Patent ID: 7113484
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for facilitating communications between a network node and a Head End of an access network, the access network including a plurality of nodes which communicate with the Head End via at least one upstream channel and at least one downstream channel, the access network including a first node adapted to communicate with the Head End via at least one downstream channel and at least one upstream channel, the access network further including a second node adapted to communicate with the Head End via at least one downstream channel and at least one upstream channel, the at least one downstream channel including a first downstream channel and a second downstream channel, wherein the first downstream channel is associated with a first channel identifier, and the second downstream channel is associated with a second channel identifier, the at least one upstream channel including a first upstream channel associated with a third channel identifier, wherein the third channel identifier is different from the first channel identifier and second channel identifier, the method comprising: communicating between the Head End and the first and second nodes via the first downstream channel; monitoring bandwidth-related information associated with the first and second downstream channels; performing a load balancing operation which includes transmitting a dynamic channel change request to the first node in order to cause the first node to switch from the first downstream channel to the second downstream channel, wherein the load balancing operation is performed for the purpose of managing bandwidth resources on the first and second downstream channels; receiving, at the first node, a first communication from the Head End, said first communication including the request to perform a dynamic channel change operation, said dynamic channel change (DCC) request including a request to perform a downstream channel change operation; responding to the dynamic channel change request by implementing the downstream channel change operation at the first node; communicating between the Head End and the first node via the second downstream channel after successful completion of the downstream channel change operation; and communicating between the Head End and the second node via the first downstream channel after successful completion of the downstream channel change operation at the first node.