Real time device polling for multiplexed transmission

1. In a telecommunications system supporting polled communications, a polling method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a polling signal at a first periodic rate;

(b) receiving a response, from a first polled device, to said polling signal transmitted in step (a);

(c) increasing said transmitting said polling signal to said first polled device from which a response was received in step (b), from said first periodic rate to a second periodic rate, wherein said second periodic rate causes polling to occur more frequently than said first periodic rate;

(d) receiving a second response from said first polled device;

(e) decreasing said transmitting said polling signal to said first polled device to a third periodic rate, wherein said third periodic rate causes polling to occur less frequently than said second period rate.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1 wherein said third periodic rate is equal to said first periodic rate.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(f) when no response is received from said first polled device to a transmitted polling signal before a subsequent poll signal is transmitted, increasing said transmitting said polling signal to said first polled device, from said third periodic rate to a fourth periodic rate, wherein said fourth periodic rate causes polling to occur more frequently than said third periodic rate;

(g) receiving a response from said first polled device to a polling signal sent in step (f);

(h) decreasing said transmitting said polling signal to said first polled device to a fifth periodic rate, wherein said fifth periodic rate causes polling to occur less frequently than said fourth period rate.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3 wherein said first, third and fifth periodic rates are the same.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 3 wherein said second and fourth period rates are the same.

6. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating, by at least one cable modem at a periodic rate, a plurality of data packets from data received from a customer premises equipment connected to said at least one cable modem;

(b) polling at a first polling rate, by a cable modem termination system at a head end of said cable network, said at least one cable modem connected to said cable network, wherein said polling further comprises sending a plurality of allocation maps at an allocation map frequency;

(c) when said at least one cable modem receives one of said plurality of allocation maps from said polling, after generating a first of said plurality of data packets, requesting by said at least one cable modem a first transmit opportunity in a request slot within said one of said plurality of allocation maps;

(d) when said cable modem termination system receives said request for said first transmit opportunity in said request slot in said one of said plurality of allocation maps,

(d1) granting said first transmit opportunity for said at least one cable modem in a first grant allocation map from said plurality of allocation maps from said polling, and

(d2) polling said at least one cable modem at a second polling rate, wherein said second polling rate is more frequent than said first polling rate;

(e) when said at least one cable modem receives said first grant allocation map, transmitting said first of said plurality of data packets,

(f) when said at least one cable modem receives another one of said plurality of allocation maps from said polling, after generating a second of said plurality of data packets, requesting by said at least one cable modem a second transmit opportunity in a request slot within said another one of said plurality of allocation maps;

(g) when said cable modem termination system receives said request for said second transmit opportunity in said request slot in said another one of said plurality of allocation maps,

(g1) granting said second transmit opportunity for said at least one cable modem in a second grant allocation map, and

(g2) polling said at least one cable modem at a third polling rate, wherein said third polling rate is less frequent than said second polling rate; and

(h) when said at least one cable modem receives said second grant allocation map, transmitting said second of said plurality of data packets.

7. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 further comprising the step of:

(i) repeating steps (f), (g), and (h) for said plurality of allocation maps and said plurality of data packets for a plurality of requests from said at least one cable modem for a plurality of transmit opportunities in a plurality of request slots within said plurality of allocation maps while polling said at least one cable modem at said third polling rate.

8. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

(j) when said cable modem termination system fails to receive a next request from said polling of said at least one cable modem for a next transmit opportunity in a next request slot in a next allocation map, polling said at least one cable modem at a fourth polling rate, wherein said fourth polling rate is more frequent than said third polling rate; and

(k) when said cable modem termination system fails to receive another next request immediately after step (j) from said polling of said at least one cable modem for a next transmit opportunity in a next request slot in a next allocation map, polling said at least one cable modem at a fifth polling rate, wherein said fifth polling rate is less frequent than said fourth polling rate.

9. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 8 wherein step (k) is replaced by the following new step (k):

(k) when said cable modem termination system receives-another next request immediately after step (j) from said polling of said at least one cable modem for a next transmit opportunity in a next request slot in a next allocation map,

(k1) granting said next transmit opportunity for said at least one cable modem in a next grant allocation map, and

(k2) polling said at least one cable modem at a fifth polling rate, wherein said fifth polling rate is less frequent than said fourth polling rate.

10. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 8 wherein said first polling rate, said third polling rate, and said fifth polling rate are the same.

11. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 8 wherein said second polling rate and said fourth polling rate are the same.

12. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 wherein said allocation map frequency is a sub-multiple of said first polling rate.

13. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 wherein said periodic rate for said generation of said plurality of data packets has an integer relationship with said first polling rate.

14. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 13 wherein said periodic rate for said generation of said plurality of data packets is the same as said first polling rate.

15. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 wherein a first group of cable modems are polled by said cable modem termination system at said first polling rate starting at a first time, and a second group of cable modems are polled by said cable modem termination system at said first polling rate starting at a second time.

16. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 wherein said customer premises equipment is a telephone.

17. A real time device polling method for multiplexed transmission over a cable network according to claim 6 wherein said customer premises equipment is a personal computer.

18. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data comprising:

a plurality of cable modems connected to said cable network, wherein each of said plurality of cable modems generates a plurality of data packets at a periodic rate for transmission upstream over said cable network;

a plurality of customer premises equipment, wherein each of said plurality of customer premises equipment is connected to one of said plurality of cable modems through a customer interface, wherein each of said plurality of customer premises equipment generates said constant bit rate data, wherein said constant bit rate data is transferred over said customer interface to each of said plurality of cable modems; and

a cable modem termination system connected to a head end of said cable network, wherein said cable modem termination system polls said plurality of cable modems at a first polling rate, and further wherein when said polling indicates to said cable modem termination system that one of said plurality of cable modems has requested a first transmit opportunity to transmit at least one data packet, allocating bandwidth by said cable modem termination system for said first transmit opportunity for said one of said plurality of cable modems, and polling by said cable modem termination system said one of said plurality of cable modems at a second polling rate, wherein said second polling rate is more frequent than said first polling rate, and further wherein when said polling at said second polling rate indicates to said cable modem termination system that said one of said plurality of cable modems has requested a second transmit opportunity to transmit at least one other data packet, allocating bandwidth by said cable modem termination system for said second transmit opportunity for said one of said plurality of cable modems, and polling by said cable modem termination system said one of said plurality of cable modems at a third polling rate, wherein said third polling rate is less frequent than said second polling rate.

19. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein when said cable modem termination system fails to receive a next request for a next transmit opportunity to transmit a next data packet from said polling of said one of said plurality of cable modems, polling by said cable modem termination system said one of said plurality of cable modems at a fourth polling rate, wherein said fourth polling rate is more frequent than said third polling rate, and further wherein when said cable modem termination system fails to receive another next request for another next transmit opportunity to transmit another next data packet immediately after said failure to receive said next request for said next transmit opportunity from said polling of said one of said plurality of cable modems, polling by said cable modem termination system said at least one cable modem at a fifth polling rate, wherein said fifth polling rate is less frequent than said fourth polling rate.

20. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 19 wherein said first polling-rate, said third polling rate, and said fifth polling rate are the same.

21. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 19 wherein said second polling rate and said fourth polling rate are the same.

22. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein when said cable modem termination system fails to receive a next request for a next transmit opportunity to transmit a next data packet from said polling of said one of said plurality of cable modems, polling by said cable modem termination system said one of said plurality of cable modems at a fourth polling rate, wherein said fourth polling rate is more frequent than said third polling rate, and further wherein when said cable modem termination system receives another next request for another next transmit opportunity to transmit another next data packet immediately after said failure to receive said next request for said next transmit opportunity from said polling of said one of said plurality of cable modems, allocating bandwidth by said cable modem termination system for said another next transmit opportunity for said one of said plurality of cable modems, and polling by said cable modem termination system said at least one cable modem at a fifth polling rate, wherein said fifth polling rate is less frequent than said fourth polling rate.

23. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 further comprising:

a network-side interface connected to said cable modem termination system; and

a wide-area network connected to said network-side interface, wherein said network-side interface allows said cable modem termination system to receive external signals from said area network, and further wherein said network-side interface allows said cable modem termination system to transmit signals to said wide-area network.

24. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein said polling further comprises transmitting by said cable modem termination system a plurality of allocation maps at an allocation map frequency.

25. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 24 wherein said allocation map frequency is a sub-multiple of said first polling rate.

26. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein said periodic rate for said generation of said plurality of data packets has a substantially integer relationship with said first polling rate.

27. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 26 wherein said periodic rate for said generation of said plurality of data packets is the same as said first polling rate.

28. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein said customer premises equipment is a telephone.

29. A cable network for transmitting constant bit rate data according to claim 18 wherein said customer premises equipment is a personal computer.