Network apparatus and method for providing two way broadband communications
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsGeorge E. Bodeep, Thomas E. Darcie, Xiaolin Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A communication network (e.g., a coax network or an optical fiber network) comprises a signal distribution network (e.g., fiber node FN) for transmitting communication signals downstream over a first communication path to a plurality of end user apparatuses connected thereto. At least one end user apparatus is arranged for sending the return signals downstream over at least part of the first communication path to a converter apparatus which collects the return signals and converts them to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to the distribution unit.
Claims38
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting frequency division multiplexed communication signals downstream over a first communication path to a plurality of end user apparatuses connected thereto, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals downstream over at least some portion of said first communication path, and
- a converter apparatus for collecting the return signals received over said first communication path to form a combined signal and for converting the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission upstream over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus, wherein said node apparatus transmits the combined signal downstream over a portion of the primary path to said converter apparatus, and
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a hi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path.
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus, and
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and wherein
- said node apparatus includes wireless means for transmitting downstream communication signals to another one or more end user apparatuses and wireless means for receiving return signals from said one or more end user apparatuses and
- said another one or more end user apparatuses includes wireless means for receiving downstream communication signals from said node apparatus and wireless means for transmitting return signals to sail node apparatus.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus,
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and
- another one or more end user apparatuses having means for sending return signals over a second access path to said converter apparatus and wherein
- said converter apparatus combines the downstream communication signal from the primary path, the upstream return signals from the access path, and the return signals from the second access path to form the combined signal.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus,
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and wherein
- said node apparatus includes a converter means for converting upstream return signals from the access path from the format used over the access path into a different format used for combining with downstream communication signals.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus,
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and
- a second converter apparatus connected over a different primary path and wherein
- each converter apparatus receives return signals from at least one end user apparatus and each converter apparatus uses a different second communication path for upstream signal transmission to said distribution unit and wherein
- upstream signals of said second communication paths are combined in a combiner unit that is not co-located with said distribution unit.
A method of operating a communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting frequency division multiplexed communication signals downstream over a first communication path to a plurality of end user apparatuses connected thereto, said method comprising the steps of
- at said plurality of end user apparatuses, sending the return signals downstream over at least some portion of said first communication path,
- receiving the return signals over said first communication path at a converter apparatus, and
- convening the received return signals into an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit.
A method of operating a communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said method comprising the steps of
- at an end user apparatus, sending return signals upstream over said bi-directional access path,
- combining downstream signals from the primary path and upstream signals from the access path into a combined signal, and
- converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal and transmitting it over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and wherein
- the combining step is performed by a first apparatus at a first location and the method further includes the step of
- transmitting the combined signal over a portion of the primary path to a second apparatus, and wherein
- the converting step is performed by said second apparatus at a second location.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus,
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, wherein
- said converter apparatus uses passband signals to transmit upstream to said distribution unit and wherein
- said network enables the dynamic allocation of the bandwidth of at least one of the downstream and upstream signals.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus,
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, wherein
- said converter apparatus includes
- passband filter means for passing the return signals and filtering downstream communication signals prior to converting the return signals to the upstream signal and wherein
- said network enables the dynamic allocation of the bandwidth of at least one of the downstream and upstream signals.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus, and
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and wherein
- the combined signal includes multiplexed modulated combined signals and
- said converter apparatus includes
- means for selecting at least one of the multiplexed modulated combined signals,
- demodulator means for demodulating the selected combined signals into baseband return signals, and
- time-division multiplexer means for generating a time-division multiplexed upstream signal from the selected baseband return signals.
A communication network comprising a signal distribution unit for transmitting communication signals downstream to a plurality of end user apparatuses over a signal distribution system that includes a uni-directional primary path and a bi-directional access path, said network further comprising
- at least one end user apparatus including means for sending return signals upstream over the access path,
- a node apparatus for combining downstream communication signals from the primary path and upstream return signals from the access path into a combined signal and for transmitting the combined signal to a converter apparatus, and
- said converter apparatus for receiving and converting at least a portion of the combined signal to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to said distribution unit, and wherein
- the combined signal is a modulated signal and
- said converter apparatus includes demodulator means for converting the combined signal to a baseband upstream signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.