System and method for communicating in a multi-unit structure

• US 7,596,079 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Bittner, Denis, Bittner, Markus, Berkman, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moutaouakil; Mounir
• Application Number:
  US11/693,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20070280246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 370/201, 370/236, 370/351, 370/352, 370/401, 375/257
• US Class Current: 370/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]

Abstract

A system and method of providing communications over twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure is provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises an upstream device having a first modem and a first non-conductive coupler communicatively coupled to the first modem and configured to couple data signals to and from the plurality of twisted pair conductors. The system also includes a plurality of communication devices disposed in a plurality of the units, with each having a second modem having first port and a second port, a second non-conductive coupler communicatively coupled to the first port of the second modem and configured to couple data signals to and from a twisted pair conductor. The second port of the second modem is configured to be coupled to one or more of the plurality of user devices. The upstream device is configured to communicate with the plurality of communications devices via the twisted pair conductors. In some embodiments, the non-conductive couplers comprise a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the twisted pair conductor(s), and a winding wound around the toroid.

Claims

1. A method of providing communications over a plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure, the method comprising:

coupling a data signal comprising a first data packet to the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors via a first non-conductive coupler, wherein the first data packet includes a destination address;

wherein the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors form a bundle and wherein said non-conductive coupler comprises a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and a winding wound around said toroid;

coupling the first data packet from a twisted pair conductor at each of the plurality of communication devices via a respective non-conductive coupler; and

demodulating the data to provide the first data packet at the plurality of communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising discarding the first data at multiple communication devices among the plurality of communication devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to said coupling a data signal comprising a first data packet to the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors:

receiving first data;

determining a destination address for the first data; and

providing the destination address in the first data packet.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second data packet comprising second data from a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices;

receiving a third data packet comprising third data from a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices; and

prioritizing upstream transmission of the third data over the second data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said prioritizing is based, at least in part, on information in the second data packet.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a destination address for the second data; and

providing the destination address in a data packet with the second data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors are configured to conduct voice band information to a public switch telephone network (PSTN) and the data signal is in a frequency band that is different from the voice band information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors are configured to conduct digital subscriber line (DSL) data and the data signal is in a frequency band that is different from the DSL data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said coupling the first data packet comprises inductively coupling.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said coupling the first data packet comprises capacitively coupling.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising attenuating the data signal to inhibit egression of the data signal from the multi-unit structure.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the first data packet to a user device at one of said plurality of communication devices.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective non-conductive coupler comprises:

a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference a twisted pair conductor; and

a winding wound around said toroid.

14. A system for providing communications over a plurality of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of user devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure, the system comprising:

an upstream device comprising;

a first modem; and

a first non-conductive coupler communicatively coupled to said first modem and configured to couple data signals to and from the plurality of twisted pair conductors;

wherein the plurality of twisted pair conductors form a bundle and wherein said first non-conductive coupler comprises a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and a winding wound around said toroid;

a plurality of communication devices disposed in a plurality of the units, each comprising;

a second modem having a first port and a second port;

a second non-conductive coupler communicatively coupled to said first port of said second modem and configured to couple data signals to and from a twisted pair conductor; and

wherein said second port of said second modem is configured to be coupled to one of the plurality of user devices; and

wherein said upstream device is configured to communicate with said plurality of communications devices via the twisted pair conductors.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each said second non-conductive coupler comprises:

a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the twisted pair conductor;

a winding wound around said toroid; and

wherein said winding is communicatively coupled to said first port of said second modem.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein at least some of said plurality of communication devices include a routing device communicatively coupled to said second modem.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said upstream device includes a routing device communicatively coupled to first modem.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said first modem and said second modems are configured to communicate via an addressing protocol.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said first modem and said second modems include a media access control layer.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said first modem and said second modems communicate via a substantially compatible HomePlug protocol.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein at least some of the twisted pair conductors are configured to conduct voice band information to a public switch telephone network and communications between the upstream device and the communications devices are in a frequency band that is different from the voice band information.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second non-conductive couplers couple via inductance.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein said first modem and said second modems are configured to communicate via orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein each of said second non-conductive couplers comprises a common mode coupler.

25. A device for communicating over a twisted pair conductor, comprising:

a coupler comprising a winding and a magnetically permeable core, said winding wound around said core and said core configured to be disposed substantially around the entire circumference of the twisted pair conductor, and wherein said coupler is configured to couple data signals to and from the twisted pair conductor;

a modem communicatively coupled to said winding of said coupler, said modem including a media access control layer; and

a user device interface communicatively coupled to said modem and configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more user devices.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said user device interface is configured to be coupled to a plurality user devices, the device further comprising

a routing device in communication with said modem and said user device interface.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said routing device includes a routing table that includes an address for each of the plurality of user devices to which the user device interface is coupled.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein said routing device is configured to prioritize transmission of upstream data from the plurality of user devices.

29. The device of claim 25, further comprising a telephone port configured to connect the twisted pair conductor to a PSTN compatible telephone.

30. The device of claim 25, further comprising a port configured to connect the twisted pair conductor to a DSL transceiver.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein said user device interface includes a plurality of digital ports and at least one analog port.

32. The device of claim 25, wherein said user device interface includes an analog port communicatively to the twisted pair conductor via a low pass filter.

33. The device of claim 25, wherein the twisted pair conductor forms part of a two conductor twisted pair conductor set around which said toroid of said coupler is configured to be disposed.