Method to establish a home network on multiple physical layers
First Claim
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1. A method for connecting a communications device to a network having a plurality of transmissions media, comprising the steps of:
- a) determining availability of each of the plurality of transmissions media in the network;
b) collecting data from each of the plurality of available transmissions media in turn; and
, c) determining in response to said collected data on which of the plurality of transmissions media to establish a network connection from the communications device to the network, wherein the step of collecting data further comprises;
selecting a first available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media;
acquiring self-ID messages from devices connected to said selected transmissions medium;
broadcasting an auto-select message on said selected transmissions medium;
receiving acknowledgment messages broadcast by said devices connected to said selected transmissions medium in response to said auto-select message; and
choosing a next available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media, and repeating the steps of selecting, acquiring, broadcasting and receiving, until all available transmissions media have been examined.
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Abstract
A home networking architecture and a physical layer protocol is configured such that a communication device in the home can access a home network over any one of the available transmissions media, i.e. in-house telephone wiring or electrical wiring, or a wireless network. The proposed networking architecture utilizes a bridging concept of combining multiple LANs residing on the different physical mediums available in the home, or small office building, or any other situation where a network is desired but adding additional infrastructure is undesirable or not possible.
92 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for connecting a communications device to a network having a plurality of transmissions media, comprising the steps of:
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a) determining availability of each of the plurality of transmissions media in the network;
b) collecting data from each of the plurality of available transmissions media in turn; and
,c) determining in response to said collected data on which of the plurality of transmissions media to establish a network connection from the communications device to the network, wherein the step of collecting data further comprises;
selecting a first available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media;
acquiring self-ID messages from devices connected to said selected transmissions medium;
broadcasting an auto-select message on said selected transmissions medium;
receiving acknowledgment messages broadcast by said devices connected to said selected transmissions medium in response to said auto-select message; and
choosing a next available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media, and repeating the steps of selecting, acquiring, broadcasting and receiving, until all available transmissions media have been examined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for connecting a communication device to a network having a plurality of transmissions media, comprising the steps of:
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a) auto-sensing available transmissions media on the network from network traffic;
b) selecting a first available transmissions medium;
c) collecting IDs from all active devices on said selected transmissions medium;
d) broadcasting an auto-select message on said selected transmissions medium;
e) receiving acknowledgment messages from active devices on said selected transmissions medium in response to said auto-select message;
f) storing said received acknowledgment messages;
g) choosing a next available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media;
h) repeating steps c-g until all transmissions media have been examined; and
,i) determining in response to said stored acknowledgments which of the plurality of transmissions media is to be used for establishing a network connection from the communication device to the network.
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14. A communications device for a network having a plurality of transmissions media, comprising:
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a) availability means for determining availability of each of a plurality of transmissions media in the network;
b) collection means for collecting data from each of the plurality of available transmissions media in turn; and
,c) network connection means for determining in response to said collected data on which of the plurality of transmissions media to establish a network connection from the communications device in the network, wherein said collection means further comprises;
selecting means for selecting a first available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media;
self-ID collecting means for acquiring self-ID messages from devices connected to said selected transmissions medium;
auto-select means for broadcasting an auto-select message on said selected transmissions medium;
acknowledgment means for receiving acknowledgment messages broadcast by said devices connected to said selected transmissions medium in response to said auto-select message; and
,means for choosing a next available transmissions medium from the plurality of transmissions media, and continuing until all available transmissions media have been examined. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification