Communication between network nodes

• US 9,385,782 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yonge, Lawrence W. III, Katar, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hampton, Tarell
• Application Number:
  US12/979,780
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/542 using zero crossing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Network signals are coupled to and from a first communication medium that is coupled to one or more nodes of a first network that exchange signals according to at least one scheduling constraint of the first communication medium. Network signals are coupled to and from a second communication medium that is coupled to one or more nodes of a second network that exchange signals according to a schedule compatible with scheduling information received from the first network. Information conveyed by the coupled network signals is communicated between a first network node and a second network node, according to the schedule compatible with the scheduling information received from the first network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first signal interface configured to communicate via a first communication medium coupled to a first node of a first network, wherein

the first node is configured to communicate according to a scheduling constraint of the first communication medium,

the scheduling constraint is based, at least in part, on a varying time period of a waveform associated with the first communication medium and on a variation of a beacon period associated with the first communication medium;

a second signal interface configured to communicate via a second communication medium coupled to a second node of a second network, wherein

the second node is configured to communicate according to a schedule compatible with the scheduling constraint of the first communication medium,

the first communication medium is a first medium type, the first medium type being a powerline medium capable of carrying alternating current, and the second communication medium is a second medium type that is different from the first medium type; and

a signal coupling unit configured to utilize at least one of the first signal interface and the second signal interface to communicate information between the first node and the second node, according to the schedule.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first node is integrated with the signal coupling unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal coupling unit is configured to communicate with a coordination device capable of generating the schedule.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a schedule coordination unit configured to generate the schedule.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal interface and the second signal interface share a common medium access control layer interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal interface and the second signal interface share a common physical layer interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling constraint is further based on the waveform of the alternating current.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein signals communicated via the first communication medium are communicated according to a time division multiple access protocol.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein signals communicated via the first communication medium are communicated according to a carrier sense multiple access protocol with defined time periods of carrier sensing.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling constraint is further based on a variation of a cycle period of the waveform of the alternating current.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling constraint is further based on noise characteristics correlated with the alternating current.

10. A method comprising:

communicating via a first communication medium coupled to a first node of a first network, wherein the first node is configured to communicate according to a scheduling constraint of the first communication medium, and

the scheduling constraint is based, at least in part, on a varying time period of a waveform associated with the first communication medium and on a variation of a beacon period associated with the first communication medium;

communicating via a second communication medium coupled to a second node of a second network, wherein the second node is configured to communicate according to a schedule compatible with the scheduling constraint of the first communication medium, the first communication medium is a first medium type, the first medium type being a powerline medium capable of carrying alternating current, and the second communication medium is a second medium type that is different from the first medium type; and

communicating information between the first node and the second node, according to the schedule, wherein

said communicating the information comprises communicating via the first communication medium and via the second communication medium.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating the information using a host device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating information via network signals from the first node to a plurality of other nodes.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the schedule.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the schedule.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the schedule to at least one of the first node and the second node.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring features of a network interface based on the first and the second communication mediums.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the scheduling constraint according to the waveform of the alternating current carried by the first communication medium.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the scheduling constraint based, at least in part, on traffic characteristics of the first network.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the scheduling constraint based, at least in part, on an application of quality of service requirements of the first network.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable storage media having machine executable instructions stored therein, the machine executable instructions comprising instructions to:

communicate via a first communication medium coupled to a first node of a first network, wherein the first node is configured to communicate according to a scheduling constraint of the first communication medium, and the scheduling constraint is based, at least in part, on a varying time period of a waveform associated with the first communication medium and on a variation of a beacon period associated with the first communication medium;

communicate via a second communication medium coupled to a second node of a second network, wherein the second node is configured to communicate according to a schedule compatible with the scheduling constraint of the first communication medium, the first communication medium is a first medium type, the first medium type being a powerline medium capable of carrying alternating current, and the second communication medium is a second medium type that is different from the first medium type; and

communicate information between the first node and the second node according to the schedule, wherein

the information is communicated via the first communication medium and via the second communication medium.