Method and apparatus for communicating between a client device and a linear broadband network

A method of bidirectionally and wirelessly communicating bi-directional information between a client device located at a subscriber's premises and a linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber's premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising steps of:

• generating an upstream baseband signal, said upstream baseband signal having a predefined format,
• modulating said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal,
• transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device, located at said subscriber's premises, to a network interface device located proximately to said linear broadband network, hereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop,
• receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at a network access interface device that is located proximately to and coupled to the linear broadband network,
• demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal,
• modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband radio frequency carrier to produce at least one;
• second upstream modulated carrier signal having a sign format compatible with the linear broadband network,
• receiving at least one downstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier signal comprising a first downstream modulated carrier signal from the linear broadband network,
• demodulating said at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal to produce at lest one first downstream baseband sign having a predefined format,
• modulating said at least one first downstream baseband signal onto at least one downstream wireless radio frequency carrier to generate at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal,
• transmitting said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal wirelessly,
• receiving said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal,
• demodulating said at least one second modulated downstream carrier signal to produce at least one second downstream baseband signal,
• transmitting said at least one second downstream baseband signal.

A system for wirelessly communicating without a wired subscriber drop between a client device and a linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:

• means for generating an upstream baseband signal,
• means for modulating said upstream baseband signal to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal,
• means for transmitting said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal wirelessly from said client device located at a subscriber's premises, to a network interface device, located proximately to said linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop,
• means for receiving said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal at a network access interface device coupled to said linear broadband network,
• means for demodulating said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce an upstream demodulated baseband signal, and
• means for modulating said upstream demodulated baseband signal onto at least one second upstream radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal having a signal format compatible with said linear broadband network.

A system for wireless, bi-directional communication between a client device located at a subscriber's premises and a bi-directional linear broadband network located remotely from said subscriber's premises to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:

• a first upstream modulator that modulates at least one upstream baseband signal received from said client device, said at least one upstream baseband signal being modulated onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal,
• an upstream transmitter, located proximately to said subscriber's premises, that wirelessly transmits said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal from said subscriber's premises to said bi-directional linear broadband network, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop,
• an upstream receiver, located proximately to said linear broadband network, and that receives said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal,
• an upstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to generate at least one upstream demodulated baseband signal,
• a second upstream modulator that modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier for transmission onto said linear broadband network,
• a first downstream receiver that receives at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal from said linear broadband network,
• a first downstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one first downstream modulated carrier signal to produce a first downstream baseband signal,
• a downstream modulator that modulates said first downstream baseband signal onto a downstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce a second downstream modulated carrier signal,
• a downstream transmitter, located proximately to said linear broadband network, that transmits said downstream modulated carrier signal, thereby eliminating said subscriber drop,
• a second downstream receiver, located proximately to said subscriber's premises, that receives said downstream modulated carrier signal,
• a second downstream demodulator that demodulates said downstream modulated carrier signal to produce a second downstream baseband signal for delivery to said client device.

An apparatus for wirelessly coupling a subscriber to a remotely located linear broadband network to eliminate a wired subscriber drop, said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics comprising:

• an upstream receiver, located proximately to said linear broadband network, that wirelessly receives at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal from said subscriber, thereby eliminating said wired subscriber drop,
• an upstream demodulator that demodulates said at least one upstream modulated carrier signal to produce at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal,
• an upstream modulator that modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal for transmission on the linear broadband network, and
• an upstream transmitter that transmits said at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal onto the linear broadband network.

A system for wireless upstream communication from a subscriber location to a linear broadband network to eliminate a wired subscriber drop between said subscriber location and said linear broadband network comprising:

• said linear broadband network having substantially linear and broadband frequency characteristics,
• a subscriber access interface device that receives an upstream baseband signal from a client device located at said subscriber location, modulates said upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream wireless radio frequency carrier to produce at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, and wirelessly transmits said at least one first upstream wireless modulated carrier signal from said subscriber location to said linear broadband network,
• a network access interface device, coupled to said linear broadband network, that receives said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal, demodulates said at least one first upstream modulated carrier signal to produce at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal, modulates said at least one demodulated upstream baseband signal onto at least one upstream linear broadband network radio frequency carrier having a format compatible with said linear broadband network to produce at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal, and transmits said at least one second upstream modulated carrier signal onto said linear broadband network.