IN-HOME COEXISTENCE NETWORK

• US 20090034552A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intellon Corporation (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yonge, Lawrence W. III, Katar, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area 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 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/12 Shortest path evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/121 by minimising delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/787 Bandwidth trade among domains

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamic allocation of network bandwidth. In some examples, a guaranteed interval period, including a guaranteed interval start time and guaranteed interval end time, can be identified based upon policy. Network stations can then identify first interval start times and first interval end times different than the guaranteed start times and guaranteed end time provided by policy. An access network can thereby provide a first interval start time and a first interval end time to stations within the access network. An in-home network can determine an in-home interval period based upon the first interval start time and first interval end time.

Claims

1. A method of sharing time on a shared medium between an access network and one or more in-home networks, comprising:

determining a guaranteed interval period comprising a guaranteed interval start time and a guaranteed interval end time within a periodic interval of time based on a policy at one or more stations in an access network;

determining at the one or more stations in the access network a first interval start time and a first interval end time within the periodic interval of time, wherein the first interval start times and first interval end times may be different than the guaranteed interval start time and the guaranteed interval end time;

providing the first interval start time and the first interval end time of the one or more stations in the access network to one or more in-home networks; and

determining an in-home interval period at the in-home network based on the first interval start time and the first interval end time of the one or more stations in the access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access network and the in-home network comprise a broadband over power line network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the guaranteed interval period represents a minimum amount of time for the access network to access a medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access network determines the guaranteed interval period when at least one in-home network is present.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a guaranteed interval start time and a guaranteed interval end time comprises:

receiving guaranteed interval period information from a head end of the access network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the guaranteed interval period information provided by the head end includes the start and end time of the guaranteed interval period within the periodic interval of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy defines a percentage of time within the periodic interval of time that the access network can utilize.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy determines a duration of the periodic interval of time that the access network can utilize.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is based on a number of in-home networks that a station in the access network detects.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is based on the priority of traffic being utilized by the in-home network and the access network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interval end time is fixed for the one or more stations in the access network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interval start time is adjustable for the one or more stations in the access network based on a network demand.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein network demand is assessed by stations monitoring network traffic.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an access network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the minimum required to meet the access network demand when the access network demand is less than the guaranteed interval.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an access network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the minimum required to meet the access network demand when the access network demand is greater than the guaranteed interval and less than the interval indicated by the in-home network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an access network demand and an in-home network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the maximum available to the access network while still meeting the in-home network demand when the access network demand is greater than the guaranteed interval and the interval indicated by the in-home network, and the in-home network demand is less than the guaranteed interval.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an in-home network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the minimum required to meet the in-home network demand when the in-home network demand is less than the guaranteed interval.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an in-home network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the minimum required to meet the in-home network demand when the in-home network demand is greater than the guaranteed interval and less than the interval indicated by the access network.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the network demand comprises an access network demand and an in-home network demand, and the first interval start time is selected as the maximum available to the in-home network while still meeting the access network demand when the in-home network demand is greater than the guaranteed interval and the interval indicated by the access network, and the access network demand is less than the guaranteed interval.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein network demand is assessed by a headend device monitoring network traffic.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-home interval period represents an amount of time for the in-home network to access a medium.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at the one or more stations in the access network a first interval start time and a first interval end time within the periodic interval of time comprises:

monitoring a traffic load for one or more connected in-home networks and the guaranteed interval period; and

adjusting the local access start time based on the monitoring step.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein a default time for the guaranteed interval period is equal to half of the periodic interval.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the guaranteed interval period is utilized at the end of the periodic interval.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-home interval period is utilized at the beginning of the periodic interval.

26. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving the in-home interval period from the in-home network;

determining that the in-home network requires more bandwidth; and

in response to determining that the in-home network requires more bandwidth, decreasing the first interval period comprising the first interval start time and the first interval end time outside of the guaranteed interval, and decreasing the first interval period within the guaranteed interval based upon bandwidth requirements of the access network.

27. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving the in-home interval period from the in-home network;

determining that the access network requires more bandwidth; and

in response to determining that the access network requires more bandwidth, increasing the first interval period comprising the first interval start time and the first interval end time within the guaranteed interval, and increasing the first interval period outside of the guaranteed interval based upon the in-home interval period received from the in-home network.

28. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether the in-home network is a HomePlug AV network;

using a the guaranteed interval period at the access network; and

using a stay-out region at the in-home network to indicate a period of time that the in-home network is not utilizing.

29. The method of claim 1, comprising:

setting the in-home interval period at the in-home network at half of the periodic interval; and

adjusting the guaranteed interval period of a periodic interval at the head end of the access network.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-home network is a HomePlug AV network.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-home network is an IEEE P1901 in-home network.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the access network is an IEEE P1901 access network.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the access station utilizes HomePlug AV Beacons with Regions BENTRY to communicate the first interval start time and the first interval end time.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the access network utilizes Reserved Regions to indicate the first interval start time and the first interval end time.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-home network utilizes Stay-out regions to indicate intervals of time that it is not utilizing.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the start time and end time of the access and in-home intervals are synchronized with respect to alternating current line cycle.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronization is provided by the access network to all in-home networks.

38. A system, comprising:

one more stations in an access network configured to;

determine a guaranteed interval period comprising a guaranteed interval start time and a guaranteed interval end time within a periodic interval of time based on a policy;

determine a first interval start time and a first interval end time within the periodic interval of time, wherein the first interval start times and first interval end times may be different than the guaranteed interval start time and the guaranteed interval end time; and

provide the first interval start time and the first interval end time of the one or more stations in the access network to one or more in-home networks; and

one or more in-home networks configured to;

determine an in-home interval period based on the first interval start time and the first interval end time of the one or more stations in the access network.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the one or more stations comprise head end units, repeaters, network termination units, and customer premise equipment.