Cable Modem Address Type Provisioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

In large broadband networks, the traditional IPv4 addressing approach leads to excessive and unnecessary network traffic as customer premise equipment devices, such as set-top boxes, are not informed of the proper network address type, causing them to make sequential requests for different address types until the correct one is obtained.

Innovation Solution

A method where the cable modem receives a configuration file from a network server that includes service provisioning information and custom fields indicating the network address type, which it then passes to the customer premise equipment device, allowing it to request a network address accordingly, reducing unnecessary transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If customer premise equipment devices make sequential requests for different network address types, then they can eventually obtain the correct address type, but excessive and unnecessary network traffic is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaddress acquisition reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cable modem performs preliminary action by including the network address type information in the configuration file before the customer premise equipment device makes any address requests. This preliminary provision of address type information eliminates the need for sequential trial requests, thereby reducing unnecessary network traffic while ensuring reliable address acquisition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If customer premise equipment devices sequentially request different address types, then address compatibility is ensured, but network traffic and transaction time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaddress type compatibilityVSAvoidaddress acquisition time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cable modem includes network address type information in the configuration file as a preliminary action. This allows the customer premise equipment device to know the correct address type before making requests, eliminating time-consuming sequential trials while maintaining adaptability to different address types (IPv4, IPv6, or other types).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the network server through the configuration file to inform the cable modem and subsequently the customer premise equipment device of the appropriate network address type. This feedback mechanism ensures compatibility while minimizing acquisition time by avoiding unnecessary requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12047230B2Initializing, provisioning, and managing devices

Publication Date: 2024.07.23 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC

AI summary

A method of initializing, provisioning, and managing a cable modem and a customer premise equipment device includes sending a customized configuration file to the cable modem. The configuration file contains service provisioning information and further includes information indicative of a network address type for the customer premise equipment device. A message is passed from the cable modem to the customer premise equipment device indicative of the network address type. The customer premise equipment device is provided with a network address in accordance with the network address type indicated in the message. In this way, the customer premise equipment device knows what kind of address to obtain, and excessive transactions are avoided.