Method and apparatus to carry out wideband DOCSIS both upstream and downstream
in a point-to-multipoint environment of an HFC system using port trunking concepts.
For the downstream, each CMTS has a frame distributor which distributes frames
to various transmitters transmitting on downstream channels to be used to transmit
downstream data simultaneously to a CM using wideband DOCSIS. The frame distributor
adds sequence numbers in some embodiments to guarantee proper order of frames can
be restored at the CM, and schedules transmissions according to quality of service
considerations to meet guaranteed and committed portions of constant bit rate and
variable bit rate flows. The CMTS sends and Extended Channel Enable (ECE) message
to wideband capable CMs telling them which downstreams to enable. Each CM has a
frame collector to which all frames received on various downstream channels are
sent. The frame collector makes sure they are all there, puts them into the proper
order and delivers them to a NI. Upstream wideband DOCSIS works the same way with
a frame distributor in each CM and a frame collector in the CMTS. The CMTS receives
bandwidth requests and controls upstream wideband DOCSIS transmissions by sending
downstream UCD and MAP and ECE messages to the CMs instructing them which upstream
channels to use, describing the parameters of the channel and assigning times for
transmission which are simultaneous on multiple channels for upstream wideband
capable CMs.