Multi-Wideband Communications over Multiple Mediums

• US 20080130640A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riveiro, Juan Carlos, Hurwitz, Jonathan Ephraim David, Ruiz, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A powerline communications device comprises a powerline communications interface and at least one other communications interface configured to communicate over a computing network. The powerline communications interface is further configured to receive electrical power. The computing network may comprise mediums including powerlines, telephone lines, and/or coaxial cables. In some embodiments, the powerline communications interface may communicate with a network apparatus, such as a personal computer, via an Ethernet interface. The powerline interface, the telephone line interface, and/or the coaxial cable interface may all be associated with the same media access control (MAC) address. The powerline communications device may receive a message via a first medium and repeat the message via a second medium based on a quality of service (QoS) metric. In some embodiments, the powerline communications device may communicate using multiple frequency bands.

Claims

1. A powerline communications device, comprising:

a powerline communications interface configured to communicate a first data signal over a powerline using a first frequency band and to receive electrical power; and

a second communications interface configured to communicate a second data signal over a telephone line or coaxial cable, the second communications interface configured to be powered by the electrical power received through the powerline communications interface and to communicate with a plurality of devices over a communications network, both the first communications interface and the second communications interface associated with a same media access control address.

2. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein the second communications interface comprises a coaxial cable interface.

3. The powerline communication device of claim 1, wherein the second communications interface comprises a telephone line interface.

4. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein at least part of the first frequency band comprises frequencies below approximately thirty megahertz.

5. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein second communications interface is configured to communicate the second data signal using a second frequency band comprising, at least in part, frequencies between approximately fifty megahertz and approximately three hundred megahertz.

6. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein the second communications interface is configured to communicate the second data signal using a second frequency band comprising frequencies above one gigahertz.

7. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein the first communications interface and the second communications interface communicate using a second frequency band comprising, at least in part, frequencies between approximately fifty megahertz and approximately three hundred megahertz.

8. The powerline communications device of claim 1, further comprising a third communications interface configured to communicate a third data signal over the communications network.

9. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein the first communications interface and the second communications interface share at least a portion of a signal path, the signal path comprising a network processor and a host interface controller.

10. The powerline communications device of claim 1, further comprising a third communications interface configured to communicate a third data signal to a network apparatus.

11. The powerline communications device of claim 10, wherein the third communications interface comprises an Ethernet interface.

12. The powerline communications device of claim 10, wherein the network apparatus is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a television, a digital versatile disc player, a speaker, a stereo, a game console, and a personal digital assistant.

13. The powerline communications device of claim 1, further comprising logic configured to determine whether to, in the alternative, transmit a received data signal over the powerline communications interface or the second communications interface, based on a quality of service metric.

14. The powerline communications device of claim 13, wherein the determination is based on a minimum bandwidth requirement associated with the received data signal.

15. The powerline communications device of claim 1, wherein the powerline communications interface is further configured to communicate a third data signal over the powerline using a second frequency band.

16. A powerline communications device comprising:

a powerline communications interface configured to communicate a first data signal over a powerline using a first frequency band and to receive electrical power;

a second communications interface configured to communicate a second data signal over a second medium; and

a third communications interface configured to communicate a third data signal over a third medium.

17. The powerline communications device of claim 16, wherein the second communications interface is configured to receive electrical power via the powerline communications interface.

18. The powerline communications device of claim 16, further comprising logic configured to receive the first data signal over the powerline communications interface and determine whether to forward the first data signal alternatively via the second communications interface or the third communications interface.

19. The powerline communications devices of claim 16, wherein the powerline communication interface, the second communications interface and the third communications interface are associated with a same media access control address.

20. The powerline communications device of claim 16, further comprising logic configured to forward the first data signal over alternatively the powerline or the third medium.

21. The powerline communications device of claim 20, wherein the logic is further configured to select, in the alternative, whether to forward the second data signal over the powerline or the third medium, based on a quality of service metric.

22. A method for communicating within a network, comprising:

interrogating a communications network to determine a quality of service metric associated with each member of a plurality of available pathways to a device connected to the communications network;

receiving a message addressed to a media access control address via a first medium in a first frequency band;

selecting a pathway from the plurality of available pathways based on the quality of service metric, at least one of the available pathways comprising a powerline; and

transmitting at least part of the message to the device via a second medium based on the pathway selected.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising selecting a second frequency band based on the second medium, wherein the transmission via the second media is transmitted using the second frequency band.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the selection of the pathway is further based on a type of the device.

25. The method of claim 22, further including transmitting another part of the message to the device via another pathway of the plurality of available pathways.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the selection of the pathway is further based on a bandwidth requirement.