US 6,445,731 B1 · Method and apparatus for reducing signal processing requirements for transmitting packet-based data with a modem

Abstract

A modem and method for operating same. A receiver circuit of the modem is coupled to receive a continuous analog signal from a communication channel. This analog signal includes both packet and idle information. The receiver circuit monitors the analog signal to detect the presence of idle information. Upon detecting idle information, the receiver circuit enters a standby mode in which the processing requirements of the receiver circuit are reduced. A burst mode protocol is also provided, in which packets of digital information are modulated by a transmitter circuit of the modem, thereby converting the packets of digital information into analog signal bursts of discrete duration. These analog signal bursts are transmitted from the transmitter circuit to a telephone line. However, the transmitter circuit does not generate any signals between the analog signal bursts. A receiver circuit monitors the telephone line to detect the analog signal bursts. Upon detecting the presence of the analog signal bursts on the telephone line, the receiver circuit demodulates the analog signal bursts using full processing capabilities of the receiver circuit. However, upon detecting the absence of the analog signal bursts on the telephone line, the demodulating function of the receiver circuit is disabled. The burst mode protocol enables multi-drop and multi-cast operation, as well as reducing required DSP resources.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method of operating a modem, having a receiver circuit including demodulation circuitry, the receiver circuit coupled to a communication channel during a continuous call connection, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a continuous analog signal from the communication channel, the analog signal including interspersed packet portions and non-packet portions;
detecting non-packet portions of the analog signal;
and
deactivating substantial portions of the demodulation circuitry when analog signal non-packet portions are detected within a continuous call connection;
the demodulation circuitry including a symbol decision circuit, a channel decoder and a framer, wherein the deactivating step includes deactivating the symbol decision circuit, the channel decoder and the framer when analog signal non-packet portions are detected within a continuous call connection;
and
the receiver circuit further including an echo cancellation circuit having a tap length, the method further including the step of reducing the tap length of the echo cancellation circuit when analog signal non-packet portions are detected within a continuous call connection.

4 more elements

A data communication system comprising:

a communication channel;
a continuous analog signal including interspersed packet portions and non-packet portions;
a modem, coupled to the communication channel and including receiver circuitry for receiving the continuous analog signal during a continuous call connection, the receiver circuitry further including detector means for identifying the presence of a packet portion within said continuous call connection, the receiver circuitry further including demodulation circuitry, the demodulation circuitry activated to demodulate the continuous analog signal when the detector means determines the presence of a packet portion, the demodulation circuitry substantially deactivated when the detector means determines the absence of a packet portion;
carrier recovery circuitry configured to develop soft symbolic decisions corresponding to information contained within packet portions and non-packet portions;
symbol decision circuitry configured to develop hard symbolic decisions corresponding to information contained within packet portions and non-packet portions;
detection circuitry coupled to the symbol decision circuitry, detection circuitry configured to detect the presence of non-packet portion information in response to the hard symbolic decisions, the detection circuitry asserting a deactivation signal to the demodulation circuitry upon detecting the presence of non-packet portion information;
pattern generation circuitry activated by the detection circuitry and generating a predefined bit pattern upon the detection circuitry detecting the presence of non-packet portion information;
idle symbol generation circuitry, coupled to the pattern generation circuitry and generating a plurality of expected idle symbols in operative response to the predefined bit patterns;
and
comparison circuitry coupled to compare expected idle symbols with soft symbolic decisions, comparison circuitry asserting a signal which maintains the demodulation circuitry in a substantially deactivated state so long as the expected idle symbols correspond to the soft symbolic decisions.

7 more elements

A data communication system comprising:

a communication channel;
a continuous analog signal including interspersed packet portions and non-packet portions;
a modem, coupled to the communication channel and including receiver circuitry for receiving the continuous analog signal during a continuous call connection, the receiver circuitry further including detector means for identifying the presence of a packet portion within said continuous call connection, the receiver circuitry further including demodulation circuitry, the demodulation circuitry activated to demodulate the continuous analog signal when the detector means determines the presence of a packet portion, the demodulation circuitry substantially deactivated when the detector means determines the absence of a packet portion;
equalizer circuitry configured to develop equalized digital samples corresponding to information contained within packet portions and non-packet portions;
symbol decision circuitry configured to develop hard symbolic decisions corresponding to information contained within packet portions and non-packet portions;
detection circuitry coupled to the symbol decision circuitry, detection circuitry configured to detect the presence of non-packet portion information in response to the hard symbolic decisions, the detection circuitry asserting a deactivation signal to the demodulation circuitry upon detecting the presence of non-packet portion information;
pattern generation circuitry activated by the detection circuitry and generating a predefined bit pattern upon the detection circuitry detecting the presence of non-packet portion information;
expected sample generation circuitry, coupled to the pattern generation circuitry and generating a plurality of expected equalized digital samples in operative response to the predefined bit patterns;
and
comparison circuitry coupled to compare expected equalized digital samples with actual equalized digital samples, comparison circuitry asserting a signal which maintains the demodulation circuitry in a substantially deactivated state so long as the expected equalized samples correspond to the actual equalized samples.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for reducing signal processing requirements for transmitting packet-based data with a modem

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for reducing signal processing requirements for transmitting packet-based data with a modem

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims3