Dynamic channel assignment for data transmitted via cable television channels

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A system which avoids the bandwidth inefficiencies of simply providing multiple separate and independent channels for distributing data services over television compatible networks by considering the multiple channels as one unit and managing them as one unit with an upstream bandwidth management unit. This bandwidth management unit dynamically assigns active users to unused bandwidth among multiple channels. To accomplish this the bandwidth management unit, records each request for channel bandwidth that is made each request that is being, actively fulfilled and each request that has been completed. Thus data serviceproviders, such as multimedia services can efficiently use multiple 6 …