Systems and methods for implementing a high throughput mode for a MoCA device

• US 8,514,860 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tarrab, Moshe, Shusterman, Eliahu, Ohana, Yitshak, Kliger, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMBAYE, MEWALE A
• Application Number:
  US13/031,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20110206042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/208, 370/330, 455/466, 375/267
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26134 Pilot insertion in the transmitter chain, e.g. pilot overlapping with data, insertion in time or frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a high throughput mode for a MoCA device are provided. An electronic device configured for use as a node in a home network is provided. The electronic device may include a preamble generator block. The preamble generator block may include a time domain preamble generator. The time domain preamble generator may be configured to generate a periodic preamble for a MoCA signal. The preamble generator block may also include a doubling circuit configured to double the periodic preamble. Such doubling may preferably obtain an increased maximum periodic preamble.

Claims

1. An electronic device configured for use as a node in a home network, the electronic device comprising:

a preamble generator, configured to generate an outbound preamble for a Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MoCA) signal; and

a doubling circuit comprising;

a first multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and a zero signal, the first multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the zero signal; and

a second multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and the output of the first multiplexor, the second multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the output of the first multiplexor based on a switching signal, wherein the doubling circuit is configured to double the outbound preamble based on the switching signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the doubling circuit further comprises a switching circuit that configured to generate the switching signal.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a preamble receiver comprising:

a switching circuit configured to receive an inbound preamble according to a first rate or a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the inbound preamble comprising one or more inbound samples, the switching circuit being configured to switch between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and

a preamble processor coupled to the switching circuit,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to provide a received inbound sample to the preamble processor in the closed configuration and to discard a received inbound sample in the open configuration,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to remain in the closed configuration if the inbound preamble is received according to the first rate, and

wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch between the closed configuration and the open configuration according to a switching frequency if the inbound preamble is received according to the second rate.

10. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the switching circuit is configured to generate the switching signal such that the output of the second multiplexor comprises the outbound preamble received by the second multiplexor from the preamble generator.

11. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the switching circuit is configured to generate the switching signal such that the output of the second multiplexor alternates between the outbound preamble received by the second multiplexor from the preamble generator and the output of the first multiplexor.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the switching circuit is configured to generate the switching signal such that the output of the second multiplexor alternates between the outbound preamble received by the second multiplexor from the preamble generator and the output of the first multiplexor according to a switching frequency.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the output of the first multiplexor comprises the outbound preamble received from the preamble generator.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the outbound preamble is a periodic preamble.

4. An electronic device configured for use as a node in a home network, the electronic device comprising:

a preamble receiver comprising;

a switching circuit configured to receive an inbound preamble according to a first rate or a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the preamble comprising one or more inbound samples, the switching circuit being configured to switch between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and

a preamble processor coupled to the switching circuit,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to provide a received inbound sample to the preamble processor in the closed configuration and to discard a received inbound sample in the open configuration,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to remain in the closed configuration if the inbound preamble is received according to the first rate, and

wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch between the closed configuration and the open configuration according to a switching frequency if the inbound preamble is received according to the second rate.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a preamble generator block.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the preamble generator block comprises:

a preamble generator configured to generate an outbound preamble for a MoCA signal; and

a doubling circuit comprising;

a first multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and a zero signal, the first multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the zero signal; and

a second multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and the output of the first multiplexor, the second multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the output of the first multiplexor based on a switching signal,

wherein the doubling circuit is configured to double the outbound preamble based on the switching signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the switching frequency is 100 MHz.

15. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the switching frequency is equal to the second rate.

8. A method comprising:

generating an outbound preamble for a Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MoCA) packet; and

receiving, by a first multiplexor, the outbound preamble and a zero signal;

selecting and outputting, by the first multiplexor, one of the received outbound preamble or the zero signal;

receiving, by a second multiplexor, the outbound preamble and the output of the first multiplexor; and

selecting and outputting, by the second multiplexor, one of the received outbound preamble or the output of the first multiplexor based on a switching signal, wherein the outbound preamble is doubled based on the switching signal.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating the switching signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the switching signal is generated such that the output of the second multiplexor alternates between the outbound preamble received by the second multiplexor and the output of the first multiplexor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the switching signal is generated such that the output of the second multiplexor alternates between the outbound preamble received by the second multiplexor and the output of the first multiplexor according to a switching frequency.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, by a switching circuit, an inbound preamble according to a first rate or a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the preamble comprising one or more inbound samples, the switching circuit being configured to switch between a closed configuration and an open configuration;

providing a received inbound sample to a preamble processor when the switching circuit is in the closed configuration;

discarding a received inbound sample when the switching circuit is in the open configuration;

maintaining the switching circuit in the closed configuration if the inbound preamble is received according to the first rate; and

switching the switching circuit between the closed configuration and the open configuration according to a switching frequency if the inbound preamble is received according to the second rate.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the switching frequency is 100 MHz.

20. An electronic device configured for use as a node in a home network, the electronic device comprising:

a preamble generator configured to generate an outbound preamble for a Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MoCA) signal;

a doubling circuit comprising;

a first multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and a zero signal, the first multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the zero signal; and

a second multiplexor configured to receive the outbound preamble from the preamble generator and the output of the first multiplexor, the second multiplexor being configured to select and output one of the received outbound preamble or the output of the first multiplexor based on a switching signal, wherein the doubling circuit is configured to double the outbound preamble based on the switching signal; and

a preamble receiver comprising;

a switching circuit configured to receive an inbound preamble according to a first rate or a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the inbound preamble comprising one or more inbound samples, the switching circuit being configured to switch between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and

a preamble processor coupled to the switching circuit, wherein the switching circuit is configured to provide a received inbound sample to the preamble processor in the closed configuration and to discard a received inbound sample in the open configuration, wherein the switching circuit is configured to remain in the closed configuration if the inbound preamble is received according to the first rate, and wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch between the closed configuration and the open configuration according to a switching frequency if the inbound preamble is received according to the second rate.