Method and apparatus for detecting collisions on a network using multi-cycle waveform pulses

• US 6,735,217 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tut Systems, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Matthew, Jeffress, Jeremiah M., Webber, Harold H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/153,635
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 370/445, 370/447, 370/431, 370/441, 370/442, 370/461, 370/213, 370/514, 370/509, 375/239, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 341/52, 341/53
• US Class Current: 370/447
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a collision between signal transmissions on a carrier medium, such as UTP wiring, are described. The method commences with the transmission of an identifier from a transmitter of a network device. The transmitted identifier has a predetermined duration and includes a pulse at a temporal location within the transmitted identifier specific thereto. A identifier is also received at a receiver of the network device. The received identifier also has a predetermined duration, and includes a pulse at a temporal location therein. A determination is then made as to whether the temporal location of the pulse within the received identifier corresponds to the temporal location of the pulse within the transmitted identifier. If not, a collision is detected on the network.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a collision between signal transmissions on a carrier medium in a network, the method including:

transmitting a first identifier from a transmitter of a network device, the first identifier having a predetermined duration and including a pulse at a temporal location within the first identifier specific to the first identifier, the pulse comprising a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of greater than 1.1 MHz;

receiving a second identifier at a receiver of the network device, the second identifier having a predetermined duration and including a pulse at a temporal location within the second identifier;

determining whether the temporal location of the pulse within the second identifier corresponds to the temporal location of the pulse within the first identifier; and

if not, then detecting a collision on the network,

wherein the transmitting includes propagating a multi-cycle square wave through a filter to generate the multi-cycle waveform.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second identifiers each include a plurality of pulses, the method including determining whether the temporal locations of the plurality of pulses within the first identifier correspond to temporal locations of the plurality of pulses within the second identifier and, if not, then detecting a collision in the network.

3. The method of claim 1 including transmitting a jamming signal upon the detection of a collision in the network, the jamming signal comprising a series of pulses spaced at regular intervals.

4. The method of claim 1 including implementing a silence interval, in which no pulses are transmitted, after transmission of the first identifier and detecting a collision on the network if a pulse is received at the receiver during the silence interval.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first identifier includes first and second pulses at first and second temporal locations therein, the method including introducing a buffer period between transmission of the first pulse and transmission of the second pulse so as to allow reflections on the carrier medium, generated by transmission of the first pulse within the first identifier, to decay to a predetermined level before transmission of the second pulse.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second identifier includes first and second pulses at first and second temporal locations therein, the method including blocking the receiver'"'"'s ability to detect a pulse greater than a specific amplitude after detection of the first pulse within the second identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 including decreasing the specific amplitude over a period equal to the buffer period.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the pulse of the first identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting of the pulse of the first identifier comprises transmitting the pulse as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of approximately 7.5 MHz.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting includes transmitting the pulse of the first identifier as a four-cycle waveform.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the propagating comprises propagating the multi-cycle square wave through a Butterworth filter.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving includes receiving the pulse of the second identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiving of the pulse of the second identifier comprises receiving the pulse as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of approximately 7.5 MHz.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving includes receiving the pulse of the second identifier as a four-cycle waveform.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving comprises propagating a signal received from the carrier medium through a filter having a bandpass of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz to generate a filtered signal.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the receiving comprises propagating the signal received from the carrier medium through a Butterworth filter.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the receiving includes propagating the filtered signal through an envelope detector to generate an envelope signal.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving comprises propagating the envelope signal to a noise detector, and comparing envelope signal levels to a threshold signal level.

19. The method of claim 1 including disabling detection of a signal on the carrier medium for a predetermined time period after receiving a pulse.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the disabling comprises disabling detection of a signal on POTS wiring within a structure.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the disabling comprises disabling detection of the signal on UTP wiring within the structure.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the disabling comprises disabling detection of the signal on the POTS wiring wherein a transmitter of the first identifier is coupled to a receiver of the second identifier by less than 500 feet of POTS wiring.

23. Apparatus for detecting a collision between signal transmissions on a carrier medium in a network, the apparatus including:

a transmitter coupled to transmit a first identifier over the carrier medium, the first identifier having a predetermined duration and including a pulse at a temporal location within the first identifier specific to the first identifier, the pulse comprising a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of greater than 1.1 MHz;

a receiver coupled to receive a second identifier transmitted over the carrier medium, the second identifier having a predetermined duration and including a pulse at a temporal location within the second identifier; and

a logic circuit, coupled to the receiver, that determines whether the temporal location of the pulse within the second identifier corresponds to the temporal location of the pulse within the first identifier and, if not, that detects a collision on the network,

wherein the transmitter includes a filter through which a multi-cycle square wave is propagated to generate the multi-cycle waveform.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the first and second identifiers each include a plurality of pulses, the logic circuit being configured to determine whether the temporal locations of the plurality of pulses within the first identifier correspond to temporal locations of the plurality of pulses within the second identifier and, if not, to detect a collision in the network.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a jamming signal upon detection of a collision in the network, the jamming signal comprising a series of pulses spaced at regular intervals.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to implement a silence interval, in which no pulses are transmitted, after transmission of the first identifier and the logic circuit is configured to detect a collision on the network if a pulse is received at the receiver during the silence interval.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the first identifier includes first and second pulses at first and second locations therein, and wherein the transmitter is configured to include a buffer period between transmission of the first pulse and transmission of the second pulse so as to allow reflections on the carrier medium, generated by transmission of the first pulse within the first identifier to decay to a predetermined level before transmission of the second pulse.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the second identifier includes first and second pulses at first and second locations therein, and wherein the receiver is configured not to detect a pulse greater than a specific amplitude after detection of the first pulse within the second identifier.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 including a threshold circuit coupled to the receiver and configured to decrease the specific amplitude over a period corresponding to the buffer period.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the pulse of the first identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the pulse of the first identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of approximately 7.5 MHz.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the pulse of the first identifier as a four-cycle waveform.

33. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the filter is a Butterworth filter.

34. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the pulse of the second identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the pulse of the second identifier as a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of approximately 7.5 MHz.

36. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the pulse of the first identifier as a four-cycle waveform.

37. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the receiver includes a filter having a bandpass of between 5.5 and 9.5 MHz, the filter being coupled to receive a signal from the carrier medium, and to output a filtered signal.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the filter is a Butterworth filter.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the receiver includes an envelope detector, coupled to receive the filtered signal from the filter, and to output an envelope signal.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the receiver includes a noise detector, coupled to receive the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and to compare envelope signal levels to a threshold signal level.

41. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the receiver is configured to disable detection of a signal on the carrier medium for a predetermined time period after detecting a pulse.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the receiver disables detection of a signal on POTS wiring within a structure.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the receiver disables detection of a signal on UTP wiring within a structure.

44. An adapter for providing a coupling between a network station and a carrier medium, the adapter including:

a network station interface;

a carrier medium interface;

a transmitter, coupled to the carrier medium interface, configured to transmit a station identifier over the carrier medium, the station identifier being associated with the network station and including a pulse having a temporal location within the station identifier specific to the station identifier, the pulse comprising a multi-cycle waveform having a frequency of greater than 1.1 MHz;

a receiver, coupled to the carrier medium interface, and configured to receive a further station identifier transmitted over the carrier medium, the further station identifier including a pulse at a temporal location; and

a logic circuit, coupled to the receiver, configured to determine whether the temporal location of the pulse within the further station identifier corresponds to the temporal location of the pulse within the station identifier and, if not, to detect a collision,

wherein the transmitter includes a filter through which a multi-cycle square wave is propagated to generate the multi-cycle waveform.