Patent ID: 7551610

Claim:
A distributed cable modem termination system in a hybrid fiber/coaxial (HFC) plant, comprising: at least one network layer; one or more physical layers, at least one media access layer, wherein said at least one media access layer comprises: one or more miniMAC layers comprising (i) circuitry required to convert digital bit streams into packets and vice versa, and (ii) means for remotely coupling to a remaining part of said at least one media access layer which is structurally separate from said one or more miniMAC layers; and the remaining part of said at least one media access layer which is structurally separate from said one or more miniMAC layers; wherein: said one or more miniMAC layers are remotely located from the remaining part of said at least one media access layer; said one or more miniMAC layers are remotely coupled to the remaining part of the at least one media access layer; and said one or more miniMAC layers and the remaining part of the at least one media access layer are configured to jointly operate as the at least one media access layer; wherein said at least one network layer, said remaining part of said at least one media access layer, said one or more miniMAC layers, and said one or more physical layers are dispersed throughout said HFC plant in a modular fashion, enabling each dispersed layer to be in separate locations of said HFC plant, yet having said at least one network layer connected to said remaining part of said at least one media access layer, said at least one dispersed remaining part of said at least one dispersed media access layer connected to each of said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers, and each of said one or more dispersed physical layers connected to each of said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers; wherein said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers are located in close proximity to said one or more dispersed physical layers in said HFC plant, said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers maintaining timing constraints between said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers and said one or more dispersed physical layers; wherein each dispersed layer is isolated from at least one other layer; and wherein said at least one dispersed network layer, said at least one dispersed remaining part of said dispersed media access control layer, said one or more dispersed miniMAC layers, and said one or more dispersed physical layers are configured to operate collectively as a cable modem termination system.