Broadband local area network

• US 9,565,469 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Monk, Anton, Bernath, Brett, Gurantz, Itzhak, Porat, Ron, Ozturk, Yusuf, Lee, Ronald B., Goh, Wee Peng, Berggren, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US14/861,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• 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 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64784 Data processing by the network data processing in packet switching systems H04L12/56; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90; provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56

Abstract

A BCN network with BCN modems that enable network wired devices to communicate over a typical home coaxial network that may include passive splitters and different types of coaxial cable.

Claims

1. A communication circuit comprising:

a transceiver operable to communicate in a coaxial cable network (CCN);

a controller that is operable to, at least;

connect to the CCN;

if upon connection to the CCN, the CCN has no network controller, then establish itself as a network controller of the CCN;

transmit first information on the CCN, the first information comprising information indicating when admission messages may be transmitted on the CCN;

receive an admission request message from a new node;

if the received admission request message is correctly received and the new node is authorized to join the CNN, then perform an admission procedure with the new node;

probe a communication link of the CCN connecting the communication circuit to the new node; and

adapt transmission parameters for the communication link based, at least in part, on the probe.

2. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the CCN is a premises network.

3. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to, if the received admission request message comprises errors, then transmit second information on the CNN, the second information comprising information indicating when a next admission message may be transmitted on the CNN.

4. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the information indicating when admission messages may be transmitted on the CCN comprises time slot information.

5. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to, based at least in part on the probe of the communication link, determine a distance between the communication circuit and the new node.

6. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to, based at least in part on the probe of the communication link, develop an echo profile.

7. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to adapt transmission parameters by, at least in part, adjusting transmission power of the transceiver.

8. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to periodically probe each communication link between the communication circuit and another node of the CCN.

9. The communication circuit of claim 8, wherein the controller is operable to develop an echo profile for each of the probed communication links.

10. A communication circuit comprising:

a controller that is operable to, at least;

connect to a Coaxial Cable Network (CCN);

if upon connection to the CCN, the CCN has no network controller, then establish itself as a network controller of the CCN;

transmit first information on the CNN, the first information comprising information indicating when admission messages may be transmitted on the CCN;

receive an admission message from a new node;

if the received admission message is correctly received and the new node is authorized to join the CNN, then perform an admission procedure with the new node;

probe a communication link of the CCN connecting the communication circuit to the new node; and

adapt transmission parameters for the communication link based, at least in part, on the probe.

11. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the CCN is a premises network.

12. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to, if the received admission message comprises errors, then transmit second information on the CNN, the second information comprising information indicating when a next admission message may be transmitted on the CNN.

13. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the information indicating when admission messages may be transmitted on the CCN comprises time slot information.

14. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to, based at least in part on the probe of the communication link, determine a distance between the communication circuit and the new node.

15. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to, based at least in part on the probe of the communication link, develop an echo profile.

16. The communication circuit of claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to adapt transmission parameters by, at least in part, adjusting transmission power of the transceiver.

17. A communication circuit comprising:

a controller that is operable to, at least;

connect to a Coaxial Cable Network (CCN);

if upon connection to the CCN, the CCN has no network controller, then establish the communication circuit as a network controller of the CCN;

transmit first information on the CNN, the first information comprising information indicating when admission messages may be transmitted on the CCN;

receive an admission message from a new node;

if the received admission message is correctly received and the new node is authorized to join the CNN, then perform an admission procedure with the new node; and

if the received admission message comprises errors, then transmit second information on the CNN, the second information comprising information indicating when a next admission message may be transmitted on the CNN.