Intra-premises wireless broadband service using lumped and distributed wireless radiation from cable source input

• US 7,697,887 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Worstell, Harry R., Rice, Christopher W., Murray, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US11/934,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20080081557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 348/14.02, 725/135, 725/78, 375/222
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• 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: 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 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters

Abstract

A premises, connected to receive broadband service(s) and also connected to a cable system, is provided with a broadband interface which connects to in-premises cabling which is coupled to consumer receivers such as a television sets, PDAs, laptops. Connected to the broadband interface is an adjunct device which channels broadband, data and voice signals supplied to an in-premises wireless system as distinguished from the signals supplied to the cable connected consumer receivers. The adjunct device formats the broadband and voice signals or any broadband service into packet format suitable for signal radiation and couples them to the in-premises coax cabling, via a diplexer, at a first selected location. At a second cable location a second diplexer, connected to the cable, separates the broadband, data and voice signals and couples them to a signal radiation device (i.e., an RF antenna or leaky coaxial cable) which radiates the signal to the immediate surrounding location. Various devices, near to the second cable location for specific services, receive the wireless signals (i.e., broadband, data and voice) from the radiating antenna.

Claims

1. A method of distributing broadband signals within a premises, comprising the steps of:

packetizing incoming broadband signals at a first frequency into RF frequency signals;

modulating the packetized RF frequency signals at a second frequency; and

providing the packetized and modulated RF frequency signals to in-premises cabling for distribution to signal radiation devices located within the premises, wherein the in-premises cabling is connected to a set of diplexers, each Diplexer connected to one of the signal radiation devices, each of the signal radiation devices adapted for radiating RE frequency signals containing the broadband signals to wireless devices, wherein a cable modern converts input analog radio frequency signals carrying the broadband signals to digital signals of Ethernet compatible format, the digital signals having different address headers than Ethernet signals intended for wired distribution.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

transmitting the RE frequency signals on cabling used within the premises for cable television signal distribution.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

using the signal radiation devices to radiate the RE frequency signals, the signal radiation devices comprising radiative antennas coupled to the cabling near receiving equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

using the signal radiation devices to radiate the RE frequency signals, the signal radiation devices comprising a leaky cable of the in-premises cabling.

5. The method of claim 1, further including a step of:

supplying the broadband signals by external cable.

6. The method of claim 1, further including a step of:

supplying the broadband signals by fixed wireless.

7. The method of claim 1, further including a step of:

supplying the broadband signals by DSL.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the in-premises cabling is connected to a diplexer, the diplexer adapted to isolate RF frequencies containing the broadband signals from RF frequencies containing broadcast signals obtained from outputs of a Diplexer/Duplexer filter from a combined cable RF signal complex.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless devices are cordless telephones.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the in-premises cabling is adapted to carry RF frequencies that comprise a combination of analog television broadcast signals, voice analog signals, and digital data signals, the in-premises cabling operatively connected to a cable modem section of a broadband termination interface and a diplexer through a splitter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the in-premises cabling is connected directly to an antenna by way of a 2.4 GHz filter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the cable modem applies the digital signals to a wireless access port.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a cable modem converts input analog radio frequency signals carrying the broadband signals to digital signals of USB compatible format, the digital signals having different address headers than Ethernet signals intended for wired distribution.