Computer networking techniques
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- designating a building in which previously installed coaxial cabling was utilized to provide television programming;
installing a computer network in the building by coupling a number of communication devices together with the cabling, the devices including a master module and a plurality of adapters that communicate over the first computer network in accordance with a first protocol, the adapters each including a port to interface to at least one device to communicate in accordance with a second protocol;
with the master module, controlling communications among the adapters over the computer network in accordance with the first protocol by;
sending a first signal over the computer network to invite communication by the adapters;
if only one of the adapters responds to the first signal, transmitting a second signal over the computer network to prompt communication by the one of the adapters; and
if two or more of the adapters respond to the first signal, transmitting a third signal over the computer network to indicate a communication collision condition;
in response to the second signal, broadcasting information from the one of the adapters to other of the adapters over the computer network; and
in response to the third signal, the two or more of the adapters each delaying further transmission as a function of a randomly determined time period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment includes a dwelling (24), coaxial cabling (25), and a number of networking devices (98) coupled together with cabling (25) to provide a computer network (51). Devices (98) include a master module (100a) and adapters (100) that communicate over network (51) in accordance with a first communication protocol. Module (100a) generates: a first signal to invite adapter communication over network (51); a second signal to prompt communication by one of adapters (100) if it is the only one that responded to the first signal; and a third signal if two or more of adapters (100) responded to the first signal. The one of adapters (100) responds to the second signal by broadcasting information over network (51) and the two or more adapters (100) respond to the third signal by randomly delaying further transmission.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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designating a building in which previously installed coaxial cabling was utilized to provide television programming;
installing a computer network in the building by coupling a number of communication devices together with the cabling, the devices including a master module and a plurality of adapters that communicate over the first computer network in accordance with a first protocol, the adapters each including a port to interface to at least one device to communicate in accordance with a second protocol;
with the master module, controlling communications among the adapters over the computer network in accordance with the first protocol by;
sending a first signal over the computer network to invite communication by the adapters;
if only one of the adapters responds to the first signal, transmitting a second signal over the computer network to prompt communication by the one of the adapters; and
if two or more of the adapters respond to the first signal, transmitting a third signal over the computer network to indicate a communication collision condition;
in response to the second signal, broadcasting information from the one of the adapters to other of the adapters over the computer network; and
in response to the third signal, the two or more of the adapters each delaying further transmission as a function of a randomly determined time period. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11)
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2. (canceled)
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3. (canceled)
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8. (canceled)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
- a module with logic executable by processing circuitry to perform communication arbitration among a number of adapters of a computer network when coupled together by coaxial cabling suitable to transmit television programming, the adapters each including an Ethernet interface to communicate with one or more devices coupled thereto, the logic being operable to;
(a) send a first signal over the computer network to invite communication by the adapters over the computer network;
(b) if only one of the adapters responds to the first signal, transmit a second signal over the computer network to prompt communication by the one of the adapters; and
(c) if two or more of the adapters respond to the first signal, transmit a third signal over the computer network corresponding to a communication collision condition. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
- a module with logic executable by processing circuitry to perform communication arbitration among a number of adapters of a computer network when coupled together by coaxial cabling suitable to transmit television programming, the adapters each including an Ethernet interface to communicate with one or more devices coupled thereto, the logic being operable to;
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
- a computer network provided by coupling a number of network communication devices together with coaxial cabling, the devices each being structured to communicate with modulated signals over the computer network in accordance with a first protocol and the devices each being operable to communicate over one or more other computer networks in accordance with a second protocol, the devices each including carrier recovery circuitry to generate carrier signals corresponding to the modulated signals, the carrier recovery circuitry including;
a frequency multiplier structured to multiply frequency of each of the modulated signals by a multiplying factor to provide respective multiplied signals, a filter to attenuate content of each of the multiplied signals to provide respective filtered signals, the content of the filtered signals corresponding to data encoded on the modulated signals, a divider to divide each of the filtered signals by the multiplying factor to recover the respective carrier signals, and a mixer structured to demodulate the modulated signals with the respective carrier signals to provide the data encoded thereon. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
- a computer network provided by coupling a number of network communication devices together with coaxial cabling, the devices each being structured to communicate with modulated signals over the computer network in accordance with a first protocol and the devices each being operable to communicate over one or more other computer networks in accordance with a second protocol, the devices each including carrier recovery circuitry to generate carrier signals corresponding to the modulated signals, the carrier recovery circuitry including;
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22. A system, comprising:
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a dwelling;
coaxial cabling previously installed in the dwelling and structured to transmit television programming;
a number of communication devices coupled together with the cabling to provide a computer network in the dwelling, the devices including a master module and a plurality of adapters that communicate over the computer network in accordance with a first communication protocol, the adapters each including an interface with a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol;
a number of devices each coupled to the interface of a corresponding one of the adapters;
the master module including processing circuitry operable to generate;
a first signal to transmit over the computer network to invite communication by the adapters;
a second signal to transmit over the computer network to prompt communication by one of the adapters if the one of the adapters is the only one that responded to the first signal, a third signal to transmit over the computer network to indicate a communication collision condition exists if two or more of the adapters responded to the first signal; and
wherein the one of the adapters responds to the second signal by broadcasting information to other of the adapters over the computer network and the two or more of the adapters each respond to the third signal by delaying further transmission as a function of a randomly determined time period. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25)
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24. (canceled)
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26. A method, comprising:
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installing a computer network by coupling a number of networking devices together with coaxial cabling, the networking devices each including transmitter circuitry and receiver circuitry to communicate information over the computer network in accordance with a first communication protocol;
interfacing each of the networking devices between the computer network and a respective one or more other devices to communicate therewith in accordance with a second protocol different than the first protocol; and
for each of the networking devices, operating the receiver circuitry, which includes;
(a) multiplying frequency of a modulated input signal by a factor to provide a multiplied signal, (b) filtering the multiplied signal to attenuate selected spectral content of the multiplied signal to provide a filtered signal, the selected spectral content corresponding to encoded data, (c) dividing the filtered signal by the factor to provide a recovered carrier signal, and (d) demodulating the modulated input signal with the recovered carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification