Patent attributes
A communication system is disclosed for providing dedicated bandwidth to at least one subscriber location for transmitting to a common point of distribution via an HFC network. In an embodiment of the invention, the communication system includes a channel interface module and at least one gateway coupled across the HFC network. The channel interface module is located at the point of distribution and includes a transmitter that transmits a windowing signal via the HFC network. The gateway is located at a subscriber location and includes a processor that encapsulates subscriber data into data cells suitable for burst transmission, receive logic that receives the windowing signal, timing logic that indicates burst transmission times only at programmed time slots within each of repeating transmission windows based on the windowing signal and a predetermined transmission timing offset, and a burst transmitter that burst transmits subscriber data cells in a predetermined upstream frequency channel when indicated by the timing logic.
