Carrier based backwards compatible data neworking transmitter, receiver, and singal format

A method for forming a data networking signal for use within a data network shared by new version devices operating on a first carrier frequency and old version devices operating on a second carrier frequency, the method comprising:

• forming a baseband modulated signal that carries a header and a payload;
• frequency shifting portions of the baseband modulated signal that carry the header;
• up sampling the baseband modulated signal to create an up sampled signal having a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• modulating the up sampled signal with a first carrier frequency of the new version device to form a carrier modulated signal, wherein the first carrier frequency differs from a second carrier frequency of an old version device;
• transmit filtering the carrier modulated signal;
• and
• wherein the carrier modulated signal includes a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal, one of which resides at the second carrier frequency.

A data network transmitter of a new version device comprising:

• a data framer that receives bits of data and that frames the bits of data to produce a data frame;
• a baseband modulator that baseband modulates the data frame to form a baseband modulated signal that carries the data frame;
• an up sampler that creates an up sampled signal having a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• a carrier modulator that modulates the up sampled signal with a first carrier frequency to form a carrier modulated signal, wherein the first carrier frequency differs from a second carrier frequency of an old version device;
• a transmit filter that transmit filters the carrier modulated signal;
• and
• wherein the carrier modulated signal includes a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal, one of which resides at the second carrier frequency.

A new version device receiver capable of receiving both new version signals and old version signals, the new version device receiver comprising:

• a carrier demodulator that receives a carrier modulated signal and demodulates the carrier modulated signal to produce a carrier demodulated signal;
• a receive filter coupled to receive and filter the carrier demodulated signal, wherein the receive filter has a new version device frequency band that extends across at least a portion of an old version device frequency band;
• a first symbol rate receive path coupled to the receive filter that receives portions of the carrier demodulated signal having a plurality of spectral copies of a baseband modulated signal having a first symbol rate;
• and
• a second symbol rate receive path coupled to the receive filter that receives portions of the carrier demodulated signal having at least one spectral copy of a baseband modulated signal having a second symbol rate, wherein the second symbol rate is greater than the first symbol rate.

A method for forming a backwards-compatible home networking signal by a new version device, the method comprising:

• forming a baseband modulated signal;
• up sampling the baseband modulated signal to create a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• carrier modulating the filtered plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal with a first carrier frequency of the new version device that differs from a second carrier frequency of an old version device;
• transmit filtering the plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• and
• wherein by carrier modulating and transmit filtering the plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal with the first carrier frequency, a spectral copy of the baseband modulated signal exists at the second carrier frequency.

A method for forming a data networking signal for use within a data network shared by first device types operating on a first carrier frequency and second device types operating on a second carrier frequency, the method comprising:

• forming a baseband modulated signal that carries a data frame having a header and a payload;
• up sampling the baseband modulated signal to create a plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• carrier modulating the plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal with the first carrier frequency;
• transmit filtering the carrier modulated plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal;
• and
• wherein a spectral copy of the baseband modulated signal exists at the second carrier frequency.

In a home network in which old version devices and new version devices share a common physical media, a new version signal produced by the new version devices that is backwards compatible with an old version signal that is produced by the old version devices, the new version signal comprising:

• a preamble and header portion of a data frame that includes a plurality of spectral copies of a baseband modulated signal;
• the preamble and header portion carrier modulated at a first carrier frequency that is supported by the new version devices;
• one of the plurality of spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal residing at a second carrier frequency that is supported by the old version devices;
• and
• a payload portion of the data frame that carries the payload.