Method and apparatus for communicating between a client device and a linear broadband network
First Claim
1. A method of wirelessly communicating information from a client device located at a subscriber'"'"'s premises to a linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber'"'"'s premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:
- generating an upstream baseband signal, said upstream baseband signal having a predefined format, modulating said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device, located at said subscriber'"'"'s premises, to a network interface device, located proximately to sad linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at said network access interface device that is located proximately to and coupled to said linear broadband network, demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, and modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal having a signal format compatible with said linear broadband network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of upstream communication over a linear broadband network includes the steps of generating an upstream baseband signal and modulating it onto an upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce a first upstream modulated carrier signal. The modulated carrier signal is transmitted wirelessly, received, and demodulated to reproduce the information integrity of the upstream baseband signal. The signal is then modulated onto an upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier for transmission on the linear broadband network. Advantageously, noise that accumulates at the subscriber premises is removed from the upstream signal prior to presentation of the signal to the upstream path of the linear broadband network. A system for communicating over a linear broadband network includes network access interface devices coupled to the linear broadband network. A subscriber access interface device accepts upstream communication signals and modulates and transmits the signal to the network access interface device. The network access interface device 6 receives and demodulates the signal and then modulates it for transmission on the linear broadband network.
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Citations
129 Claims
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1. A method of wirelessly communicating information from a client device located at a subscriber'"'"'s premises to a linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber'"'"'s premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating an upstream baseband signal, said upstream baseband signal having a predefined format, modulating said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device, located at said subscriber'"'"'s premises, to a network interface device, located proximately to sad linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at said network access interface device that is located proximately to and coupled to said linear broadband network, demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, and modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal having a signal format compatible with said linear broadband network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
generating a polling signal at said network access interface device, receiving said polling signal at a subscriber access interface device, responding to said polling signal by generating a response upstream baseband signal, transmitting said response upstream baseband signal, and receiving said response upstream baseband signal in said network access interface device.
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33. A method of communicating as recited in claim 32 and further comprising the step of forwarding said response upstream baseband signal to a headend on said linear broadband network.
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34. A method of communicating as recited in claim 32 and further comprising the step of storing said response upstream baseband signal for retrieval of said response upstream baseband signal upon request.
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35. A method of communicating as recited in claim 1, the step of generating an upstream baseband signal further comprising the steps of generating a communication signal in each one of a plurality of said client devices, converting each said communication signal into a respective one of said upstream baseband signals, time division multiplexing each said upstream baseband signal in a subscriber access interface device to produce a multiplexed upstream baseband signal and the step of modulating further comprising the step of modulating said multiplexed baseband signal onto said at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier.
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36. A method of communicating as recited in claim 35, wherein the step of converting said communication signal further comprises the step of coupling said upstream baseband signal to said subscriber access interface through a wired connection.
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37. A method of communicating as recited in claim 35, wherein the step of converting said communication signal further comprises the step of coupling said upstream baseband signal to said subscriber access interface device through a wireless connection.
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38. A method of communicating as recited in claim 35, each upstream baseband signal comprising a plurality of upstream data packets, the method further comprising the steps of prioritizing a launch of each upstream data packet onto said multiplexed upstream baseband signal to control latency of each individual upstream data packet.
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39. A method of communicating as recited in claim 38 and further comprising the steps of interpreting a header of each upstream data packet, assigning a priority to each upstream data packet, producing an assigned priority for each upstream data packet, and multiplexing each upstream data packet according to said assigned priority.
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40. A method of communicating as recited in claim 38 and further comprising the steps of assigning a priority to each upstream data packet based upon a source port configuration, producing an assigned priority for each upstream data packet, and multiplexing each upstream data packet according to said assigned priority.
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41. A method of communicating as recited in claim 1 and further comprising the step of:
controlling a timing of the step of receiving said first upstream modulated carrier signal.
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42. A method of communicating as recited in claim 1 and further comprising the step of filtering a spectral range of all of said at least one upstream modulated carrier signal.
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43. A method of communicating as recited in claim 1 and further comprising the step of establishing a communications link with an alternate network access interface device in the event of a communication link degradation below a predetermined threshold with said network access interface device.
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44. A method of bidirectionally and wirelessly communicating bi-directional information between a client device located at a subscriber'"'"'s premises and a linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber'"'"'s premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising steps of:
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generating an upstream baseband signal, said upstream baseband signal having a predefined format, modulating said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device, located at said subscriber'"'"'s premises, to a network interface device located proximately to said linear broadband network, hereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at a network access interface device that is located proximately to and coupled to the linear broadband network, demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier to produce at least one;
second upstream modulated carrier signal having a sign format compatible with the linear broadband network,receiving at least one downstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier signal comprising a first downstream modulated carrier signal from the linear broadband network, demodulating said at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal to produce at lest one first downstream baseband sign having a predefined format, modulating said at least one first downstream baseband signal onto at least one downstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal, transmitting said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal wirelessly, receiving said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal, demodulating said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal to produce at least one second downstream baseband signal, transmitting said at least one second downstream baseband signal. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
generating a polling signal at said network access interface device, receiving said polling signal at a subscriber access interface device, responding to said polling signal by generating a response upstream baseband signal, transmitting said response upstream baseband signal, and receiving said response upstream baseband signal in said network access interface device.
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76. A method of communicating as recited in claim 75 and further comprising the step of forwarding said response upstream baseband signal to a headend on said linear broadband network.
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77. A method of communicating as recited in claim 75 and further comprising the step of storing said response upstream baseband signal for retrieval of said response upstream baseband signal upon request.
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78. A method of communicating as recited in claim 44, the step of generating an upstream baseband signal further comprising the steps of generating a communication signal in each one of a plurality of said client devices, converting each said communication signal into respective ones of said upstream baseband signals, time division multiplexing each said respective ones of said upstream baseband signals in a subscriber access interface device to produce a multiplexed upstream baseband signal and the step of modulating further comprising the step of modulating said multiplexed baseband signal onto said at least one first upstream radio frequency carrier.
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79. A method of communicating as recited in claim 78, wherein the step of converting said communication signal further comprises the step of coupling said upstream baseband signal to said subscriber access interface through a wired connection.
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80. A method of communicating as recited in claim 78, wherein the step of converting said communication signal further comprises the step of coupling said upstream baseband signal to said subscriber access interface device through a wireless connection.
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81. A method of communicating as recited in claim 78, each said upstream baseband signal comprising a series of upstream data packets, the method further comprising the steps of prioritizing a launch of each said upstream data packet onto said multiplexed upstream baseband signal to control latency of each said upstream data packet.
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82. A method of communicating as recited in claim 81 and further comprising the steps of interpreting a header of each upstream data packet, assigning a priority to each upstream data packet, producing an assigned priority for each upstream data packet, and multiplexing each upstream data packet according to said assigned priority.
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83. A method of communicating as recited in claim 81 and further comprising the steps of assigning a priority to each upstream data packet based upon a source port configuration, producing an assigned priority for each upstream data packet, and multiplexing each upstream data packet according to said assigned priority.
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84. A method of communicating as recited in claim 44 and further comprising the step of:
controlling a timing of the step of receiving said first upstream modulated carrier signal.
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85. A method of communicating as recited in claim 44 and further comprising the step of filtering a spectral range of all of said at least one upstream modulated carrier signal.
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86. A method of communicating as recited in claim 44 and further comprising the step of establishing a communications link with an alternate network access interface device in the event of a communication link degradation below a predetermined threshold with said network access interface device.
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87. A method of communicating bi-directional information as recited in claim 44 the step of transmitting said second downstream baseband signal further comprising the step of routing said at least one second downstream baseband signal to a plurality of client devices.
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88. A method of communicating bi-directional information as recited in claim 44 wherein said step of transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier and said step of transmitting said at least one second downstream modulated carrier uses a full-duplex process.
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89. A method of communicating bi-directional information as recited in claim 44 wherein said step of transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier and said step of transmitting said at least one second downstream modulated carrier uses a half-duplex process.
