IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,868,058
Granted Patent B1
US 6,868,058 · App. 09/558,826 · Granted Mar 15, 2005

Multi-node HFC diverse route recovery algorithm using multi-stage, wide-mode marshal with branch failure detection

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,868,058
App. No.
09/558,826
Granted
Mar 15, 2005
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method for synchronizing transmitters within a communications network by utilizing wide-mode marshaling. Wide-mode marshaling increases the bandwidth dedicated to performing a marshaling process, thereby allowing a controller to quickly marshal the transmitters. Within a TDMA network, a TDMA frame includes a header portion and a multi-channel portion. Each of the transmitters within a TDMA network transmits during an assigned time-slot of the TDMA frame. To marshal a transmitter, the transmitter is requested to transmit a ranging signal to a central controller. If the ranging signal is received during the header portion of the TDMA frame, the controller can accurately detect the ranging signal. However, for longer propagation delays, the length of the header is insufficient. Wide-mode marshaling resolves this by silencing some or all of the transmitters to increase the bandwidth for receiving the ranging signal.

Claims (87)

1. A method for ranging transmitters within a network, the network including a controller and a plurality of transmitters communicatively coupled to the controller over a communications path and exchanging information using TDMA technology, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a particular transmitter of the plurality of transmitters to a particular time-slot of a TDMA frame to facilitate communication between the particular transmitter and the controller;

performing a search loop on a first set of transmitters of the plurality of transmitters wherein the operation of each of the first set of transmitters is verified;

identifying each of the first set of transmitters that fail during the search loop as a failed transmitter;

if the number of failed transmitters exceeds a first integrity threshold, disabling the transmission of a second set of the transmitters of the plurality of transmitters;

performing a range attempt on a first failed transmitter;

if the range attempt fails, enabling the transmission of the second set of transmitters; and

if the range attempt succeeds, performing a range attempt on a next failed transmitter until a range attempt has been performed on each failed transmitter or the range attempt fails, and then enable the transmission of the second set of transmitters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the range attempt on a first failed transmitter fails and after enabling the transmission of the second set of transmitters, further comprising the steps of:

disabling the transmission of the second set of transmitters; and

performing a range attempt on a next failed transmitter if the number of failed transmitters exceeds a second integrity threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the number of failed transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, further comprising the step of performing a range attempt on each of the failed transmitters.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the number of failed transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, further comprising the step of performing a range attempt on each of the failed transmitters.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 3 .

6. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 4 .

7. A communications network including:

a controller;

a plurality of transmitters;

a communications path communicatively coupling the controller to each of the plurality of transmitters;

the controller being operative to:

assign each of the plurality of transmitters to a particular time-slot;

perform a search loop on a first set of transmitters, the search loop allowing the controller to identify a failed set of transmitters of the plurality of transmitters, the failed set of transmitters being transmitters that are not transmitting in synchronization;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a first integrity threshold, perform a first recovery process and, if the first recovery process aborts and the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters is greater than a second threshold, perform a second recovery process;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, perform a third recovery process;

wherein the controller is operative to perform the first recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) selecting a ranging transmitter from the failed set of transmitters;

(c) performing a range attempt on the ranging transmitter;

(d) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter, abort the current recovery process;

(e) if the range attempt succeeds on the ranging transmitter and additional transmitters remain in the failed set of transmitters, selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter and continuing at step (c), otherwise, disabling wide-mode marshaling; and

wherein the controller is operative to perform the second recovery process by:

(f) selecting a next transmitter from the faded set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter; and

(g) continuing at step (c).

