Patent ID: 6694517
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
In a broadband telecommunication network including a plurality of microprocessor-controlled switching units controlling subscriber access to the network, a method for controlling said switching units from a central location using minimal network transmission medium power, comprising the steps of:sending a repeating sequence of switching unit control messages from said central location across said network, each of said messages being addressed to an individual one of said switching units by way of a switching unit address contained in each message; periodically powering each of said switching units from a low power (sleep) state to a higher power operational (wake) state in synchronization with a corresponding one of said control messages being sent from said central location, and thereafter returning said switching units to said sleep state; said sleep state being implemented without microprocessor control by way of a programmable timer that is programmed at the end of each wake state to count for a programmed sleep period that is determined by calculation during said wake state; said wake state being implemented with microprocessor control as a result of said timer asserting a wakeup signal at the end of said programmed sleep period; and said programmed sleep period being calculated by way of a computation that includes comparing a switching unit address received dung said wake state with a switching unit address assigned to said switching unit and adjusting said programmed sleep period if said received switching unit address differs from said assigned switching unit address by a predetermined threshold.