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90. A system for wirelessly communicating without a wired subscriber drop between a client device and a linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:
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means for generating an upstream baseband signal, means for modulating said upstream baseband signal to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, means for transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device located at a subscriber'"'"'s premises, to a network interface device, located proximately to said linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, means for receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at a network access interface device coupled to said linear broadband network, means for demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, and means for modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one second upstream radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal having a signal format compatible with said linear broadband network.
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91. A system for upstream wireless communication comprising:
- a linear broadband network located remotely from a subscriber'"'"'s premises having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics, a first upstream modulator that modulates at least one upstream baseband signal received from a client device located at said subscriber'"'"'s premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said at least one upstream baseband signal being modulated onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce a first upstream modulated carrier signal, an upstream transmitter that wirelessly transmits said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, an upstream receiver that receives said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, an upstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to generate at least one upstream demodulated baseband signal, a second upstream modulator that modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier for transmission onto said linear broadband network.
- View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A system for wireless, bi-directional communication between a client device located at a subscriber'"'"'s premises and a bi-directional linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber'"'"'s premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:
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a first upstream modulator that modulates at least one upstream baseband signal received from said client device, said at least one upstream baseband signal being modulated onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, an upstream transmitter, located proximately to said subscriber'"'"'s premises, that wirelessly transmits said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal from said subscriber'"'"'s premises to said bi-directional linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, an upstream receiver, located proximately to said linear broadband network, and that receives said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, an upstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to generate at least one upstream demodulated baseband signal, a second upstream modulator that modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier for transmission onto said linear broadband network, a first downstream receiver that receives at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal from said linear broadband network, a first downstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal to produce a first downstream baseband signal, a downstream modulator that modulates said first downstream baseband signal onto a downstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce a second downstream modulated carrier signal, a downstream transmitter, located proximately to said linear broadband network, that transmits said downstream modulated carrier signal, thereby eliminating said subscriber drop, a second downstream receiver, located proximately to said subscriber'"'"'s premises, that receives said downstream modulated carrier signal, a second downstream demodulator that demodulates said downstream modulated carrier signal to produce a second downstream baseband signal for delivery to said client device. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120)
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121. An apparatus for wirelessly coupling a subscriber to a remotely located linear broadband network to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:
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an upstream receiver, located proximately to said linear broadband network, that wirelessly receives at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal from said subscriber, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop, an upstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one upstream modulated carrier signal to produce at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal, an upstream modulator that modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal for transmission on the linear broadband network, and an upstream transmitter that transmits said at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal onto the linear broadband network. - View Dependent Claims (122, 123)
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124. A system for wireless upstream communication from a subscriber location to a linear broadband network to eliminate a wired subscriber drop between said subscriber location and said linear broadband network comprising:
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said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics, a subscriber access interface device that receives an upstream baseband signal from a client device located at said subscriber location, modulates said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, and wirelessly transmits said at least one first upstream wireless modulated carrier signal from said subscriber location to said linear broadband network, a network access interface device, coupled to said linear broadband network, that receives said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, demodulates said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal, modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier having a format compatible with said linear broadband network to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal, and transmits said at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal onto said linear broadband network. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127)
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128. A system for wireless upstream communication from a subscriber location to a linear broadband network to eliminate a wired subscriber drop between said subscriber location and said linear broadband network comprising:
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said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics, a subscriber access interface device that receives an upstream baseband signal, modulates said upstream baseband signal, and wirelessly transmits said modulated upstream baseband signal to said linear broadband network, a network access interface device, coupled to said linear broadband network, that receives said modulated upstream baseband signal, demodulates said modulated upstream baseband signal to produce at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal, modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier having a format compatible with said linear broadband network to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal, and transmits said at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal onto said linear broadband network.
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129. A method of wirelessly communicating information without a wired subscriber drop from a client device to a linear broadband network, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:
- generating an upstream baseband signal, modulating the upstream baseband signal onto an upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate a first upstream modulated carrier signal, transmitting said first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device to a network access interface to eliminate said wired subscriber drop, receiving said first upstream modulated carrier signal at said network access interface device, said network access interface coupled to the linear broadband network, demodulating said first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, and modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto an upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier to produce a second upstream modulated carrier signal that is compatible with said linear broadband network.
Specification