System and method for communicating in a point-to-multipoint DSL network

• US 7,177,910 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ikanos Communications Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GlobespanVirata, Inc. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bell, Russell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/357,720
• Time in Patent Office: 2,764 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/208, 709/227, 709/209, 709/217, 709/202, 370/401, 370/230, 370/389, 370/503, 370/390, 370/352, 370/494
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for communicating in a point to multipoint DSL communication network. Preferably, the point to multipoint communication network is established in the environment of a home or small office, and the invention is realized through a computer that may dynamically establish both LAN and WAN communications. Broadly, the system and method are realized by a computer that is configured to assume a role as either a Master or a Slave on a LAN. If the computer is the first (or only) computer powered up on the LAN, then it assumes the role of Master. In this role, the computer establishes a communication link with a WAN (such as with an Internet Service Provider), and directs all WAN communications over the WAN, using a WAN frequency and protocol (such as DSL). As other computers join the LAN, then WAN communications from those computers are relayed through the Master to the WAN. These communications are relayed to the Master using a LAN frequency band. If upon power-up, however, another computer is identified as already being on the LAN (and configured as a Master), then the computer assumes a Slave configuration. In this configuration, all WAN communications are directed to the WAN by way of the Master computer, and are communicated to the Master computer using a LAN frequency band. Return communications, received from the WAN, however, are broadcast directly over the LAN using the downstream frequency band of the DSL service (as opposed to the LAN frequency band), where they may be received by the appropriate Slave computer.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a point to multi-point digital subscriber line (DSL) network, comprising the steps of:

electrically connecting a local loop to customer premises wiring;

establishing intra-LAN computer communications among a plurality of computers located at the customer premises, over the customer premises wiring, in a LAN frequency band, wherein one of the plurality of computers is configured as a Master computer and the remaining computers are configured as Slave computers;

establishing a WAN communications link between the Master computer located at the customer premises and a line card located at a central office, across the local loop, wherein communications between the Master computer and the central office occur in a WAN frequency band;

directing outgoing WAN communications from any of the Slave computers to the WAN communications link, via the Master computer; and

receiving incoming WAN communications directly at any of the Slave computers.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of directing outgoing WAN communications further includes communicating outgoing communications from a Slave computer to the Master computer using a LAN frequency band.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the LAN frequency band is located at a higher than range that the WAN frequency band.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the WAN frequency band is a DSL frequency band.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the WAN frequency band more specifically comprises an upstream frequency band and a downstream frequency band.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the step of receiving incoming WAN communications includes monitoring, by the Slave computers, communications over the customer premises wiring within the downstream frequency band.

7. A communication circuit for equipping a computer to communicate over both a LAN and a WAN comprising:

WAN communication circuitry for generating signals for communication over the WAN in accordance with a predetermined transmission frequency and protocol;

LAN communication circuitry for generating signals for intra-LAN communication, the LAN communication circuitry configured to generate a signal that is transmitted in a frequency band that exceeds the highest transmission frequency of signals communicated over the WAN;

first logic configured to direct outbound WAN communications through another computer on the LAN, communicating these communications through the another computer within a LAN frequency band; and

second logic configured to monitor inbound WAN communications and receive directly inbound WAN communications destined for the computer.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, further including:

third logic, operable upon a reset condition, configured to determine whether any other computer is presently in communication with the LAN;

fourth logic configured to establish WAN communications from the computer within a WAN frequency band, if the third logic indicates that no other computer is presently in communication with the LAN.

9. In a computer having both WAN and LAN communication circuitry, wherein WAN communication circuitry generates signals for communication over a WAN in accordance with a WAN frequency and protocol and LAN communication circuitry generates signals for intra-LAN communication in accordance with a LAN frequency and protocol, a method for configuring a computer to communicate over both a LAN and a WAN comprising the steps of:

detecting whether another at least one other computer is communicating with the LAN;

configuring the computer as a Slave computer on the LAN, if at least one other computer is detected as being in communication with the LAN;

communicating all outbound WAN communications through a Master computer, using the LAN frequency to communicate the outbound communications from the Slave computer to the Master computer;

monitoring communications over the LAN within the WAN frequency band for communications destined for the Slave computer; and

receiving appropriate inbound WAN communications directly.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the LAN frequency band is located at a higher than range that the WAN frequency band.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the WAN frequency band is a DSL frequency band.

12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the WAN frequency band more specifically comprises an upstream frequency band and a downstream frequency band.