Abstract:
In a typical powerline communications environment, all electrical outlets and branches are connected to a load center. In this type of electrical system, all communication devices will share the same frequency spectrum, limiting the maximum bandwidth of the network, where all nodes are in contention with each other. In the inventive system, the electrical load center would provide filtering to isolate all branches off the load center into different network segments all capable of carrying the maximum bandwidth allowed by the physical layer technology. The advantages of the method described by this invention will be most noticeable when high bandwidth devices are communicating with each other on the same electrical segment, for example a HDTV receiver communicating with a HDTV monitor in the same room.
Abstract:
This invention defines a highly programmable MAC architecture for handling protocols that require precision timing and demand very short response times. The Media Access Controller consists of micro-coded programmable co-processors and general purpose CPUs. CPUs perform processing intensive functions while co-processors perform PHY specific media access control functions. The uniqueness of the architecture is in the real-time programmability of the co-processors; they can be reprogrammed by the CPUs based on the calculations performed in the CPU domain. Any embodiment of this invention is suitable for ASIC, FPGA, discrete or combinations of these implementation schemes. The invention applies to any communications technology.
Abstract:
System, apparatus and method for connecting a passive optical network (“PON”) to a power line communications (“PLC”) network using a PLC HeadEnd installed at the PON to provide for distribution of high speed, broadband data communications services available on the PON to the PLC network using high speed, broadband PLC data signals. Where the PLC HeadEnd is installed on a medium voltage power distribution network, a PLC bypass unit is installed at a medium voltage/low voltage power transformer in the PLC network to provide PLC signal connectivity between the MV and LV networks. A PLC residential gateway is installed at each end user facility, such as a home or business, desiring broadband service available on the PON.