Synchronizing data transmission between a wireless network and a wired network
View Patent ↗Methods, systems and computer program products to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a combined wireless gateway and cable modem are provided herein. The method includes the step of generating an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period and transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon sending the indicator. The look-ahead time period is a time period from transmitting the indicator to transmitting the DOCSIS frame. The method further includes the step of receiving data from the wireless device and encapsulating the data in a DOCSIS format to generate a DOCSIS frame. The method also includes transmitting the DOCSIS frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity to a cable modem termination system (CMTS).
1. A combined wireless gateway and cable modem to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
send an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period;
transmit a poll to a wireless device upon receiving the indicator;
receive data from the wireless device;
encapsulate the data in a frame; and
transmit the frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity,
wherein the look-ahead time period is a time period from transmitting the indicator to transmitting the frame.
2. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a grant synchronization indicator (GSI) that is generated by a Data Over Cable Service interface Specification (DOCSIS) application layer based on a timing signal received from a DOCSIS Media Access Control (MAC) layer.
3. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is sent by a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) application layer to a wireless device application layer within the combined wireless gateway and cable modem.
4. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 1 , wherein the poll is a contention free (CF) poll of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(e) standard.
5. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 1 , wherein the next transmit opportunity is a next time slot for transmission of data received from the wireless device; and wherein the next time slot is allotted to the combined wireless gateway and cable modem by a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) in a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) MAP message.
6. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to;
determine a round-trip time period, wherein the round-trip time period is the time period from transmitting the indicator to receiving the data from the wireless device;
determine a difference between the look-ahead time period and the round-trip time period;
decrease the look-ahead time period if the difference is greater than a margin time period; and
increase the look-ahead time period if the difference is less than the margin time period.
7. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 6 , wherein the memory is further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
increase the look-ahead time period for a next transmit opportunity so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period.
8. The wireless gateway and cable modem of claim 6 , wherein the memory is further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
decrease the look-ahead time period for a next transmit opportunity so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period.
9. A cable modem to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks using a cable modem, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, coupled to the processor, configure to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
generate an indicator prior to a look-ahead time period;
transmit a poll trigger to a wireless gateway upon generating the indicator;
receive data from the wireless gateway;
encapsulate the data in a frame; and
transmit the frame at a start of a next transmit opportunity,
wherein the look-ahead time period is a time period from generating the indicator to transmitting the frame.
10. The cable modem of claim 9 , wherein the indicator is a Grant Synchronization Indicator that is generated by a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) application layer based on a timing signal received from a DOCSIS Media Access Control (MAC) layer of the cable modem.
11. The cable modem of claim 9 , wherein the poll trigger is a Grant Synchronization Indicator (GSI) trigger message that is configured to cause the wireless gateway to transmit a contention free (CF) poll to a wireless device.
12. The cable modem of claim 9 , wherein the next transmit opportunity is a next time slot for transmission of data received from a wireless device; and wherein the next time slot is allotted to the cable modem by a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) in a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) MAP message.
13. The cable modem of claim 9 , wherein the memory is further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
determine a round-trip time period, wherein the round-trip time period is the time period from transmitting the indicator to receiving the data from the wireless gateway;
determine a difference between the look-ahead time period and the round-trip time period;
increase the look-ahead time period if the difference is lesser than a margin time period; and
decrease the look-ahead time period if the difference is greater than the margin time period.
14. The cable modem of claim 13 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
increase the look-ahead time period so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period for a next transmit opportunity.
15. The cable modem of claim 13 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
decrease the look-ahead time period so that the difference is substantially equal to the margin time period for a next transmit opportunity.
16. A method, to synchronize timing of data transmissions between wireless and wired networks, comprising:
receiving a trigger message from a cable modem;
transmitting a poll to a wireless device upon receiving the trigger message;
receiving data from the wireless device;
encapsulating the data in a frame; and
transmitting the frame to the cable modem.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the trigger message is a contention free (CF) poll of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(e) protocol.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the trigger message is based on a look-ahead time period, and wherein the look-ahead time period is a time period between transmitting the trigger message by the cable modem and transmitting a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) frame by the cable modem to a cable modem termination system (CMTS).
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the DOCSIS frame includes data in an Ethernet frame.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the frame is an Ethernet frame.