Cable modem transceiver, cable modem, cable modem communication system, processor for a cable modem transceiver, method for calibrating a cable modem transceiver, and computer program
View Patent ↗A cable modem transceiver includes a processor configured to derive an instant of time for an upstream calibration signal on basis of upstream scheduling information. Further, the cable modem transceiver includes a transmitter configured to generate the upstream calibration signal at the derived instant of time. The cable modem transceiver additionally includes a detector configured to determine a property of the generated upstream calibration signal. The processor is further configured to derive at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter on basis of the detected property.
1. A cable modem transceiver, comprising:
a processor configured to derive an instant of time for an upstream calibration signal on basis of upstream scheduling information, wherein the upstream calibration signal is generated based on predetermined output power calibration information, wherein the predetermined output power calibration information comprises a predetermined property of a further upstream calibration signal generated by the transmitter;
a transmitter configured to generate the upstream calibration signal at the derived instant of time; and
a detector configured to determine a property of the generated upstream calibration signal;
wherein the processor is further configured to derive at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter on basis of the detected property.
2. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the upstream scheduling information indicates a starting point of a non-busy time slot of an upstream path of a cable modem communication system.
3. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 2 , wherein the derived instant of time lies within the non-busy time slot of the upstream path of the cable modem communication system.
4. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 2 , wherein the non-busy time slot is selected from the group of an initial maintenance opportunity, a broadcast initial maintenance opportunity, a ranging opportunity, and a transmission opportunity.
5. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the derived at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter comprises a gain parameter for the transmitter.
6. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , further comprising: an amplifier within the transmitter, wherein the derived at least one calibration parameter comprises a gain value of the amplifier for amplifying upstream signals having a frequency of the generated upstream calibration signal.
7. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the derived at least one calibration parameter comprises a digital gain value for a digital transmission path of the transmitter.
8. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , further comprising: a receiver configured to receive the upstream scheduling information from a cable modem termination system of a cable modem communication system.
9. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 8 , wherein the receiver is further configured to detect signals of other cable modem transceivers within a particular time slot, and wherein the upstream calibration signal is generated only, when signals received from other cable modem transceivers are detected by the receiver within a series of subsequent particular time slots with a magnitude below a threshold.
10. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is connected to an upstream monitoring path of the cable modem transceiver, and wherein the upstream monitoring path is coupled to a transmission path of the cable modem transceiver after an amplifier of the transmitter.
11. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the determined property of the generated upstream calibration signal is a magnitude of the generated upstream calibration signal.
12. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is selected from the group of a spectrum analyzer and a power meter.
13. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a gain parameter for generating the upstream calibration signal by the transmitter and a frequency of the upstream calibration signal on basis of the predetermined output power calibration information.
14. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to derive the at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter on basis of the determined property, the determined gain parameter for generating the upstream calibration signal, and the predetermined output power calibration information.
15. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 14 , wherein the derived at least one calibration parameter indicates a difference between the predetermined property and the determined property for the determined gain parameter.
16. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one calibration parameter is extrapolated on basis of the predetermined property and the determined property.
17. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to generate a plurality of upstream calibration signals at the derived instant of time, wherein the detector is configured to determine a property of each of the upstream calibration signals of the generated plurality of upstream calibration signals, and wherein the processor is configured to derive the at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter on basis of the determined properties.
18. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 17 , wherein the upstream calibration signals of the generated plurality of upstream calibration signals have different frequencies.
19. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 17 , wherein the upstream calibration signals of the generated plurality of upstream calibration signals are generated with different gain parameters for the transmitter.
20. The cable modem transceiver according to claim 1 , wherein the derived instant of time lies prior to a registration of the cable modem transceiver at a cable modem termination system of a cable modem communication system.
21. A method for calibrating a cable modem transceiver, comprising:
deriving an instant of time for an upstream calibration signal on basis of upstream scheduling information;
detecting signals of other cable modem transceivers within a particular time slot by the cable modem transceiver;
generating the upstream calibration signal at the derived instant of time, wherein the upstream calibration signal is generated, when a signal received from another cable modem transceiver is detected by the cable modem transceiver within a series of subsequent particular time slots with a magnitude below a threshold;
determining a property of the generated upstream calibration signal by a detector of the cable modem transceiver; and
deriving at least one calibration parameter for a transmitter of the cable modem transceiver on basis of the detected property.
22. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising: receiving the upstream scheduling information from a cable modem termination system of a cable modem communication system.
23. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium including program code, when executed, to cause a programmable processor to perform the method of claim 21 .