Patent ID: 8489153

Claim:
A cable modem configured to operate in a low power mode, comprising: an upstream modulator configured to transmit a message to a cable modem termination system; a downstream de-modulator configured to receive a message from the cable modem termination system; and a processor coupled to the downstream de-modulator and configured to determine whether the cable modem is inactive for a period of time, to send a sleep request to the cable modem termination system using the upstream modulator if the cable modem is inactive for the period of time, receive a sleep command from the cable modem termination system via the downstream de-modulator in response to the sleep request, operate the cable modem in the low power mode in response to the sleep command, and operate the cable modem in a normal power mode in response to a wake-up message received from the cable modem termination system, wherein the wake-up message indicates presence of a high-priority communication for the cable modem at the cable modem termination system.