Patent ID: 8223775
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A cable modem system comprising: a data networking engine implemented in a first circuit that includes at least one processor, the data networking engine programmed with software that when executed by the at least one processor of the first circuit causes the data networking engine to perform home networking functions including interfacing with customer provided equipment, wherein the at least one processor is a RISC processor; a cable modem engine implemented in a second circuit that includes at least one processor, the second circuit being separate from the first circuit, the cable modem engine including a DOCSIS PHY layer, a DOCSIS controller, and a DOCSIS controller and programmed with software that when executed by the at least one processor of the second circuit causes the cable modem engine to perform cable modem functions other than the home networking functions performed by the data networking engine, the cable modem functions including interfacing with cable media, the cable modem engine configured to enable upgrades to its software in a manner that is independent of upgrades to the software of the data networking engine; and a data bus that connects the data networking engine to the cable modem engine, wherein the cable modem functions performed by the cable modem engine are completely partitioned from the home networking functions performed by the data networking engine; wherein the DOCSIS MAC processor is configured to process downstream PDU packets and forward the processed packets directly to the data networking engine without the involvement of the DOCSIS controller in order to boost downstream throughput.