Coaxial Line Terminal Bandwidth Allocation in EPoC Networks

The patent introduces a buffer management unit as an intermediary component between the optical network interface and coaxial network interface. This buffer management unit receives bandwidth allocation information from the optical network, stores it in a buffer, and manages the timing of data transmission to the coaxial network. It acts as a mediator that coordinates resource allocation across the two different network segments, enabling end-to-end scheduling without requiring complex direct interaction between the optical and coaxial scheduling mechanisms.

The buffer management unit performs preliminary actions by pre-storing bandwidth allocation information and timing data in a buffer before actual data transmission occurs. When the optical network allocates bandwidth, the buffer management unit immediately stores this information along with the allocated time window, preparing it for coordinated transmission to the coaxial network. This preliminary storage and timing management ensures that when data needs to be transmitted, the timing coordination is already established, maintaining reliability without requiring complex real-time coordination mechanisms.

The patent segments the resource allocation mechanism into distinct functional components: an optical network interface that handles optical domain bandwidth allocation, a buffer management unit that coordinates timing and stores allocation information, and a coaxial network interface that handles coaxial domain transmission. Each segment maintains its own optimization logic while the buffer management unit provides the coordination needed for end-to-end efficiency. This segmentation allows each component to remain relatively simple while achieving unified scheduling across the entire optical-coaxial network.