8. A communications network including:

a controller;

a plurality of transmitters;

a communications path communicatively coupling the controller to each of the plurality of transmitters;

the controller being operative to:

assign each of the plurality of transmitters to a particular time-slot;

perform a search loop on a first set of transmitters, the search loop allowing the controller to identify a failed set of transmitters of the plurality of transmitters, the failed set of transmitters being transmitters that are not transmitting in synchronization;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a first integrity threshold, perform a first recovery process and, if the first recovery process aborts and the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters is greater than a second threshold, perform a second recovery process;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, perform a third recovery process;

wherein the controller is operative to perform the first recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) selecting a ranging transmitter from the failed set of transmitters;

(c) performing a range attempt on the ranging transmitter;

(d) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter, abort the current recovery process;

(e) if the range attempt succeeds on the ranging transmitter and additional transmitters remain in the failed set of transmitters, selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter and continuing at step (c), otherwise, disabling wide-mode marshaling; and

wherein the controller is operative to perform the second recovery process by:

(f) selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter;

(g) perform a range attempt on the ranging transmitter; and

(h) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter and the number of transmitters remaining in the failed set of transmitters is greater than the second integrity threshold, continue processing at step (f), otherwise abort the second recovery process and disable wide-mode marshaling.

9. The communications network of claim 7 , wherein the controller is operative to perform the third recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) performing a range attempt on each transmitter in the failed set of transmitters; and

(c) disable wide-mode marshaling.

10. A controller communicatively coupleable to a plurality of transmitters via a plurality of communication paths within a TDMA based network, the controller being operative to:

perform a search loop to identify a failed set of transmitters of the plurality of transmitters, the failed set of transmitters being transmitters that are not transmitting in synchronization;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a first integrity threshold, perform a first recovery process and, if the first recovery process aborts and the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters is greater than a second threshold, perform a second recovery process;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, perform a third recovery process

wherein the controller is operative to perform the first recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) selecting a ranging transmitter from the failed set of transmitters;

(c) performing a range attempt on the ranging transmitter;

(d) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter, abort the current recovery process:

(e) If the range attempt succeeds on the ranging transmitter and additional transmitters remain in the failed set of transmitters, selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter and continuing at step (c), otherwise, disabling wide-mode marshaling; and

wherein the controller is operative to perform the second recovery process by:

(f) selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter; and

(g) continuing at step (c).

11. A controller communicatively coupleable to a plurality of transmitters via a plurality of communication paths within a TDMA based network, the controller being operative to:

perform a search loop to identify a failed set of transmitters of the plurality of transmitters, the failed set of transmitters being transmitters that are not transmitting in synchronization;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a first integrity threshold, perform a first recovery process and, if the first recovery process aborts and the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters is greater than a second threshold, perform a second recovery process;

if the number of transmitters in the failed set of transmitters exceeds a third integrity threshold, perform a third recovery process

wherein the controller is operative to perform the first recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) selecting a ranging transmitter from the failed set of transmitters;

(c) performing a range attempt on the ranging transmitter;

(d) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter, abort the current recovery process;

(e) If the range attempt succeeds on the ranging transmitter and additional transmitters remain in the failed set of transmitters, selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter and continuing at step (c), otherwise, disabling wide-mode marshaling; and

wherein the controller is operative to perform the second recovery process by:

(f) selecting a next transmitter from the failed set of transmitters as the ranging transmitter;

(g) perform a range attempt on the ranging transmitter; and

(h) if the range attempt fails on the ranging transmitter and the number of transmitters remaining in the failed set of transmitters is greater than the second integrity threshold, continue processing at step (f), otherwise abort the second recovery process and disable wide-mode marshaling.

12. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the controller is operative to perform the third recovery process by:

(a) enabling wide-mode marshaling;

(b) performing a range attempt on each transmitter in the failed set of transmitters; and

(c) disable wide-mode marshaling.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049820/0495 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 8, 2019
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS, INC.; BIG BAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
Reel/Frame 048825/0294 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 14, 2017
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES INC
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 041995/0031 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS; BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030498/0023 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 16, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 030223/0244 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 8, 2013
From: ARRIS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 029782/0049 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 7, 2013
From: ARRIS INTERACTIVE L.L.C.
To: ARRIS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 029771/0508 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2001
From: NORTEL NETWORKS INC.
To: ARRIS INTERACTIVE
Reel/Frame 012177/0318 →