Patent ID: 7450579

Claim:
A method for communicating a downstream synchronous multichannel (DSSM) packet within a communications management system having a plurality of downstream channels, comprising: determining whether the DSSM packet is destined for a non-DSSM capable remote communications node or a DSSM capable remote communications node; and if the DSSM packet is destined for the non-DSSM capable remote communications node, framing and encapsulating the DSSM packet as a non-DSSM packet-type, and transmitting the DSSM packet on a single downstream channel in the plurality of downstream channels to all remote communications nodes, and if the DSSM packet is destined for the DSSM capable remote communications node, splitting the DSSM packet into a predesignated quantity of pieces, assigning each of the pieces to a corresponding available downstream channel in the plurality of downstream, channels, and transmitting each piece over its assigned available downstream channel to a remote communications node.