Home network system and method
First Claim
1. In a home network having a plurality of network modules, at least two of the network modules being connected to a coax backbone, a method for communicating over the coax backbone between network modules, the method comprising:
- designating one of the at least two network modules as a master module, wherein each of the at least two network modules is capable of being designated as the master module;
using the master module to receive requests sent over the coax backbone from at least some of the network modules for bandwidth to transmit bursts, the master module being located in a home;
using the master module to establish an order of transmission opportunities for the at least some of the network modules to follow when transmitting the bursts;
using the master module to transmit over the coax backbone an allocation burst that allocates a transmission opportunity to each of the at least some of the network modules to transmit bursts, the allocation burst being based on the transmission order;
calibrating at least one unregistered network module to at least one parameter of the physical layer of the home network, the calibrating using a burst transmitted by the unregistered network module to the master module; and
following the calibrating, using the unregistered network module to send a registration burst to the master module.
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Abstract
A demarcation point unit connected between a home network backbone and an external network. The demarcation point unit includes a blocking filter and splitter. The blocking filter receives a home network signal from the home network backbone and an external signal from the external network. The blocking filter separates the home network signal from the external signal, and returns the home network signal back to the home network backbone. The splitter has an input and at least two outputs. The input of the splitter receives the home network signal from the blocking filter.
241 Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a home network having a plurality of network modules, at least two of the network modules being connected to a coax backbone, a method for communicating over the coax backbone between network modules, the method comprising:
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designating one of the at least two network modules as a master module, wherein each of the at least two network modules is capable of being designated as the master module; using the master module to receive requests sent over the coax backbone from at least some of the network modules for bandwidth to transmit bursts, the master module being located in a home; using the master module to establish an order of transmission opportunities for the at least some of the network modules to follow when transmitting the bursts; using the master module to transmit over the coax backbone an allocation burst that allocates a transmission opportunity to each of the at least some of the network modules to transmit bursts, the allocation burst being based on the transmission order; calibrating at least one unregistered network module to at least one parameter of the physical layer of the home network, the calibrating using a burst transmitted by the unregistered network module to the master module; and following the calibrating, using the unregistered network module to send a registration burst to the master module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A home network comprising:
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a coax backbone; a plurality of network modules, each of the network modules being connected to the coax backbone, wherein at least two of the network modules are capable of being designated as a network master module, the plurality of network modules further comprising the network master module designated from the plurality of network modules, at least one of the plurality of network modules being an unregistered network module operational to transmit a burst to the master module that facilitates calibrating the at least one of the plurality of home network modules to at least one parameter of the physical layer of the home network, and, following transmitting the burst, the at least one of the plurality of home network modules being operational to send a registration burst to the master module; and the network master module connected to the coax backbone, the master module being located in a home, the master module that receives requests from at least some of the network modules over the coax backbone, the requests being for bandwidth to transmit bursts, the master module that establishes a transmission order of transmission opportunities for the at least some of the network modules to follow when transmitting bursts and that transmits an allocation burst over the coax backbone that allocates a transmission opportunity to each of the at least some network modules to transmit bursts, the allocation burst being based on the transmission order. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification