Architecture for communicating with and controlling separate upstream and downstream devices

Abstract

What is disclosed is an apparatus having a first interface with a device driver for interfacing with an downstream device; and, a second interface having a control and parse engine and an input / output control interface for interfacing with the first interface.

Description

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention[0002] The present invention relates to the field of establishing computer networks for computers using separate upstream and downstream devices, such as one-way cable modems. Specifically, the present invention provides an architecture for communicating with and controlling separate upstream and downstream devices.[0003] 2. Description of Related Art[0004] Currently, most home personal computers (clients) are connecting with the Internet and other on-line services using the public telephone network. Most often, data is transferred using Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) implemented over such protocols as the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) or the Serial Line Internet protocol (SLIP). PPP and SLIP allow clients to become part of a TCP / IP network (such as the internet) using the public telephone network and either an analog modem or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) device. Clients connect to a network by "dialing-up" a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Thus, it does not scale well to the delivery of broadband data such as multimedia.

However, as the cable television network was originally intended only for transmitting data from a headend server located at the cable television service provider's site to one or more subscribers / users (i.e., the network was designed for a one-to-many transmission of information), no provision was made for receiving data from the equipment (i.e., clients) located at the users' locations.

Thus, the broadband network architecture only provides for the delivery, and not the receipt, of data].

Moreover, although certain broadband networks are becoming equiped with the capability of two way communications, in broadband networks without this capability, no data can be sent back from client to the headend.

However, current operating systems do not provide for the necessary control and communication interfaces needed for both the upstream network device and the downstream network device.

However, as the cable modem does not support transmission of upstream data, the cable modem cannot transmit the packets, and as a result, the packets are lost.

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