Power line communications using frame control data blocks for data transport
AssigneeMarvell World Trade Ltd.
InventorChristophe Devaucelle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method, systems, and apparatus include a communication device configured to receive a data unit in accordance with a power line communications protocol, to extract data within the data unit to provide extracted data, and to process the extracted data in accordance with a non-power line communication protocol. Embodiments also describe a communication device configured to format data according to a non-power line communication protocol as part of a data unit conforming to a power line communication protocol, to redundantly encode the data unit across a plurality of subcarriers in accordance with the second communication protocol, and to transmit the data unit in accordance with the second communication protocol to another communications device.
Claims24
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a communication device, a power line communication data unit in accordance with a power line communication protocol;
- identifying, by the communication device, a data type identifier within a frame control block of the data unit;
- determining, by the communication device, whether the data type identifier corresponds to a predetermined value;
- when it is determined that the data type identifier corresponds to the predetermined value,
- determining, by the communication device, that the data unit does not include a payload field after the frame control block, and
- extracting, by the communication device, payload data within the frame control block of the data unit to provide extracted data;
- and
- processing, by the communication device, the extracted data in accordance with a non-power line communication protocol.
A communication device, comprising:
- a network interface device including:
- one or more integrated circuit devices configured to:
- receive a power line communication data unit in accordance with a power line communication protocol;
- and
- identify a data type identifier within a frame control block of the data unit;
- determine whether the data type identifier corresponds to a predetermined value;
- when it is determined that the data type identifier corresponds to the predetermined value,
- determine that the data unit does not include a payload field after the frame control block, and
- extract payload data within the frame control block of the data unit to provide extracted data;
- and
- process the extracted data in accordance with a non-power line communication protocol.
A method, comprising:
- generating, by a communication device, a power line communication data unit for transmission according to a power line communication protocol, comprising:
- including a data type identifier within a frame control block of the data unit, wherein the data type identifier is set to a predetermined value,
- including payload data within the frame control block, the payload data formatted according to a non-power line communication protocol,
- generating the data unit so that the data unit omits a payload field separate from the frame control block, and
- redundantly encoding, by the communication device, the frame control block across a plurality of subcarriers;
- and
- transmitting, by the communication device, the data unit in accordance with the power line communication protocol.
A communication device, comprising:
- a network interface device including:
- one or more integrated circuits configured to:
- generate a power line communication data unit for transmission according to a power line communication protocol, comprising:
- including a data type identifier within a frame control block of the data unit, wherein the data type identifier is set to a predetermined value,
- including payload data within the frame control block, the payload data formatted according to a non-power line communication protocol,
- generating the data unit so that the data unit omits a payload field separate from the frame control block, and
- redundantly encoding the frame control block across a plurality of subcarriers;
- and
- wherein the one or more integrated circuits are further configured to transmit the data unit in accordance with the power line communication protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.