Network interface device and broadband local area network using coaxial cable

• US 20020166124A1
• Filed: 07/21/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Entropic Communications Incorporated (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eiwardani, Ladd, Gurantz, Itzhak, Monk, Anton, Bernath, Brett, Berggren, Magnus
• Granted Patent: US 7,594,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/615 Signal processing at physical level signal processing in analog two-way television systems H04N7/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A local area network uses coaxial cable wiring for interconnection of terminal devices. A frequency selective network interface device is placed at the building point of entry or another point in the wiring to reflect network signals transmitted by terminal devices back into the building distribution to be received by other terminal devices. By reflecting network upstream signals back into the building as downstream signals, the network interface provides a path for terminal devices to transmit to and receive from other terminal devices.

Claims

1. A network interface device connected to building wiring, the building wiring comprising a point of entry and a plurality of branches connected to terminal devices, for creating a signal distribution system comprising

a first port connected to the point of entry side of a branch of the building wiring;

a second port connected to the terminal device side of a branch of the building wiring; and

a signal reflecting circuit connected between the first and second port.

2. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the signal reflecting circuit comprises a parallel resonant circuit.

3. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the signal reflecting circuit comprises a series resonant circuit.

4. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the signal reflecting circuit comprises

a splitter/combiner with a first tap port, a second tap port and a common port, wherein the power at the first and second tap ports is coupled bi-directionally to the common port;

the common port connected to a branch of building wiring;

a first filter for separating bands of frequencies connected to the first tap port;

means for reflecting signal energy connected to the first filter; and

a second filter for separating band of frequencies connected between the second tap port and the point of entry.

5. A signal distribution network for transmitting modulated signals using building wiring containing a plurality of branches comprising

a network interface device that couples network signals originating in the building wiring back into the building wiring;

at least one signal splitter; and

a plurality of terminal devices.

6. The signal distribution network of claim 5, wherein the signal modulation is orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.

7. The signal distribution network of claim 5, wherein the building wiring is coaxial cable.

8. The signal distribution network of claim 5, wherein the network interface device is located at the point of entry of the building wiring.

9. The signal distribution network of claim 5, wherein the network interface device is frequency dependent and couples signals by reflecting a predetermined frequency band of signals.

10. The signal distribution network of claim 5, wherein the network interface device is direction dependent and couples signals by power summing signals from at least two branches.

11. A signal distribution network for transmitting modulated signals using building wiring comprising

at least one signal splitter;

and

at least one frequency dependent signal coupling element connected to a signal splitter; and

a plurality of terminal devices connected to signal splitters.

12. The signal distribution network of claim 11, wherein the frequency dependent signal coupling element reflects a predetermined frequency band of signals.

13. The signal distribution network of claim 11, wherein the signal distribution network is orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.

14. The signal distribution network of claim 12, wherein the building wiring is coaxial cable.

15. The signal distribution network of claim 12, wherein the frequency dependent signal coupling element is located at the point of entry of the building wiring.

16. The signal distribution network of claim 12, wherein the signal modulation is orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.

17. The signal distribution network of claim 12, wherein the signal modulation is code division multiplex.

18. The signal distribution network of claim 16, further comprising a method of sharing the communication medium between terminal devices using time division duplex protocol.