flows to a plurality of channels;   (c) said queuing including a matrix representing service flows and downstream channels;   (d) said matrix representing a series of bits forming a word suitable to be written to memory as a series of consecutive bits for a single service flow for a plurality of channels, where each bit is representative of a different channel and the series of consecutive bits is representative of said service flow for said plurality of channels;   (e) said data source device dequeuing said service flows based upon said matrix to one of said plurality of receiving devices.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said group of said plurality of channels is all channels of a MAC domain. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said matrix includes a plurality of said series of bits each of which representing a different channel.