Patent ID: 7916744

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for reducing frequency scanning time in one or more of a plurality of remote network devices connected to a central network device comprising: receiving at a receiver a signal associated with a current downstream frequency; determining the signal energy content of the current downstream frequency at an end user device; identifying a signal associated with a new downstream frequency at the end user device the new downstream frequency differing from the current downstream frequency by a half channel width, and the new downstream frequency being identified based on the determination of signal energy content in the current downstream frequency is zero; repeating the method at the end user device upon identifying a signal associated with a new downstream frequency; in response to identifying energy in the signal at the current downstream frequency, attempting QAM lock on the signal at the current downstream frequency; determining that the signal at the current downstream frequency is not that of a headend device responsive to attempting QAM lock; if the signal at the current downstream frequency is not that of a headend device, identifying a new downstream frequency at the end user device, wherein the new downstream frequency at the end user device that differs from the current frequency by a full channel width; and wherein scanning is restarted with an offset of 250 kHz from the original scanning after scanning a predetermined spectrum of frequencies without achieving lock to a CMTS signal.