IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,574,345
Granted Patent B2
US 7,574,345 · App. 11/396,099 · Granted Aug 11, 2009

Method and system for simulating multiple cable modems

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,574,345
App. No.
11/396,099
Granted
Aug 11, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fixed MAC address of a cable modem is used to generate a series of unique MAC Addresses in order to simulate multiple cable modems from the CMTS's point of view. Before a scheduled maintenance operation, a simulated MAC address value is disbursed to pertinent hardware registers in the cable modem. When the station maintenance occurs, the simulated MAC address value is sent in place of the fixed original address.

Claims (31)

1. A method for simulating a plurality of communication devices using a single communication device, the method comprising:

at a communication device, retrieving a fixed MAC address of the communication device;

generating a unique MAC address;

updating hardware registers within the communication device with a simulated MAC address; and

sending a range and register request from the communication device to a centralized scheduler before a station maintenance operation is scheduled to occur.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device is a cable modem.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the central scheduler is a cable modem termination system.

4. A method for simulating a plurality of communication devices using a single communication device, the method comprising:

at a communication device, retrieving a fixed MAC address of the communication device;

generating a unique simulated MAC address, wherein the unique simulated MAC address is derived from the fixed MAC address of the communication device;

updating hardware registers within the communication device with the unique simulated MAC address; and

sending a range and register request to a centralized scheduler before a station maintenance operation is scheduled to occur.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the communication device is a cable modem.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the central scheduler is a cable modem termination system.

7. The method of claim 1 farther comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an RF simulator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the MAC address is one of six (6) unique MAC addresses.

9. The method of claim 1 farther comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an IP simulator.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the MAC address is one of 2048 unique MAC addresses.

11. The method of claim 4 farther comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an RF simulator.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the MAC address is one of six (6) unique MAC addresses.

13. The method of claim 4 farther comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an IP simulator.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the MAC address is one of 2048 unique MAC addresses.

15. A method for simulating a plurality of cable modems using a single cable modem, the method comprising:

at a cable modem, retrieving a fixed MAC address of the cable modem;

generating a unique MAC address, wherein the unique MAC address is derived from the fixed MAC address of the cable modem;

updating hardware registers within the cable modem with the unique MAC address; and

sending a range and register request from the cable modem to a cable modem termination system before a station maintenance operation is scheduled to occur.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an RF simulator.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the MAC address is one of six (6) unique MAC addresses.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of simulating the MAC address with an IP simulator.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the MAC address is one of 2048 unique MAC addresses.

Assignments (14)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2026
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075476/0814 →
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 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049820/0495 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 049586/0470 →
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 13, 2013
From: ARRIS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 029803/0037 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2006
From: WEST, JAMES RANDALL; HYMEL, DARRYL
To: ARRIS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 017950/0197 →