Broadband multi-drop local network, interface and method for multimedia access

• US 20040136373A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernard F. Bareis
• Original Assignee: Bernard F. Bareis
• Inventors: Bareis, Bernard F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/13 in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

Broadband multi-drop local network, interface and method for multimedia access. A local network architecture include a wired bus coupleable directly to an external data network terminal and configured for carrying broadband packetized data traffic over a frequency spectrum uninterrupted by other defined data channels or services; and one or a plurality of network transceivers operable individually for coupling an addressable network device processing a defined class of information to the bus wherein each network appliance is configured for and further operable for providing communication interfacing of the class of information of each addressable network appliance with the packetized IP data traffic on the wired bus.

Claims

1. A local network architecture, comprising:

a wired medium capable of carrying broadband packetized data traffic and having an operable frequency spectrum uninterrupted by other defined data channels or services; and

one or a plurality of network interface transceivers operable individually for coupling to said wired medium an addressable network device processing a defined class of information wherein each said network device is further configured for providing communication interfacing of a priortized class of information of each said addressable network device with said packetized data traffic on said wired medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wired medium is constructed of a signal conducting transmission line selected from the group consisting of twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, optical fiber and telephone wire.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data traffic is propagated on said wired medium as multiple subcarrier modulation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data traffic is prioritized according to data prioritization protocols.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data traffic is managed according to carrier sense multiple access/collision detection (CSMA/CD) protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the total usable bandwidth of said wired medium is used for communication on said wired medium.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said network interface transceiver is configured to provide error correction and low-level retransmission of data operable with a Internet Protocol (IP) stack.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said addressable network device may be selected from the group consisting of video equipment, audio equipment, radio equipment, games, electrical appliances, utility metering equipment, security equipment, computer equipment, network equipment, and peripheral devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said local network is connected and communicating with a service provider and at least one addressable network device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said addressable network device comprises an addressable digital device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a said network interface transceiver includes an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing an analog signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a said network interface transceiver includes a digital-to-analog converter for reproducing analog signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein addressability of said addressable network device is provided in said network interface transceiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data traffic is propagated on said wired medium with modulation from one of the following types of modulation:

multiple subcarrier modulation, carrierless amplitude phase (CAP) modulation, discrete multitone (DMT) modulation, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wired bus is configured to provide current for operating network devices or peripheral devices connected to said wired bus.

15. A method for providing high speed multimedia data communication within a local area among and with a plurality of addressable network devices, comprising:

forming a wired network bus for coupling the plurality of addressable network devices thereto and to a demarcation point, said network configured as a shared medium for the transfer of broadband multimedia data among and with the plurality of addressable network devices;

modulating signals to create broadband packetized data for transfer on the wired network; and

controlling the packetized data traffic on said wired network using a carrier sense multiple access/collision detection (CSMA/CD) protocol.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

controlling the transfer of broadband multimedia data according to an engineered quality of service (QoS) protocol.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming a wired network bus comprises the step of:

providing a wired network bus wherein the total usable bandwidth of the wired network bus is used for communication thereon.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming a wired network bus comprises the step of:

constructing a signal conducting transmission line selected from the group consisting of twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, optical fiber and telephone wire.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming a wired network comprises the step of:

configuring the wired network bus to accept connection to an addressable network device selected from the group consisting of video equipment, audio equipment, radio equipment, security equipment, utility metering equipment, electrical appliances, computer equipment, network equipment, peripheral devices, and addressable digital devices.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of modulating signals comprises the step of:

modulating the signals using a technique selected from the group consisting of multiple subcarrier modulation, carrierless amplitude phase (CAP) modulation, discrete multitone (DMT) modulation, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the video equipment comprises an addressable device selected from the group consisting of television receiving equipment;

a computing system; and

video camera, recording, playback, processing or switching equipment.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing error correction and low-level retransmission of the broadband multimedia data operable with an Internet Protocol (IP) stack.

23. An interface transceiver operable for coupling an addressable network device to a broadband wireline local network, comprising:

a broadband modem, coupled via a physical interface to said broadband wireline local network, for demodulating incoming broadband packetized data from said network and modulating data output from said addressable network device to form broadband packetized data to said broadband wireline local network;

a network controller, coupled between said broadband modem and a communication interface with said addressable network device, for performing multimedia access control (MAC) with error correction, carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD), and quality of service (QoS) affecting data traffic through said transceiver; and

a communication processor, disposed integrally with said communication interface with said addressable network device and configured to process data traffic between said network controller and said addressable network device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said interface transceiver further comprises an analog-to-digital converter having an addressable output and an input for analog signals for sourcing analog signals.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said interface transceiver further comprises a digital-to-analog converter having an addressable input and an output for analog signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said broadband modem provides modulation and demodulation of said packetized data using multiple subcarrier modulation.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said broadband modem utilizes modulation selected from the group consisting of multiple subcarrier modulation, carrierless amplitude phase (CAP) modulation, discrete multitone (DMT) modulation, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said network controller comprises:

a multimedia access control (MAC) unit;

a carrier sense multiple access/collision detect (CSMA/CD) unit; and

a quality of service (QoS) unit, collectively configured for processing data traffic through said interface transceiver according to respective protocols associated with each said respective MAC, CSMA/CD and QoS units.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said communication processor comprises:

a computing device configured to provide a secure communications link between said interface transceiver and at least one other said addressable network device; and

a memory having stored therein functional routines selected from the group consisting of protocols for providing real-time, packetized multimedia data traffic on said broadband multidrop local network, programs for encryption/decryption of said data traffic, programs for packetization/depacketization and programs for controlling security protocol.

31. A network, comprising:

a wired medium capable of carrying broadband packetized data traffic and having an operable frequency spectrum uninterrupted by other defined data channels or services and operable to handle only a finite amount of data traffic;

a plurality of network devices, each having a requirement for a predetermined portion of the finite amount of data traffic capabilities provided by said wired medium when operating at a full data transfer rate;

each of said plurality of network devices operable to reserve its associated requirement for a predetermined portion of the finite amount of the data traffic capabilities provided by said wired medium, even when not transferring data to said wired medium; and

wherein said wired medium is operable to interface with only a number of said network devices whose total requirements for predetermined portions of the finite amount of the data traffic capabilities provided by said wired medium do not exceed such finite amount of the data traffic capabilities.

32. The network of claim 31 and further comprising a requirement manager for determining the amount of the finite amount of data traffic capabilities provided by said wired medium that is available for additional ones of said plurality of network devices as unreserved data traffic capabilities and operable to determine if the requirements of any one or more additional ones of said network devices can be attached to said wired medium by reserving all or a portion of the unreserved data traffic capabilities.