Full duplex wideband communications system for a local coaxial network

• US 8,230,470 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robertson, Neil C., Fernandez, Jose M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US12/036,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/78, 725/82, 725/85, 725/105, 725/126, 725127-129, 725/133, 725/135, 725/141, 725/143, 725/149, 725/153, 725/111, 386/34, 386/36, 386/41, 386/122, 455/135, 370463-464
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/143 for modulated signals H04L5/1469 takes precedence
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/438 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a full duplex wideband communications system for a local (e.g. in-home) coaxial network. The system employs a Frequency-division duplex (FDD) scheme that allows identical wideband modems to communicate with each other. To achieve this, the wideband modems contain a duplexer and a switch that allows reversing the connection of the wideband transmitter and receiver to the duplexer. Each wideband modem includes a control modem that is used to control access to the wideband channels. A wideband transmitter, which may be included in a modem associated with a server set-top terminal (STT), transmits a video presentation to a wideband receiver, which may be included in a modem associated with a client STT.

Claims

1. A system for receiving a video presentation over a local network, the system comprising:

a server set-top terminal (STT) including;

a wideband modem,

a server control transmitter for providing information regarding an optimal frequency of the wideband modem, and

a control receiver for receiving information regarding the optimal frequency of a client set-top terminal wideband modem and a request for a stored video presentation from a client control transmitter of a client set-top terminal; and

the client set-top terminal (STT), comprising;

a client control transmitter for requesting the stored video presentation from the server STT and providing the information regarding the optimal frequency of the wideband modem, and

a wideband receiver for receiving the requested video presentation,

wherein the optimal frequency is determined by employing a search algorithm configured to scan multiple frequencies and select the optimal frequency for both transmitting and receiving information, the optimal frequency being stored at the client set-top terminal and the server set-top terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the received video presentation is provided to a television for viewing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wideband receiver is a tuner included in the client STT, and wherein the tuner receives one of cable television signals from one of the following:

a communications system and the stored video presentations from the server STT depending upon a receive switch.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server STT comprises:

a wideband transmitter for transmitting the requested video presentation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server control transmitter is further configured to:

provide information to other modems in the local network regarding a transmission frequency associated with the transmitted video presentation, wherein the frequency can be in one of a high band and a low band.

6. The system of claim 1, the client STT further comprising:

a wideband transmitter for transmitting high data rate communications;

a control receiver for receiving information regarding a transmission frequency of the requested video presentation; and

a band select switch that selects between a high band and a low band depending upon the first frequency associated with the requested video presentation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control receiver and the client control transmitter each operate on a single frequency and in a half-duplex mode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control receiver receives and the client control transmitter transmits data packets as burst packages using a modulation scheme, wherein each of the burst packages include an error-detection code and a destination address.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the client control transmitter is configured to send a message to a second client set-top terminal, the message indicating a high and a low frequency the second client set-top terminal is currently using.

7. A set-top terminal (STT), comprising:

a client control transmitter for requesting a stored video presentation from a server STT, wherein the request includes a requesting STT address;

at least one tuner for receiving one of cable television signals and high data rate communications, wherein the high data rate communications comprises a transmitted video presentation transmitted at an optimal frequency determined by a search algorithm configured to find the optimal frequency for communicating with the server STT, the optimal frequency being stored at the STT and the server STT; and

a receive switch for receiving a routing one of the cable television signals and the high data rate communications to the at least one tuner, wherein the received video presentation is subsequently provided to a viewing device for display.

8. The STT of claim 7, wherein the STT requests the stored video presentation from a server STT in a coaxial network, the server STT comprising:

a server control receiver for receiving the optimal transmitting frequency of the wideband modem and the request for the stored video presentation;

a server control transmitter for providing information regarding the frequency in accordance with the optimal frequency in one of the high band or the low band;

a modulator for modulating the video presentation to the optimal frequency;

a wideband transmitter for transmitting the modulated video presentation, wherein the modulated video presentation includes the address of the requesting STT a band select switch;

wherein the server STT sets the band select switch to transmit the modulated video presentation in one of the high band or the low band; and

wherein the server control transmitter associated with the server STT sends a control signal to a processor in the STT for setting the band select switch of the STT to receive in the server STT to one of the selected high band low band.

12. A system for receiving a video presentation over a local network, the system comprising:

a server set-top terminal (STT) comprising;

a wideband modem,

a server control transmitter for providing information regarding an optimal frequency of the wideband modem in one of a high band a low band, and

a control receiver for receiving the optimal transmitting frequency of the wideband modem and a request for a stored video presentation; and

a client set-top terminal (STT), comprising;

a client control transmitter for requesting the stored video presentation from the server STT and providing the optimal frequency of the wideband modem, and

a wideband receiver for receiving the requested video presentation, wherein the control receiver and the client control transmitter operate on a single frequency and in a half-duplex mode,

wherein the control receiver receives and the client control transmitter transmits data packets as burst packages using a modulation scheme, wherein each of the burst packages include an error-detection code and a destination address,

wherein the client control transmitter is configured to send a message to other client set-top terminal, the message indicating a high and a low frequency the client set-top terminal is currently using,

wherein when the client set-top terminal and the other client set-top terminal connect the local network, a search algorithm is used to determine best signal parameters for both transmitting and receiving information between the client set-top terminal and the other client set-top terminal.