Upstream external PHY interface for data and control plane traffic

1. A method comprising:

at an access point to support downstream and upstream communication from and to a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core to and from customer premises equipment (CPE), respectively, communicating in accordance with an Upstream External PHY Interface (UEPI) protocol with the M-CMTS core for control of the upstream communication, the communicating including:

receiving from the M-CMTS core first UEPI control messages comprising information to configure one or more pathways with the access point for data plane upstream communication and control plane communication; and

transmitting to the M-CMTS core second UEPI control messages including a spectrum management message to manage upstream spectrum between the access point and the M-CMTS core, and a range request message to request ranging information so that the CPE can transmit upstream packets within an upstream timeslot, wherein at least one second UEPI control message is forwarded from the (CPE).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the second UEPI control messages to include a request message configured to provide any other request originating from a downstream device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the M-CMTS core a third UEPI control message configured to indicate upstream timeslot and contention information and grant or deny upstream transmission based on the range request message.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the third UEPI control message is configured to partially grant permission for upstream transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UEPI control messages comprise information to supply timing parameters for upstream transmission.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving and the transmitting are performed via pseudowires that are configured to use a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), and the first UEPI control messages comprise information to define a pseudowire type comprising an upstream data plane pseudowire for transmitting to the M-CMTS upstream data plane transmissions received from the CPE, a spectrum management pseudowire to convey the spectrum management message, a range request pseudowire to convey the range request message, and at least one of a request pseudowire and a pseudowire type that combines one or more of upstream data plane traffic, spectrum management messages, range request messages, and request messages.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pseudowires are configured to carry attribute-value pairs (AVPs) comprising information to facilitate upstream communication between the access point and the M-CMTS core.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UEPI control messages comprise information to enable at least two of (i) downstream spanning in which a media access control (MAC) layer in the M-CMTS core is configured to support a physical layer (PHY) in multiple access points including the access point, (ii) transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, (iii) Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) framer placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, and (iv) Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-Transport Stream (TS) over DOCSIS configuration.

9. An apparatus comprising:

communication interfaces configured to support downstream and upstream communication from and to a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core to and from customer premises equipment (CPE), respectively; and

a processor coupled to the communication interfaces and configured to implement an Upstream External PHY Interface (UEPI) protocol with the M-CMTS for control of the upstream communication, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive from the M-CMTS core first UEPI control messages comprising information to configure one or more pathways with the access point for data plane upstream communication and control plane communication; and

transmit to the M-CMTS core second UEPI control messages including a spectrum management message to manage upstream spectrum between the access point and the M-CMTS core, and a range request message to request ranging information so that the CPE can transmit upstream packets within an upstream timeslot, wherein at least one second UEPI control message is forwarded from the (CPE).

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the second UEPI control messages to also include a request message configured to provide any other request originating from a downstream device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the M-CMTS core a third UEPI control message configured to indicate upstream timeslot and contention information and grant or deny upstream transmission based on the range request message.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein: the processor is configured to receive and transmit via one or more pseudowires that are configured to use a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), and the first UEPI control messages comprise information to define a pseudowire type comprising an upstream data plane pseudowire for transmitting to the M-CMTS upstream data plane transmissions received from the CPE, a spectrum management pseudowire, a range request pseudowire, and at least one of a request pseudowire and a pseudowire type that combines one or more of upstream data plane traffic, spectrum management messages, range request messages, and request messages.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the pseudowires are configured to carry attribute-value pairs (AVPs) comprising information to facilitate upstream communication from the access point.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first UEPI control messages comprise information to enable at least two of (i) downstream spanning in which a media access control (MAC) layer in the M-CMTS core is configured to support a physical layer (PHY) in multiple access points including the apparatus, (ii) transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the apparatus, transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the apparatus, (iii) Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) framer placement in the M-CMTS core or the apparatus, and (iv) Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-Transport Stream (TS) over DOCSIS configuration.

15. A non-transitory computer readable media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of an access point configured to support downstream and upstream communication from and to a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core to and from customer premises equipment (CPE), respectively, cause the processor to:

communicate in accordance with an Upstream External PHY Interface (UEPI) protocol with the M-CMTS core for control of the upstream communication, wherein the instructions to cause the processor to communicate include instructions to cause the processor to:

receive from the M-CMTS core first UEPI control messages comprising information to configure one or more pathways with the access point for data plane upstream communication and control plane communication; and

transmit to the M-CMTS core second UEPI control messages including a spectrum management message to manage upstream spectrum between the access point and the M-CMTS core, and a range request message to request ranging information so that the CPE can transmit upstream packets within an upstream timeslot, wherein at least one second UEPI control message is forwarded from the (CPE).

16. The computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein the instructions include instructions to cause the processor to transmit the second UEPI control messages to also include a request message configured to provide any other request originating from a downstream device.

17. The computer readable media of claim 15 , further including instructions to cause the processor to receive from the M-CMTS core a third UEPI control message configured to indicate upstream timeslot and contention information and grant or deny upstream transmission based on the range request message.

18. The computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein the instructions include instructions to cause the processor to receive and transmit via one or more pseudowires that are configured to use a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), and wherein the first UEPI control messages comprise information to define a pseudowire type comprising an upstream data plane pseudowire for transmitting to the M-CMTS upstream data plane transmissions received from the CPE, a spectrum management pseudowire, a range request pseudowire, and at least one of a request pseudowire and a pseudowire type that combines one or more of upstream data plane traffic, spectrum management messages, range request messages, and request messages.

19. The computer readable media of claim 18 , wherein the pseudowires are configured to carry attribute-value pairs (AVPs) comprising information to facilitate upstream communication from the access point.

20. The computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein the first UEPI control messages comprise information to enable at least two of (i) downstream spanning in which a media access control (MAC) layer in the M-CMTS core is configured to support a physical layer (PHY) in multiple access points including the access point, (ii) transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, transmission scheduler placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, (iii) Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) framer placement in the M-CMTS core or the access point, and (iv) Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-Transport Stream (TS) over DOCSIS configuration.