Intelligent device system and method for distribution of digital signals on a wideband signal distribution system

Abstract

A plurality of intelligent device systems for use with a wideband signal distribution network, and methods for transmitting digital information and receiving digital and non-digital information onto and off of an RF carrier through a wideband signal distribution network, are disclosed. The intelligent device systems provide networks of intelligent devices that modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband signal distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, using existing EIA/TIA 568 standard wiring infrastructure. The methods modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, and separate IP portions from non-IP portions.

1 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A cable modem for bonding a plurality of upstream RF channels to increase upload speed of content associated with a customer, the cable modem comprising:
 a congestion management server configured to:
 measure a utilization of a received at least one upstream channel containing data; and 
 generate traffic information comprising the utilization information; and 
   a modulator unit configured to modulate the received at least one upstream channel onto at least two modulated streams to generate at least two modulated RF channels, and   an RF converter configured to combine and channelize the at least two modulated streams into a modulated RF channel selected group, wherein the traffic information indicates that a total RF channel bandwidth consumed by the received at least one upstream channel is greater than the information capacity of a single RF channel.   
     
     
         41 . The cable modem of  claim 40 , wherein the received at least one upstream channel comprises a plurality of upstream data streams. 
     
     
         42 . The cable modem of  claim 40 , wherein the modulator comprises a plurality of modulators. 
     
     
         43 . The cable modem of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of modulators are configured to, in accordance with the generated traffic information, receive instructions from a processor on a number of combined modulated channels to carry the received at least one upstream channel. 
     
     
         44 . A cable modem for unbonding a downstream RF channel group, the cable modem comprising:
 a demodulator configured to demodulate the downstream RF channel group into at least one data stream, each of the at least one data streams comprising a plurality of downstream RF channels having a greater summed RF channel bandwidth than a consumed bandwidth of the respective one of the at least one data streams;   an RF detector configured to detect RF channels being used in the cable modem; and   a processor configured to instruct the demodulator to demodulate the downstream RF group, based on the channels identified in the channel in use information.   
     
     
         45 . The cable modem of  claim 44 , wherein the demodulator comprises a plurality of demodulators. 
     
     
         46 . A cable modem termination system for increasing the download speed of content by bonding a plurality of downstream digital channels, comprising:
 a modulator configured to modulate a received at least one downstream channel onto at least two modulated RF streams to generate at least two modulated RF channels; and   an RF converter configured to channelize and combine the at least two modulated streams into a combined RF channel selected group, wherein a consumed bandwidth of the received at least one downstream channel is greater than the information capacity of a single RF channel.   
     
     
         47 . The cable modem termination system of  claim 46 , wherein the received at least one downstream channel comprises a plurality of downstream data streams. 
     
     
         48 . The cable modem termination system of  claim 46 , wherein the modulator comprises a plurality of modulators. 
     
     
         49 . The cable modem termination system of claim  7 , further comprising a congestion management server configured to:
 measure a utilization of the received at least one downstream channel;   generate traffic information comprising the utilization information; and   instruct the modulator on a number of bonded RF channels to carry the at least one downstream channel based on the utilization of the received at least one downstream channel and a provisioned bandwidth of one of the received at least one of the downstream channels.   
     
     
         50 . A method for bonding a plurality of upstream RF channels to increase upload speed of content associated with a customer, the method comprising:
 measuring a utilization of a received at least one upstream channel containing data;   generating traffic information comprising the utilization information   modulating the received at least one upstream channel onto at least two modulated streams to generate at least two modulated RF channels;   combining the at least two modulated RF channels into a modulated RF channel group, wherein the traffic information indicates that a total RF channel bandwidth consumed by the received at least one upstream channel is greater than an information capacity of a single RF channel.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the received at least one upstream channel comprises a plurality of upstream data streams. 
     
     
         52 . A method for increasing a download speed of content by bonding a plurality of RF channels, the method comprising:
 modulating the received at least one downstream channels onto at least two modulated streams to generate at least two modulated RF channels; and   combining the at least two modulated RF channels into a combined RF channel group, wherein the traffic information indicates that a total RF channel bandwidth consumed by the received at least one downstream channel is greater than an information capacity of a single RF channel.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 measuring a utilization of the received at least one downstream channels;   generating traffic information comprising the utilization information; and   in accordance with the traffic information, modulating a number of RF channels to carry the received at least one downstream channel based on the utilization of the received at least one downstream channels.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the received at least one downstream channel comprises a plurality of downstream data streams.