Architecture for signal and power distribution in wireless data network

• US 10,142,813 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bianchi, Charles H., Greenwood, Ken C., Sabat, Jr., John
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William
• Application Number:
  US15/614,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20170272923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 37920101, 37941303, 379220, 379230, 4554221, 455557, 370352, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A system comprising: a local area network (LAN) device configured to produce a local area network (LAN) signal; and a modem unit configured to produce, based on the local area network (LAN) signal produced by the local area network (LAN) device, a transport modulated format signal suitable for transmission over transport cabling. The modem unit further configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a local area network (LAN) device configured to produce a local area network (LAN) signal; and

a modem unit configured to produce, based on the local area network (LAN) signal produced by the local area network (LAN) device, a transport modulated format signal suitable for transmission over transport cabling; and

wherein the modem unit is configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport cabling comprises a portion of a cable television plant and wherein the modem unit comprises a cable modem.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport cabling comprises telephone twisted-pair cabling and wherein the modem unit comprises a digital subscriber line modem.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the modem unit produces a downstream local area network (LAN) signal based on a downstream transport modulated format signal received from the transport cabling; and

the local area network (LAN) device produces a downstream local area network (LAN) signal from the downstream local area network (LAN) signal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the downstream local area network (LAN) signal comprises a downstream wired local area network (LAN) signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport cabling comprises fiber optic cabling.

9. A system for coupling a local area network (LAN) device to a network, the system comprising:

a local area network (LAN) device; and

a converter communicatively coupled to the local area network (LAN) device and configured to communicate with the local area network (LAN) device using a wired format signal according to a first wired protocol;

wherein the converter is configured to convert the wired format signal to a transport format for communication over distribution cabling to the network, the distribution cabling comprising at least one of coaxial cable, optical fiber, or twisted pair cabling; and

wherein the converter is configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the converter comprises a cable modem.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the transport format for broadband communication is digital subscriber line signaling.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first wired protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

15. An apparatus for communicatively coupling wireless devices to a network, the apparatus comprising:

a local area network (LAN) device configured to provide a wired local area network (LAN) signal;

a converter configured to convert the wired local area network (LAN) signal to a transport signal suitable for transmission to the network over at least one of coaxial cable, optical fiber, or twisted pair cabling; and

wherein the converter is configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the converter comprises a cable modem.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the transport format for broadband communication is digital subscriber line signaling.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first wired protocol is an Ethernet protocol.