Generic control protocol

摘要

Techniques are provided for controlling downstream Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) access points or other devices using a Generic Control Protocol (GCP). At the CCAP access point having a network interface and a coaxial interface, GCP control plane information is received from a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) via the network interface, where the control plane information is designed to configure the CCAP access point to enable communication over the network interface and the coaxial interface. GCP can be used to send data structures and register control messages across a network to embedded devices.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
generating at a master device generic control protocol (GCP) control messages configured to control a slave device configured to communicate with modulator/demodulators (modems), wherein the GCP control messages comprise control fields including a structured access field and a register access field collectively used to configure a Media Access Control (MAC) layer and a physical (PHY) layer interface of the slave device and provide power management control of the slave device; wherein the structured access field includes one or more of (i) a device management message configured to provide device control of the slave device and (ii) an exchange data structure message configured with a payload field configured to store a data structure defined in a non-GCP protocol to configure the slave device; wherein the register access field includes one or more of (i) an exchange data registers message configured to read and write directly to a hardware register in the slave device and (ii) a mask write register message configured to write directly to individual bits of a hardware register in the slave device; and transmitting the GCP control messages to the slave device in order to control the slave device.