US7012891B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for applying quality of service to multicast streams transmitted in a cable network
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
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Filing: 2000-12-28
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Granted: 2006-03-14
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Expires: 2020-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for providing quality of service parameters for transmissions of multicast streams on a cable network is provided. A cable network headend connects an external network to a hybrid fiber coax or cable network. The cable network headend maintains a table of cable modems with entries associating each cable modem with one or more quality of service parameters. Virtual cable modem entries are created for multicast streams when indications of quality of service for multicast streams are received by the cable network headend. Multicast packets arriving at the cable network headend are processed using the stored quality of service parameters for the corresponding multicast stream. The multicast packets may then be transmitted, queued, or dropped depending on the specified parameters and traffic shaping or policing algorithms.
Inventors
- 👤 Kartik S. Chandran
- 👤 Prashant Gandhi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
In a cable network headend, a method of applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the method comprising: receiving a level three communication specifying one or more quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; creating a virtual cable modem and specifying one more quality of service parameters for the virtual cable modem, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network; and providing the multicast transmission on the cable network according to the specified quality of service parameters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
In a cable network headend, a method of applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the method comprising: receiving a level three communication specifying one or more quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; creating a virtual cable modem and specifying one more quality of service parameters for the virtual cable modem, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network; and providing the multicast transmission on the cable network according to the specified quality of service parameters.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a level three message prior to providing the multicast transmission on the cable network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the message is provided using RSVP.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein creating a virtual cable modem comprises creating a record of the virtual cable modem in a table of cable modems provided in the cable network headend.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the table of cable modems contains the IP addresses of cable modems connected to the cable network headend.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the record identifies the virtual cable modem by a protocol specified multicast address.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the protocol specified multicast address is a Class D IP address.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein creating a virtual cable modem comprises creating a flow list associated with the virtual cable modem and specifying the quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein creating a virtual cable modem further comprises specifying a classifier list specifying types of traffic that may be received by the virtual ale modem.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable network employs DOCSIS to provide the multicast transmission.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable network employs DOCSIS, version 1.1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein specifying the one more quality of service parameter for the virtual cable modem comprises specifying quality of service parameters in a format allowed for DOCSIS unicast transmissions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the cable network headend receives request to receive a multicast packet from a host connected to the cable network headend prior to providing the multicast transmission.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the cable network headend receives an IGMP JOIN from a host on the cable network prior to providing the multicast transmission.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer program product comprising a machine readable medium on which is provided program instructions for applying quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the instructions encoding a method comprising: receiving a level three communication specifying one or more quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; creating a virtual cable modem and specifying one more quality of service parameters for the virtual cable modem, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network; and providing the multicast transmission on the cable network according to the specified quality of service parameters.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer program product comprising a machine readable medium on which is provided program instructions for applying quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the instructions encoding a method comprising: receiving a level three communication specifying one or more quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; creating a virtual cable modem and specifying one more quality of service parameters for the virtual cable modem, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network; and providing the multicast transmission on the cable network according to the specified quality of service parameters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein instructions for providing the multicast transmission on the cable network further comprise instructions for receiving a level three message prior to providing the multicast transmission on the cable network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein instructions for receiving the level three communication further comprise instructions for receiving an RSVP message.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer program product of claim 15 , where instructions for creating a virtual cable modem include instructions for creating a record of the virtual cable modem in a table of cable modems provided in the cable network headed.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the apparatus comprising: a network interface allowing the apparatus to connect with an external network and receive one or more packets associated with the multicast transmission, wherein the one or more packets contain quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; a cable network interface allowing the apparatus to connect with a cable network and introduce the multicast transmission onto the cable network; and a processor configured or designed to create a virtual cable modem associated with one or more quality of service parameters, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the apparatus comprising: a network interface allowing the apparatus to connect with an external network and receive one or more packets associated with the multicast transmission, wherein the one or more packets contain quality of service parameters for the multicast transmission; a cable network interface allowing the apparatus to connect with a cable network and introduce the multicast transmission onto the cable network; and a processor configured or designed to create a virtual cable modem associated with one or more quality of service parameters, thereby controlling the multicast transmission quality of service on the cable network.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a memory device on which the processor can store a table of cable modems, including the virtual cable modem.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the memory device can store a classifier table and a flow table associated with the cable modem.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more packets containing quality of service parameters is an RSVP PATH message.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the cable network employs DOCSIS to provide the multicast transmission.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the cable network employs DOCSIS, version 1.1.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the cable network headend receives an IGMP JOIN message prior to making the multicast transmission.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving from an external network one or more packets associated with quality of service parameters for a multicast stream; means for transmitting a stream of multicast content to one or more cable modems on the cable network; and processing means for applying the quality of service parameters specified in the packets received from the external network to the transmission of the stream of multicast content to one or more cable modems on the cable network.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for applying a specified quality of service to a multicast transmission on a cable network, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving from an external network one or more packets associated with quality of service parameters for a multicast stream; means for transmitting a stream of multicast content to one or more cable modems on the cable network; and processing means for applying the quality of service parameters specified in the packets received from the external network to the transmission of the stream of multicast content to one or more cable modems on the cable network.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-03-13 | 2009-09-12 | 2010-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-03-13 | 2013-09-12 | 2014-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-03-13 | 2017-09-12 | 2018-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |