Patent ID: 7315583

Claim:
An asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem comprising a discrete multitone (DMT) modem module, the DMT modem module comprising a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to process control signals for initializing the ADSL modem during installation associated with a host device and transmit the processed control signals to a host controller of the host device, wherein the DMT modem module further comprises a program memory, wherein the DMT modem module is configured to download firmware for operating the DMT modem module from the host controller and store the firmware in the program memory of the DMT modem module; and wherein a DMT period has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the DMT modem module is further configured to process data signals during the first portion of the DMT period and wherein the DSP is configured to process the control signals during the second portion of the DMT period, the second portion of the DMT period being defined by a time remaining after the DMT modem module has processed the data signals.