Patent ID: 6301223
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: H04H,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A cable modem apparatus for reliably providing a personal computer access to the Internet through a cable television link and a public switched telephone network link, said apparatus comprising:a cable television link failure detector connected to the cable television link;a message generator connected to said cable television link failure detector, wherein said message generator is configured to generate at least one message responsive to said cable television link failure detector detecting cable television link failures;a message transmitter connected to said message generator, wherein said message transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one message through the public switched telephone network link to cause Internet communications to be communicated to the personal computer through the public switch telephone network link;a failure ended message generator connected to said cable television link failure detector, wherein said failure ended message generator is configured to generate failure ended messages responsive to said cable television link failure detector detecting cable television link failure endings; anda failure ended message transmitter connected to said failure ended message generator, wherein said failure ended message transmitter is configured to transmit failure ended messages through the public switched telephone network link to cause Internet communications to again be communicated to the personal computer through the cable television link.