Communications system and corresponding equipment for a subscriber installation

• US 5,920,801 A
• Filed: 10/11/1996
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel Business Systems SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Business Machines
• Inventors: Thomas, Gerard, Christien, Florence, Lecomte, Daniel, Brignol, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lo, Linus H.
• Application Number:
  US08/729,393
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 348/8, 348/12, 348/13, 348/7, 348/10, 348/6, 455/4.2, 455/3.1, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/28 using the near field of leaky cables, e.g. of leaky coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers

Abstract

The system includes centralizing communications equipment (4) provided with first transmitter-receiver means (5, 6) connected to at least one transmit and receive cable (3) for transmitting and receiving radio signals, which cable extends throughout the served installation. The system also includes subscriber terminal appliances (2A to 2E) located in the installation and provided with second transmitter and/or receiver means (8 to 12) for transmitting and/or receiving radio signals, which means enable the terminal appliances to communicate via the communications equipment. The communications equipment re-transmits the signals that it receives to each destination terminal appliance in the installation and, with the assistance of additional means (27 to 31), outside said installation. The subscriber terminal appliances and the centralizing communications equipment respectively include means enabling them to transmit and/or receive digitized information signals in the form of packets and via radio links.

Claims

1. A communications system for a subscriber installation, the system including centralizing communications equipment (4) provided with first transmitter-receiver means (5, 6) connected to at least one transmit and receive cable (3) for transmitting and receiving radio signals, which cable extends throughout the installation and enables the centralizing equipment to have terminal appliances (2) communicate via radio signals, each of which terminal appliances is provided with second transmitter and/or receiver means (8 to 12) for this purpose, the centralizing equipment (4) and the terminal appliances (2) being respectively provided with first means and with second means enabling them to transmit and/or to receive digitized information put in the form of packets in "N" predetermined distinct channels of the frequency band usable with a cable (3), said centralizing equipment being characterized in that it also includes detection means (38) for determining the frequencies of all of the transmissions received via the cable(s) in the installation, and selection means (45) for determining, as a function of the indications supplied by the detection means, the transmit and receive channels allocated to the centralizing communications equipment and to the terminal appliances.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a common service channel used by the centralizing communications equipment (4) and by the terminal appliances (2) of the installation for transmitting, in the form of packets, indications relative to frequency setting of the second transmitter and/or receiver means included in said terminal appliances.

3. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes at least one "interconnection" channel used by the transmitter means (10, 11, or 12) of a terminal appliance (2) of the installation for transmitting information to the first receiver means (6) of the centralizing equipment and addressed to another terminal appliance (2) of the installation.

4. Centralizing communications equipment for a communications system of a subscriber installation, the equipment being provided with first transmitter-receiver means (5, 6) connected to at least one transmit and receive cable (3) for transmitting and receiving radio signals, which cable extends throughout the installation and enables the centralizing equipment to have terminal appliances (2) communicate via radio signals, each of which terminal appliances is provided with second transmitter and/or receiver means (8 to 12) for this purpose, said centralizing communications equipment being characterized in that it includes:

first means enabling it to transmit and/or to receive digitized information put in the form of packets in "N" predetermined distinct channels of the frequency band usable with a cable (3);

detection means (38) for determining the frequencies of all of the transmissions received via the cable(s) in the installation; and

selection means (45) for determining, as a function of the indications supplied by the detection means, the transmit and receive channels allocated both to the centralizing communications equipment and also to the terminal appliances in the installation.

5. Equipment, of the subscriber terminal appliance type, for a communications system for a subscriber installation, the system including centralizing communications equipment (4) provided with first transmitter-receiver means (5, 6) connected to at least one transmit and receive cable (3) for transmitting and receiving radio signals, which cable extends throughout the installation and enables the centralizing equipment to have items of equipment of the terminal appliance type communicate via radio signals, each of which items of equipment is provided with second transmitter and/or receiver means enabling it to transmit and/or receive digitized information put in the form of packets in at least one of the "N" predetermined distinct channels of the frequency band usable with a cable (3), said equipment being characterized in that each of said terminal appliances includes second transmitter and/or receiver means (8 to 12) enabling it to use at least one common service channel organized to convey frequency setting indications in the form of one or more packets.