Device, system, and method for transporting data using combined broadband and legacy network infrastructures
First Claim
1. A data distribution device comprising,at least one legacy user data port in communication with at least one end user device via a first network transport medium,at least one broadband data port in communication with a second network transport medium,at least one data port in communication with a legacy network via a third network transport medium,at least one broadband transceiver, in communication with the at least one broadband data port, for sending and receiving broadband data signals,at least one legacy transceiver, in communication with the at least one legacy user data port and the at least one data port, for sending and receiving RF modulated data signals,at least one converter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) converting RF modulated data signals into data packets and ii) converting data packets into RF modulated data signals,a data switch, in communications with the at least one converter and the at least one broadband transceiver, for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports, andat least one combiner/splitter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) combining a first RF modulated data signal in a first frequency band with a second RF modulated data signal in a second frequency band and ii) extracting at least one of the first and second RF modulated data signals from a single RF modulated data signal including the combined RF modulated data signals in the first and second frequency bands;
- wherein data from both the second transport network medium and the third transport network medium is transported over the first transport medium, and wherein the first transport medium and the third network transport medium comprise coaxial cable forming part of a legacy cable television network and the second network transport medium comprising optical cable forming part of a broadband data network, the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network operating in parallel and the data distribution device configured to merge traffic associated with each of the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network to an end user via the first transport medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates generally to data communications using multiple data networks to transport data to one or more end user devices.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A data distribution device comprising,
at least one legacy user data port in communication with at least one end user device via a first network transport medium, at least one broadband data port in communication with a second network transport medium, at least one data port in communication with a legacy network via a third network transport medium, at least one broadband transceiver, in communication with the at least one broadband data port, for sending and receiving broadband data signals, at least one legacy transceiver, in communication with the at least one legacy user data port and the at least one data port, for sending and receiving RF modulated data signals, at least one converter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) converting RF modulated data signals into data packets and ii) converting data packets into RF modulated data signals, a data switch, in communications with the at least one converter and the at least one broadband transceiver, for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports, and at least one combiner/splitter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) combining a first RF modulated data signal in a first frequency band with a second RF modulated data signal in a second frequency band and ii) extracting at least one of the first and second RF modulated data signals from a single RF modulated data signal including the combined RF modulated data signals in the first and second frequency bands; wherein data from both the second transport network medium and the third transport network medium is transported over the first transport medium, and wherein the first transport medium and the third network transport medium comprise coaxial cable forming part of a legacy cable television network and the second network transport medium comprising optical cable forming part of a broadband data network, the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network operating in parallel and the data distribution device configured to merge traffic associated with each of the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network to an end user via the first transport medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A communications system comprising:
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a legacy data network, a plurality of end user devices in communication with the legacy data network, a broadband data network operating in parallel with the legacy data network, and a plurality of data distribution devices in communication with the legacy and broadband data networks, each of the plurality of data distribution configured to merge data traffic from the legacy data network and the broadband data network for distribution to the plurality of end users, and each of the plurality of data distribution devices including; at least one legacy user data port in communication with at least one end user device, at least one data port in communication with the legacy data network, at least one broadband data port, at least one broadband transceiver, in communication with the at least one broadband data port, for sending and receiving broadband data signals, at least one legacy transceiver, in communication with the at least one legacy user data port and the at least one data port, for sending and receiving RF modulated data signals, at least one converter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) converting RF modulated data signals into data packets and ii) converting data packets into RF modulated data signals, a data switch, in communications with the at least one converter and the at least one broadband transceiver, for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports, and at least one combiner/splitter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) combining a first RF modulated data signal in a first frequency band with a second RF modulated data signal in a second frequency band and ii) extracting at least one of the first and second RF modulated data signals from a single RF modulated data signal including the combined RF modulated data signals in the first and second frequency bands; wherein data from both the legacy data network and the broadband data network is distributed over a coaxial cable forming part of a legacy cable television network to the at least one end user device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of transmitting data over multiple networks comprising:
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sending a first legacy data signal to a data distribution device over a first network, wherein the data distribution device is connected to a coaxial cable forming part of a legacy cable television network and, sending a first broadband data signal to the data distribution device over a second network, wherein the first network and the second network operating in parallel to one another, receiving at the data distribution device the legacy data signal and the broadband data signal, processing at the data distribution device the broadband data signal with a data switch, sending, from the data distribution device, processed data and data from the first legacy data signal to at least one destination device over a legacy network connection between the data distribution device and the destination device, wherein the processed data is transmitted out-of-band on the legacy network connection, and wherein the data distribution device is configured to merge data traffic from the first network and the second network to the at least one destination device. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification