FREQUENCY BAND SELECTION FOR MULTIPLE HOME NETWORKS

• US 20130039221A1
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Changwen Liu, Edward Warner, Ronald B. Lee, Shaw Yuan
• Inventors: LIU, CHANGWEN, LEE, RONALD B., WARNER, EDWARD, YUAN, SHAW
• Granted Patent: US 9,923,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]

Abstract

A network-capable device is configured to: automatically detect the presence of a MoCA network (or other network, depending on the network protocol in the application environment), and configure itself for communication on that network at the appropriate communication frequencies. The network-capable device can be configured to create a new network (e.g., a new MoCA network) if there is no network broadcast signal within a band. Preferably, the network-capable device requires little or no user intervention to configure itself for operation at network operating frequencies or to create a new network where none is detected.

Claims

1. A method for self-configuring a network device for operation on a frequency band, comprising:

(a) a network device scanning a plurality of communication channels in a plurality of frequency bands to detect the presence of signals on one or more of the plurality of communication channels;

(b) upon detecting a signal on a first communication channel a processor in the network device determining whether the signal is a network beacon, or non-network signal energy; and

(c) where a network beacon is detected on the first communication channel, the network device attempting to join the network on that channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the network device adding the first communication channel to a list of banned channels where non-network signal energy is detected on the first communication channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-network signal energy comprises energy greater than a threshold amount above a determined noise floor for that channel.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the network device adding all the channels in the frequency band of the first communication channel if the first communication channel is in the D Band frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network beacon comprises a MoCA beacon and further comprising updating a list of Taboo channels when the MoCA beacon is detected on the first communication channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a Beacon Phase for two or more of the plurality of frequency bands to form or join a network on a communication channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a MoCA network and the plurality of frequency bands comprise the D Band and E Band MoCA bands, and further wherein the plurality of communication channels scanned are the union of Band D and Band E channels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of communication channels are scanned one at a time in successive order and wherein a last operating frequency is scanned between scanning of every M channels.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of communication channels are scanned one at a time beginning with channels in the frequency band of the last operating frequency of the network device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel scanning order comprises:

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel scanning order comprises:

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel scanning order comprises:

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel scanning order comprises scanning the channels in a predetermined order or pattern.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor that determines whether energy detected is non-network signal energy comprises a spectrum analyzer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the signal is non-network signal energy in the E Band, comprises discriminating between cable TV and ATSC ingress signals by detecting presence of a signal −

58 dBm in 20 MHz; and

identifying a signal lower than −

68 dBm in 20 MHz as a false detection.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the signal is non-network signal energy in the D Band, comprises detecting presence of a signal −

69 dBm in 20 MHz; and

identifying a signal lower than −

80 dBm in 20 MHz as a false detection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the signal is non-network signal energy comprises summing the energy measured in the respective subcarriers according to

18. A self-configuring a network device for operation on a frequency band of a plurality bands, comprising:

(a) a processor

(b) a memory communicatively coupled to the processor having a plurality of storage locations and configured to store program instructions that when executed on the processor, the processor causes the network device to

(c) scan a plurality of communication channels in the plurality of frequency bands to detect the presence of signals on one or more of the plurality of communication channels;

(d) upon detecting a signal on a first communication channel the network device determines whether the signal is a network beacon, or non-network signal energy; and

(e) where a network beacon is detected on the first communication channel, the network device attempts to join the network on that channel.

19. The network device of claim 18, wherein the processor comprises a general purpose processor and a digital signal processor.

20. The network device of claim 18, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions configured to cause the network device to add the first communication channel to a list of banned channels where non-network signal energy is detected on the first communication channel.

21. The network device of claim 20, wherein the non-network signal energy comprises energy greater than a threshold amount above a determined noise floor for that channel.

22. The network device of claim 20, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions configured to cause the network device to add all the channels in the frequency band of the first communication channel if the first communication channel is in the D Band frequency band.

23. The network device of claim 18, wherein the network beacon comprises a MoCA beacon and further comprising updating a list of Taboo channels when a MoCA beacon is detected on the first communication channel.

24. The network device of claim 18, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions configured to cause the network device to enter a Beacon Phase for one or more of the plurality of frequency bands to join or form a network on a communication channel in which a beacon is detected.

25. The network device of claim 18, wherein the network comprises a MoCA network and the plurality of frequency bands comprise the D Band and E Band satellite and cable TV frequency bands, and further wherein the plurality of communication channels scanned are the union of Band D an Band E channels.

26. The network device of claim 25, wherein the plurality of communication channels are scanned one at a time in successive order and wherein a last operating frequency is scanned between scanning of every M channels, where M is an integer value.

27. The network device of claim 25, wherein the plurality of communication channels are scanned one at a time beginning with channels in the frequency band of a last operating frequency of the network device.