Multi-tone transciever for multiple users

• US 6,424,674 B1
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Semiconductor (U.S.) Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Legerity Incorporated (Microsemi Semiconductor Corp.)
• Inventors: Nair, Vijayakumaran V., Cole, Terry L., Linz, Alfredo R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dung X.
• Application Number:
  US09/236,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/295, 375/298, 375/262, 375/260, 370/321, 370/337, 370/347, 370/278, 370/280, 370/282, 370/294, 370/230, 370/232, 370/235
• US Class Current: 375/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for supporting a plurality of user transceivers with a host transceiver. The method includes allocating at least one symbol of a DMT frame to a first user transceiver of the plurality of transceivers, providing a control signal from a second user transceiver of the plurality of transceivers to the host transceiver, allocating at least one symbol of the DMT frame to the second user transceiver in response to the control signal.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a plurality of user transceivers with a host transceiver, comprising:

allocating at least one symbol of a DMT frame to a first user transceiver of the plurality of transceivers;

providing a control signal from a second user transceiver of the plurality of transceivers to the host transceiver; and

allocating at least one symbol of the DMT frame to the second user transceiver in response to the control signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating at least one symbol of a DMT frame to a first user transceiver and a second user transceiver comprises allocating at least one symbol using time-division multiplexing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing a control signal comprises providing the control signal using a designated symbol of the DMT frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control signal comprises a request to add a new user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the control signal comprises a request to adjust the data transmission rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein allocating at least one symbol of the DMT frame to the second user transceiver comprises:

determining if at least one unused symbol exists within the DMT frame; and

allocating at least one unused symbol based on a priority scheme in response to the request to adjust the transmission rate and in response to determining that at least one unused symbol exists.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the priority scheme includes reducing the symbol rate of a user having lower priority in response to the request to adjust the transmission rate and in response to determining that no unused symbols exist within the DMT frame.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the priority scheme includes increasing the symbol rate of a user having higher priority in response to the request to adjust the transmission rate and in response to determining that no unused symbols exist within the DMT frame.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein providing a control signal comprises providing the control signal using voice-band signaling.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the control signal comprises a request to add a new user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the control signal comprises a request to adjust the data transmission rate.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmit block capable of transmitting data within a first portion of a DMT frame to a first user transceiver over a first connection; and

a control block adapted to receive a control signal over a second connection, the control block capable of allocating a second portion of the DMT frame to a second user transceiver for data transmission in response to the control signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control block is capable of allocating the second portion of the DMT frame using time-division multiplexing.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transmit block is capable of transmitting data within a first portion of a DMT frame includes transmitting data over at least one symbol of the DMT frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control block is capable of allocating a second portion of a DMT frame includes the control block capable of allocating at least one symbol of the DMT frame to the second user transceiver.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control block is capable of allocating at least one symbol of the DMT frame to the second user transceiver includes the control block capable of:

determining if at least one unused symbol exists within the DMT frame; and

allocating at least one unused symbol based on a priority scheme in response to the request to adjust the transmission rate and in response to determining that at least one unused symbol exists.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control block is adapted to receive a control signal includes receiving the control signal over a designated symbol of the DMT frame.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control signal comprises a request to add a new user.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control signal comprises a request to adjust the data transmission rate.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control block is adapted to receive a control signal includes receiving the control signal using voice band signaling.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control signal comprises a request to add a new user.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control signal comprises a request to adjust the data transmission rate.

23. The apparatus of claim 12, further including a receive block capable of receiving data within the first portion of a DMT frame from the first user transceiver over the second connection.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a control block capable of identifying a portion of a DMT frame allocated for data communications, wherein the control block capable of identifying a portion of a DMT frame includes the control block identifying at least one symbol of the DMT frame that is allocated for data communications; and

a receive block capable of receiving data within the allocated portion of the DMT frame.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the control block is capable of transmitting a control signal to a transceiver, the control signal comprising a request to connect to the transceiver.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the control block is capable of transmitting a control signal to a transceiver, the control signal comprising a request to increase data transmission rate.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, further including a transmit block capable of transmitting data within the allocated portion of the DMT frame.

28. A method, comprising:

providing information in a first number of symbols of a DMT frame to a first user transceiver;

providing information in a second number of symbols of the DMT frame to a second user transceiver;

receiving a request to adjust a data transmission rate from the first user transceiver; and

providing information in a different number of symbols from the first number of symbols in response to receiving the request to adjust the data transmission rate.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the request is received over a dedicated symbol.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the request is received in a voice band range.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein providing information in the first number of symbols comprises providing the information over all available tones in each symbol.

32. A method, comprising:

allocating a first DMT symbol rate to a first user transceiver;

allocating a second DMT symbol rate to a second user transceiver;

adjusting at least one of the first DMT symbol rate and the second DMT symbol rate in response to receiving a control signal from one of the transceivers.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein adjusting at least one of the first DMT symbol rate and the second DMT symbol rate comprises increasing at least one of the first DMT symbol rate and the second DMT symbol rate in response to receiving the control signal.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein adjusting at least one of the first DMT symbol rate and the second DMT symbol rate comprises adjusting at least one of the first DMT symbol rate and the second DMT symbol rate based on a class of service.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein receiving the control signal comprises receiving the control signal in a voice band.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein receiving the control signal comprises receiving the control signal in a preselected DMT symbol.