Multicast downstream sharing home gateway using DBC-AD message in DOCSIS 3.0-based CATV network

Abstract

In this paper, we present a method to receive multicast packets forwarded to a fiber node through a HG (Home Gateway) that has an advanced CM (Cable Modem) in a DOCSIS 3.0-based CATV network. As the CATV network is in a tree-and-branch structure, in case of forwarding multicast packets to a CM, they are forwarded to all the other CMs in the same fiber node. However, as all the other CMs do not join a multicast session with the CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System), those multicast packets are discarded. Therefore, we present a new method to receive multicast packets that are forwarded in the same fiber node by using a newly proposed DBC-AD (Dynamic Bonding Change-Advertisement) message that the CMTS transmits to a HG. The proposed method in a DOCSIS 3.0-based CATV network provides the bandwidth saving, and multicast packets can be forwarded without network delay through a HG.