System and methods for home network communications

• US 7,127,734 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2000
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Amit, Mati
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US09/548,048
• Time in Patent Office: 2,386 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/78, 725/80, 725/81, 725/82, 725/85, 725/111, 725/110, 725/131, 725/133, 725/139, 725/141, 725/151, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The present invention provides the ability to use existing cable TV wires for home networking.

Claims

1. A method of networking a plurality of devices residing within a home, creating a home network, with a home cable network modern, wherein the devices include TV'"'"'s, VCR'"'"'s, PC'"'"'s, DVD'"'"'s, DOCSIS cable modems, set-top boxes, wireless devices, Bluetooth stations, cellular phones, and computer games, each device each including a home network interface coupled to an RF element over a coaxial cable, wherein the home cable network modem is also coupled to the RF element over a coaxial cable, and wherein the RF element is also coupled to a cable source, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a television signal from the cable source at frequencies below a source frequency limit;

operating one of the home network interfaces to transmit a home network signal, in a home network frequency band above the source frequency limit, over coaxial cable to the RF element; and

receiving the transmitted home network signal over coaxial cable at the home cable network modem.

2. A method of networking a plurality of devices residing within a home, creating a home network, with a home cable network modem, each device each including a home network interface coupled to an RF element over a coaxial cable, wherein the home cable network modem is also coupled to the RF element over a coaxial cable, and wherein the RF element is also coupled to a cable source, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a television signal from the cable source at frequencies below a source frequency limit;

operating a cable modem termination system (CMTS) to assign the home network frequency band;

operating one of the home network interfaces to transmit a home network signal, in a home network frequency band above the source frequency limit, over coaxial cable to the RF element; and

receiving the transmitted home network signal over coaxial cable at the home cable network modem.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the home cable network modem comprises a CATV set top box;

and further comprising;

forwarding the received television signal to a television set coupled to the set-top box.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the upstream and downstream home network frequency bands are between 900 and 960 MHz.

5. A communications network comprising:

a cable source adapted to transmit television signals within a frequency range below a source frequency limit;

an RF element, coupled to the cable source, and having a plurality of terminals, and comprising a transponder adapted to calculate branches;

a plurality of devices, each device including a cable networking interface that is coupled to a terminal of the RF element by way of coaxial cable, and that is for transmitting and receiving signals in a home network frequency band above the source frequency limit; and

a home cable networking modem, coupled to a terminal of the RF element, for receiving signals transmitted by, and for transmitting signals to, a cable networking interface of one of the plurality of devices in the home network frequency band.

6. The network according to claim 5 wherein the transponder calculates branches by calculating the isolation among the plurality of devices.

7. The network according to claim 5, wherein the transponder is for translating signals received from a cable networking interface of one of the plurality of devices from an upstream frequency range within the home network frequency band into a downstream frequency range within the home network frequency band, and for transmitting the translated signals to the cable networking interface of the others of the plurality of devices and to the home cable network modem.

8. A communications network comprising:

a cable source, coupled to a cable modem termination system (CMTS), and adapted to transmit television signals within a frequency range below a source frequency limit of about 860 MHz;

an RF element, coupled to the cable source, having a plurality of terminals, and comprising a transponder;

a plurality of devices, each device including a cable networking interface that is coupled to a terminal of the RF element by way of coaxial cable, and that is for transmitting and receiving signals in a home network frequency band above the source frequency limit, the home network frequency band allocated by the CMTS; and

a home cable networking modem, coupled to a terminal of the RF element, for receiving signals transmitted by, and for transmitting signals to, a cable networking interface of one of the plurality of devices in the home network frequency band.

9. The network according to claim 8 wherein the CMTS is adapted to allocate the home network frequency band to prevent interference with other home networks.

10. The network according to claim 8 wherein the CMTS allocates the same home network frequency band to at least one other home network.

11. The network according to claim 10 wherein the RF element further comprises at least one filter for blocking signals in the home network frequency band from being applied to the cable source.

12. The network according to claim 10 wherein the RF element further comprises a splitter with high reflections in the home network frequency band.

13. A home cable networking (HCN) device, comprising:

a coaxial cable interface, coupled to a coaxial cable television (CATV) cable, for communicating signals within a frequency range below a source frequency limit;

a home network interface for receiving and transmitting communication signals, over a coaxial cable, and within a home network frequency band above the source frequency limit, among a plurality of devices in a home;

a computer interface, for communicating with a computer; and

circuitry for modulating signals received from the computer over the computer interface, and for converting signals received from the plurality of devices over the home network interface, into Internet Protocol (IP) signals for transmission over the coaxial cable interface, and for demodulating IP signals received over the coaxial cable interface and transmitting the demodulated IP signals over the computer interface and the home network interface.

14. The HCN device according to claim 13 wherein the device comprises a set-top box.

15. The HCN device according to claim 13 wherein the home frequency band is between 900–

960 MHz.

16. A home cable networking (HCN) device, comprising:

a coaxial cable interface, coupled to a coaxial cable television (CATV) cable and to a cable modem termination station (CMTS), for communicating signals within a frequency range below a source frequency limit; and

a home network interface for receiving and transmitting communication signals among a plurality of devices in a home over a coaxial cable, and within a home network frequency band selected by the CMTS and above the source frequency limit.

17. The HCN device according to claim 16 wherein the communication signals received and transmitted over the home network interface are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

18. The HCN device according to claim 17 further comprising an encryption function for encrypting data transmitted and received over the home network interface.