Patent ID: 7587746

Claim:
A method comprising: sending a configuration file to a cable modem, the configuration file including power-saving instructions included in vendor-specific extensions; receiving a registration message from the cable modem at a head end, the registration message including an indication that the cable modem has power-saving capabilities; sending an acknowledgement to the cable modem to allow the cable modem to use power-saving capabilities; transmitting a first unicast SYNCH message with first vendor-specific extensions from the headend to the cable modem to disable the cable modem receiver circuitry for periodic intervals separated by activation windows, wherein the cable modem ignores all broadcast messages after receiving the first unicast SYNCH message; maintaining at the headend an indication of cable modem receiver circuitry state; transmitting a second unicast SYNCH message with second vendor-specific extensions from the headend to enable the cable modem receiver circuitry such that the cable modem receives the second unicast SYNCH message during an activation window, wherein the headend is configured to identify the activation window corresponding to the time the cable modem receiver circuitry is enabled prior to transmitting the second unicast SYNCH message during the activation window; and setting the indication of cable modem receiver circuitry state to enabled.