Probing-based auto moding

1. A method for selecting a resultant mode of operation for at least two modems that communicate via a communications network, comprising:

(a) determining a set of possible modes of operation supported by the at least two modems;

(b) selecting a first set of favorable modes of operation from among the set of possible modes of operation using a first level of priority-based selection based upon priorities assigned to a first criteria;

(c) selecting a second set of favorable modes of operation from among the first set of favorable modes of operation using a second level of priority-based selection based upon priorities assigned to a second criteria; and

(d) in case there exist two or more second favorable modes of operation from among said second set of favorable modes of operation, performing a probing-based selection by evaluating respective performances of each of the second favorable modes of operation to determine the resultant mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:

(a)(i) performing a handshake procedure to determine the set of possible modes of operation supported by the at least two modems.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criteria and the second criteria are annexes and protocol standards, respectively, that are supported by the at least two modems.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein step (b) comprises:

(b)(i) selecting the first set of favorable modes of operation using the first level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to the annexes.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein step (c) comprises:

(c)(i) selecting the second set of favorable modes of operation using the second level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to the protocol standards.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises:

(d)(i) selecting a second favorable mode of operation with a best performance from among the second set of favorable modes as the resultant mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (d)(i) comprises:

(d)(i)(A) determining line conditions for each of the second favorable modes of operation.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein step (d)(i) further comprises:

(d)(i)(B) deriving a performance index for each of the second favorable modes of operation from the line conditions; and

(d)(i)(C) selecting a second favorable mode of operation with a highest best performance index from among the second set of favorable modes as the resultant mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (d)(i)(A) comprises:

(d)(i)(A)(1) determining a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the second favorable modes of operation to derive the performance index.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (d)(i)(A) comprises:

(d)(i)(A)(1) determining an upstream bit rate and a downstream bit rate for each of the second favorable modes of operation to derive the performance index.

11. A modem unit for transmitting data via a communications network, comprising:

a transmission unit configured:

(i) to determine a set of possible modes of operation,

(ii) to derive a first set of favorable modes of operation from among the set of possible modes of operation using a first level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to a first criteria, and

(iii) to derive a second set of favorable modes of operation from among the first set of favorable modes of operation using a second level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to a second criteria; and

a probing facility configured to perform a probing-based selection that comprises evaluating respective performances of the second favorable modes of operation to determine a resultant mode of operation when two or more second favorable modes of operation exist.

12. The modem unit of claim 11 , wherein the transmission unit is further configured to perform a handshake procedure to determine the set of possible modes of operation.

13. The modern unit of claim 11 , wherein the first criteria and the second criteria are annexes and protocol standards, respectively, that are supported by at least the modem unit.

14. The modem unit of claim 13 , wherein the transmission unit is further configured to derive the first set of favorable modes of operation using the first level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to the annexes.

15. The modem unit of claim 13 , wherein the transmission unit is further configured to derive the second set of favorable modes of operation using the second level of priority-based selection based on priorities assigned to the protocol standards.

16. The modem unit of claim 11 , wherein the probing facility is further configured to select a second favorable mode of operation with a best performance from among the second set of favorable modes as the resultant mode of operation.

17. The modem unit of claim 16 , wherein the probing facility is further configured to determine line conditions for each of the second favorable modes of operation.

18. The modem unit of claim 17 , wherein the probing facility is further configured to derive a performance index for each of the second favorable modes of operation from the line conditions, and to select a second favorable mode of operation with a highest best performance index from among the second set of favorable modes as the resultant mode of operation.

19. The modem unit of claim 18 , wherein the probing facility is further configured to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the second favorable modes of operation to derive the performance index.

20. The modem unit of claim 18 , wherein the probing facility is further configured to determine an upstream bit rate and a downstream bit rate for each of the second favorable modes of operation to derive the performance index.