Information network access apparatus and methods for communicating information packets via telephone lines
DC CAFC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of communicating information packets to and from a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) path via a bidirectional communications path, comprising the steps of:
- coupling a first end of the communications path to the CSMA/CD path via a first modem having a CSMA/CD interface coupled to the CSMA/CD path;
communicating said information packets between the CMSA/CD path and the first modem via said CSMA/CD interface, coupling a second end of the communications path to a second modem;
communicating said information packets between the first and second modem via the communications path using half duplex communications controlled by the first modem;
communicating control information for controlling said half duplex communications via the communications path from the first modem to the second modem; and
wherein the communications path comprises a two-wire telephone subscriber line and wherein the modems communicate said information packets via the line at frequencies greater than telephone signal frequencies, the method further comprising the steps of;
communicating telephone signals via the line; and
at each end of the line, combining telephone signals and information packets to be communicated via the line, and separating telephone signals and information packets communicated via the line, using a diplexer.
16 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Access to a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) network is provided via a telephone line by providing a master modem at the head end and a slave modem at the subscriber end of the line. The master modem provides a CSMA/CD interface to the network and controls half duplex communications with the slave modem via the line to avoid collisions of information packets on the line. The information packets are enveloped in frames on the line with error checking information; control information between the modems is contained in the same and/or in separate frames. The modulation method and signal bandwidth can be varied depending on errors to provide optimum communications capacity via any particular line, and a ratio of upstream to downstream information packets can be varied depending on buffer fills at the modems. The master modem can be multiplexed for multiple lines. The modulated signal frequencies are above telephone signal frequencies so that each line can be frequency diplexed for simultaneous telephone communications.
30 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A method of communicating information packets to and from a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) path via a bidirectional communications path, comprising the steps of:
-
coupling a first end of the communications path to the CSMA/CD path via a first modem having a CSMA/CD interface coupled to the CSMA/CD path;
communicating said information packets between the CMSA/CD path and the first modem via said CSMA/CD interface, coupling a second end of the communications path to a second modem;
communicating said information packets between the first and second modem via the communications path using half duplex communications controlled by the first modem;
communicating control information for controlling said half duplex communications via the communications path from the first modem to the second modem; and
wherein the communications path comprises a two-wire telephone subscriber line and wherein the modems communicate said information packets via the line at frequencies greater than telephone signal frequencies, the method further comprising the steps of;
communicating telephone signals via the line; and
at each end of the line, combining telephone signals and information packets to be communicated via the line, and separating telephone signals and information packets communicated via the line, using a diplexer. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method of communication information packets to and from a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) path via a bidirectional communication path, comprising the steps of:
-
coupling a first end of the communications path to a first modem;
communicating information packets between the CSMA/CD Dath and the first modem via a CSMA/CD interface;
coupling a second end of the communications path to a second modem;
communicating information packets and control information, for controlling operation of the second modem, from the first modem to the second modem via the communications path;
communicating information packets from the second modem to the first modem via the communications path under control of the control information;
the control information providing half duplex communications on the bidirectional communications path; and
wherein the communications path comprises a two-wire telephone subscriber line and wherein the modems communicate said information packets via the line at frequencies greater than telephone signal frequencies, the method further comprising the steps of;
communicating telephone signals via the line; and
at each end of the line, combining telephone signals and information packets to be communicated via the line, and separating telephone signals and information packets communicated via the line, using a diplexer. - View Dependent Claims (4)
-
-
5. Network access apparatus comprising:
-
a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) interface for coupling to a CSMA/CD path;
a second interface for coupling to a bidirectional communications path;
a control unit for producing control information for controlling another apparatus coupled to the communications path so that communications via the communications path take place in a half duplex manner;
a first buffer arranged to buffer information packets received from the CSMA/CD path via the CSMA/CD interface and to supply buffered information packets via the second interface to the communications path; and
a second buffer arranged to buffer information packets received from the communications path via the second interface and to supply buffered information packets to the CSMA/CD path via the CSMA/CD interface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
-
8. Network access apparatus comprising:
-
a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) interface for coupling to a CSMA/CD path;
a second interface for coupling to a bidirectional communications path;
a buffer arranged to buffer information packets received from the communications path via the second interface and to supply buffered information packets to the CSMA/CD path via the CSMA/CD interface;
a control unit; and
another buffer arranged to buffer information packets received from the CSMA/CD path via the CSMA/CD interface and controlled by the control unit to supply buffered information packets via the second interface to the communications path;
wherein the control unit is responsive to control information, from another apparatus coupled to the communications path, received from the communications path via the second interface for controlling said another buffer so that communications via the communications path take place in a half duplex manner. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
Litigation Data
-
Current AssigneeInnovative Wireless Solutions LLC
-
Original AssigneeElastic Networks Inc. (DZS, Inc.)
-
InventorsRichards, Roger St. Patrick, Terry, John Brian
-
Primary Examiner(s)Patel, Ajit
-
Application NumberUS09/251,939Time in Patent Office1,020 DaysField of Search370/276, 370/279, 370/280, 370/293, 370/294, 370/445, 370/446, 370/447, 370/448, 375/222US Class Current370/445CPC Class CodesH04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus int...H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e...H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. ca...H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packetsH04M 11/062 using different frequency b...
