Enhanced channel access mechanisms for a HPNA network

• US 7,293,103 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Matthew J., Lin, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US10/042,179
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 709/232, 709/236, 709/245, 370/400, 379/387.01
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• 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 12/40156 by using dedicated slots associated with a priority level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5603 Access techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and a system is disclosed for providing access in a centralized manner to a communications medium that is suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2 frames. A plurality of messages are transmitted between a first enhanced station and a second enhanced station. Each transmitted message is transmitted in an enhanced frame that has timing to allow an Inter-Frame Gap (IFG). A blocking signal, such as a sine wave signal and a cosine wave signal, is transmitted during at least one IFG between enhanced frames to mask the presence of the IFG to a non-enhanced STA. Alternatively, the blocking signal can be transmitted during at least one reply message. Contention-free access to the communications medium is also provided by transmitting messages in a highest priority level available in an HPNA v2 frame.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a communications medium, the communications medium being suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2 frames, the method comprising steps of:

transmitting a plurality of messages between a first enhanced station (STA) and a second enhanced STA, each enhanced STA being one of a Media Control Station (MC STA) and a non-MC STA, each enhanced STA provided preferential access, with respect to non-enhanced devices compliant with said HPNA, to a Home Networking communications medium by said MC STA, each transmitted message being transmitted in an enhanced frame, each enhanced frame having timing to allow an Inter-Frame Gap (IFG); and

masking the IFG to a non-enhanced STA via a blocking signal transmitted during at least one IFG between enhanced frames, the IFG not masked to the second enhanced STA.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first enhanced STA is the MCSTA and the second enhanced STA is a non-MC STA.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second enhanced STA are each a non-MC STA.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes steps of:

transmitting a first message from an MC STA to a non-MC STA; and

transmitting at least one reply message from the non-MC STA to the MC STA.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting the blocking signal further transmits the blocking signal during at least one reply message.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted by the MC STA.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted by a non-MC STA.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the blocking signal includes a step of transmitting the blocking signal during at least one message.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes steps of:

transmitting a first message from the MC STA to a first non-MC STA; and

transmitting at least one second message from the first non-MC STA to at least one other non-MC STA.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the blocking signal is one of a sine wave signal and a cosine wave signal.

11. A method for providing access to a communications medium, the communications medium being suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2 frames, each HPNA v2 frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots, the method comprising steps of:

transmitting a plurality of messages between a first enhanced station (STA) and a second enhanced STA, each enhanced STA being one of a Media Control Station (MC STA) and a non-MC STA, each enhanced STA provided preferential access, with respect to non-enhanced devices compliant with said HPNA, to a Home Networking communications medium by said MC STA each transmitted message being contained in an enhanced frame and being transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in an HPNA v2 frame, each enhanced frame having timing to allow an Inter-Frame Gap (IFG); and

masking the IFG to a non-enhanced STA via a blocking signal transmitted during at least one IFG between enhanced frames, the IFG not masked to the second enhanced STA.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first enhanced STA is the MC-STA and the second enhanced STA is a non-MCSTA.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second enhanced STA are each a non-MCSTA.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes steps of:

transmitting a first message from an MC STA to a non-MC STA; and

transmitting at least one reply message from the non-MC STA to the MC STA.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting the blocking signal further transmits the blocking signal during at least one reply message.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted by the MC STA.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted by a non-MCSTA.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting the blocking signal includes a step of transmitting the blocking signal during at least one message.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes steps of:

transmitting a first message from the MC STA to a first non-MC STA; and

transmitting at least one second message from the first non-MC STA to at least one other non-MC STA.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the blocking signal is one of a sine wave signal and a cosine wave signal.

21. A communications network, comprising:

a communications medium that is suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association(HPNA) v2 frames; and

a plurality of enhanced stations (STAs) coupled to the communications medium, each enhanced STA being one of a Media Control Station(MC STA) and a non-MC STA each enhanced STA provided preferential access, with respect to non-enhanced devices compliant with said HPNA, to a Home Networking communications medium by said MC STA each of said plurality of enhanced stations capable of;

transmitting a plurality of messages in the communications medium between a first enhanced STA and a second enhanced STA, each message being transmitted in an enhanced frame, each enhanced frame having timing to include an Inter-Frame Gap (IFG); and

masking the IFG to a non-enhanced STA via a blocking signal transmitted in the communications medium during at least one IFG between enhanced frames, the IFG not masked to the second enhanced STA.

22. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein the first enhanced STA is the MC-STA and the second enhanced STA is a non-MC STA.

23. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein the first and second enhanced STA are each a non-MC STA.

24. The communications network according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes a first message transmitted from an MC STA to a non-MC STA and at least one reply message transmitted from the non-MCSTA to the MC STA.

25. The communications network according to claim 24, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted during at least one reply message.

26. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein the MC STA transmits the blocking signal.

27. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein a non-MCSTA transmits the blocking signal.

28. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted during at least one message.

29. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein a first message is transmitted from the MC STA to a first non-MCSTA, and at least one second message is transmitted from the first non-MC STA to at least one other non-MCSTA.

30. The communications network according to claim 21, wherein the blocking signal is one of a sine wave signal and a cosine wave signal.

31. A communications network, comprising:

a communications medium that is suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2 frames, each HPNA v2 frame being time to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots; and

a plurality of enhanced stations (STAs) coupled to the communications medium, each enhanced STA being one of a Media Control Station (MC STA) and a non-MC STA each enhanced STA provided preferential access, with respect to non-enhanced devices compliant with said HPNA, to a Home Networking communications medium by said MC STA, each of said plurality of enhanced stations capable of;

transmitting a plurality of messages in the communications medium between a first enhanced STA and a second enhanced STA, each message being transmitted in an enhanced frame and being transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in an HPNA v2 frame, each enhanced frame having timing to include an Inter-Frame Gap (IFG); and

masking the IFG to a non-enhanced STA via a blocking signal transmitted in the communications medium during at least one IFG between enhanced frames, the IFG not masked to the second enhanced STA.

32. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the first enhanced STA is the MC-STA and the second enhanced STA is a non-MC STA.

33. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the first and second enhanced STA are each a non-MC STA.

34. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of messages between the first enhanced STA and the second enhanced STA includes a first message transmitted from an MC STA to a non-MC STA and at least one reply message transmitted from the non-MC STA to the MC STA.

35. The communications network according to claim 34, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted during at least one reply message.

36. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the MC STA transmits the blocking signal.

37. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein a non-MC STA transmits the blocking signal.

38. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the blocking signal is transmitted during at least one message.

39. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein a first message is transmitted from the MC STA to a first non-MC STA, and at least one second message is transmitted from the first non-MC STA to at least one other non-MC STA.

40. The communications network according to claim 31, wherein the blocking signal is one of a sine wave signal and a cosine wave signal.