Architecture for signal distribution in wireless data network
First Claim
1. A distribution network for coupling wireless local area network signals between an internetworking device and a plurality of remotely located access points, to provide wireless local area network service within a geographic coverage area composed of microcells, the distribution network making use of available transport cabling, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of cable access points, each deployed within a respective one of the microcells, the cable access points each further comprising;
i) a wireless local area network access point, for receiving wireless local area network signals from computing equipment located within the respective microcell, and converting such signals to local area network compatible signals;
ii) an access point remote converter, for receiving the local area network compatible signals from the wireless local area network access point and converting such signals to transport modulated format signals suitable for transmission over the available transport cabling; and
(b) a head end access point, comprising;
i) a head end remote bridge, connected to receive the transport modulated format signals from the transport cabling, and to convert such signals to local area network compatible signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A simple and low cost architecture for coupling wireless local area network signals between geographically distributed access points and centrally located internetworking devices. A cable access point (CAP) is associated with each respective microcell. Each CAP includes a remote bridge to convert such signals to a convenient transport format depending upon the available cabling. For example, if the available cabling is a cable television (CATV) plant, the transport signals are first converted to a T1 format and up-converted to a carrier frequency suitable for the CATV plant. Alternatively, the transport signals may be converted to IEEE 802.3 cable modem signals. If the available cabling is twisted pair telephone type wiring, the remote bridge converts the transport signals to a suitable Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) format. The transport signals are collected at a central distribution or head end access point (HAP). At this location, a remote bridge then converts the signals from the up-converted T1 format or the xDSL format, back to the Ethernet local area network format. These Ethernet signals are then suitable for coupling to a local area network hub or other internetworking equipment such as repeaters, bridges, routers, and gateways.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A distribution network for coupling wireless local area network signals between an internetworking device and a plurality of remotely located access points, to provide wireless local area network service within a geographic coverage area composed of microcells, the distribution network making use of available transport cabling, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of cable access points, each deployed within a respective one of the microcells, the cable access points each further comprising;
i) a wireless local area network access point, for receiving wireless local area network signals from computing equipment located within the respective microcell, and converting such signals to local area network compatible signals;
ii) an access point remote converter, for receiving the local area network compatible signals from the wireless local area network access point and converting such signals to transport modulated format signals suitable for transmission over the available transport cabling; and
(b) a head end access point, comprising;
i) a head end remote bridge, connected to receive the transport modulated format signals from the transport cabling, and to convert such signals to local area network compatible signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
iii) a frequency translator, disposed between the access point remote bridge and the transport cabling, for frequency converting digital modulated transport signals produced by the access point remote bridge to a carrier frequency compatible with the CATV plant.
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3. A distribution network as in claim 2 wherein the cable access point additionally comprises:
iv) a frequency translator that downconverts the wireless local area network signals used within the respective microcells to the carrier frequency signals compatible with the CATV plant.
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4. A distribution network as in claim 1 wherein the head end remote bridge additionally comprises:
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v) a head end frequency translator, for translating the carrier frequency signals compatible with the CATV plant to wireless local area network transmission band signals; and
vi) a wireless local area network bridge, for receiving the wireless local area network transmission band signals on converting them to local area network signals for coupling to the internetworking device.
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5. A distribution network as in claim 1 wherein the available analog transport cabling is a twisted pair telephone cabling and the access point remote bridge additionally converts the local area network signals to a digital subscriber line (xDSL) format.
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6. A distribution network as in claim 1 wherein the cable access point and head end access point use a cable modem to perform the transport modulation, conversion, and bridging functions.
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7. A distribution network as in claim 6 wherein the cable modem is compliant with a cable modem standard selected from the group density of IEEE 802.14, MCNS, or DOCSIS.
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8. A distribution network as in claim 1 additionally comprising a local area network hub, for receiving the local area network compatible signals from the head end remote bridge, and forwarding such signals to the internetworking device.
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9. A distribution network as in claim 1 wherein the transport cableing is an analog signal transport medium.
Specification