Method and System for Providing Broadband Multimedia Services

• US 20090046688A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John A. Moore, John P. Volpi, Matthew N. Bowers, Sanjay Kulkarni
• Original Assignee: John A. Moore, John P. Volpi, Matthew N. Bowers, Sanjay Kulkarni
• Inventors: Moore, John A., Bowers, Matthew N., Kulkarni, Sanjay, Volpi, John P.
• Application Number:
  US12/258,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless router access point for use with a mesh network employing a mesh protocol and a point-to-multipoint network employing a point-to-multipoint protocol, and a multimedia system employing the same. In one embodiment, the wireless router access point includes a mesh access point subsystem configured to translate between a point-to-multipoint protocol and a mesh protocol to communicate with the mesh network. The wireless router access point also includes a point-to-multipoint access point subsystem configured to translate between a mesh protocol and a point-to-multipoint protocol to communicate with a user of the point-to-multipoint network.

Claims

1. A wireless router access point for use with a mesh network employing a mesh protocol and a point-to-multipoint network employing a point-to-multipoint protocol, comprising:

a mesh access point subsystem configured to translate between said point-to-multipoint protocol and said mesh protocol simultaneously to provide seamless connectivity from a user device of said point-to-multipoint network and another wireless router access point of said mesh network without being reconfigured; and

a point-to-multipoint access point subsystem configured to translate between said mesh protocol and said point-to-multipoint protocol simultaneously to provide seamless connectivity from said another wireless router access point of said mesh network and said user device of said point-to-multipoint network without being reconfigured.

2. The wireless router access point as recited in claim 1 wherein said point-to-multipoint network is one of a wideband fidelity network employing a 802.11 protocol and a wideband maximum network employing a 802.16 protocol.

3. The wireless router access point as recited in claim 1 wherein said point-to-multipoint network operates at a different frequency from said mesh network.

4. The wireless router access point as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a mesh antenna configured to transmit and receive signals to and from said mesh network;

a mesh conditioning input/output filter configured to filter said signals; and

a mesh amplifier configured to amplify said signals for said mesh access point subsystem.

5. The wireless router access point as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a point-to-multipoint antenna configured to transmit and receive signals to and from said point-to-multipoint network;

a point-to-multipoint conditioning input/output filter configured to filter said signals; and

a point-to-multipoint amplifier configured to amplify said signals for said point-to-multipoint access point subsystem.

6. The wireless router access point as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a battery back-up configured to provide back-up power for said wireless router access point;

protection subsystems configured to protect said wireless router access point; and

a power conditioning supply configured to condition power to operate said wireless router access point.

7. A method of operating a wireless router access point for use with a mesh network employing a mesh protocol and a point-to-multipoint network employing a point-to-multipoint protocol, comprising:

translating between said point-to-multipoint protocol and said mesh protocol simultaneously to provide seamless connectivity from a user device of said point-to-multipoint network and another wireless router access point of said mesh network without being reconfigured; and

translating between said mesh protocol and said point-to-multipoint protocol simultaneously to provide seamless connectivity from said another wireless router access point of said mesh network and said user device of said point-to-multipoint network without being reconfigured.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein said point-to-multipoint network is one of a wideband fidelity network employing a 802.11 protocol and a wideband maximum network employing a 802.16 protocol.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein said point-to-multipoint network operates at a different frequency from said mesh network.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting and receiving signals to and from said mesh network;

filtering said signals; and

amplifying said signals associated with said mesh network.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting and receiving signals to and from said point-to-multipoint network;

filtering said signals; and

amplifying said signals associated with said point-to-multipoint network.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

providing back-up power for said wireless router access point;

protecting said wireless router access point; and

conditioning power to operate said wireless router access point.

13. A multimedia system, comprising:

a wireless router access point configured to translate between a mesh protocol and a point-to-multipoint protocol simultaneously to provide seamless connectivity between another wireless router access point employing said mesh protocol and a user device employing said point-to-multipoint protocol; and

a cluster feeder configured to provide a bridging function between said wireless router access point and said user device.

14. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a concentrator wireless router access point, including:

a wireless router access point subsystem configured to provide a wireless interface and functionality to communicate with said wireless router access point and said another wireless router access point, and

a control/interface subsystem configured to provide control functions to manage said wireless router access point and said another wireless router access point

15. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said cluster feeder provides coverage to areas inaccessible by said wireless router access point.

16. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said cluster feeder includes:

a plurality of antennas configured to transmit and receive signals employing said point-to-multipoint protocol;

a plurality of amplifiers configured to amplify ones of said signals; and

a signal sense and gain set module configured to reduce a gain of ones of said plurality of amplifiers.

17. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said cluster feeder includes:

a plurality of antennas configured to transmit and receive signals employing said point-to-multipoint protocol;

a plurality of point-to-multipoint network transceivers; and

a channel sense and select module configured to select a quality substantially non-interfering channel to be used by one of said plurality of point-to-multipoint network transceivers.

18. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said cluster feeder includes:

a first antenna coupled to a mesh network transceiver configured to establish a communication link with said wireless router access point;

a point-to-multipoint network transceiver, coupled to said mesh network transceiver, configured to provide an interface to said user device via a second antenna; and

a channel sense and select module configured to select a quality substantially non-interfering channel to be used by said point-to-multipoint network transceiver.

19. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said point-to-multipoint network is one of a wideband fidelity network employing a 802.11 protocol and a wideband maximum network employing a 802.16 protocol.

20. The multimedia system as recited in claim 13 wherein said point-to-multipoint network operates at a different frequency from said mesh network.