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Abstract

A two-way hybrid fiber-coax cable networks offering high-speed broadband communications delivered via a cable modem service. Bi-directional transmissions of packets between the head-end controller (Cable Modem Terminal System) and cable modems (subscriber terminal units) is accomplished using a cable television Media Access Control (MAC) protocol. In Hybrid Fiber-Coax (HFC) networks, the invention provides a Reverse Path Multiplexing (RPM) function permitting the coupling of a large number of return path (plant) RF ports (return ports) to be coupled to a receiver card in the CMTS. One aspect of this invention is that one or more upstream traffic schedulers reside within the CMTS equipment with the responsibility of scheduling the upstream transmissions from cable modems. The cable modems are distributed across many return ports. The data from each cable modem must be successfully received by the head-end controller without being compromised by the effects of noise funneling. The knowledge of when a cable modem will transmit is used to open an RF switch in the RPM.

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First Claim