808 results about "Broadband communication" patented technology

A broadband service communication system using an MV cable for conveying RF signals in a network segment, which includes a distribution center (PLT controller) and a plurality of power line telecommunication (PLT) stations. The PLT controller has a distribution modem for conveying downstream and upstream RF signals to and from the PLT stations through the MV cable via couplers. Each PLT station has a modem for conveying the downstream and upstream RF signals via couplers and for conveying media signals to one or more customer premises equipment (CPE) via, e.g. wireless links. The PLT controller controls each PLT station regarding upstream communications transfer of all downstream communications and also controls. The PLT controller can be connected via a router to a WAN to convey media signals to and from the WAN. Repeaters and interlinks are used to join multiple network segments.

In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using an interactive program guide, a network home graphic user interface (GUI), Quick View Guide, etc., in accordance with the invention. Such programming content may include in-progress programs, future programs and previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a headend in the cable system, and which may or may not have overlapping broadcast times. In addition, the user may reserve programs at a set-top terminal, and may also do so remotely from the terminal through a communications network such as, the Internet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network, etc.

A method for providing network access to a shared access communications medium for a plurality of users includes the steps of conducting predictive admission control by arbitrating user requests for access to the shared medium based on predicted aggregate demands, conducting lookahead scheduling for use in making user channel assignments by forecasting schedule transmission opportunities one or more channels of the shared medium, and balancing load by making channel assignments such that a plurality users are each assigned a respective channel of the shared medium based upon a predicted need. Congestion parameters can predicted for each channel of the shared medium and mapped to a congestion measure using a mathematical function that takes into account packet loss rate, packet delay, packet delay jitter, and available capacity.

A two-way cable network offering high-speed broadband communications delivered via virtual private networks over a multi-channel shared media system. Bi-directional transmission of packet to ATM cell based communications is established between a head end communication controller and a number of subscriber terminal units, whereby individual cells are prioritized and routed according to a virtual connection. Virtual connections are organized to support multiple virtual private networks in a shared media CATV system. The virtual private network to which a particular STU belongs is user selectable and has the flexibility of handling multi up / downstream channels with different MAC domains. The present invention can also handle non-ATM MAC domains via the same common ATM switch. To overcome the limited number of addresses inherent to common ATM switches, a mapping / remapping function is implemented in the port cards. Furthermore, downstream as well as upstream traffic are filtered at each STU. In one embodiment, information pertaining to downstream traffic is used to implement predictive scheduling in order to improve the timing associated with the request / grant cycle. In another embodiment, a user has the ability to select a quality of service that best suits the needs of the current application. In a further embodiment, the scheduling function is associated with each of the receivers in order to provide improved scalability.

A method for automatically provisioning a broadband communication service to a subscriber having a broadband modem. The method includes the step of transmitting a service request from the broadband modem to a central office, which is associated with a network service provider. The network is configured for service in response to the service request. The method further includes automatically configuring the broadband modem by transmitting a configuration signal from the central office to the subscriber. The configuration signal may be transmitted to the broadband modem over a POTS subchannel. Alternatively, the configuration signal may be transmitted to the broadband modem over a subchannel in a broadband service, such as a DMT subchannel for ADSL service.

A hybrid power line wireless communication system may include an access controller and plurality of communication nodes that each may include a wireless access point coupled to a power line communication device. The wireless access points may provide wireless broadband communications to one or more user devices while the power line communication devices may provide low voltage power line broadband communications. The access controller remotely manages the wireless access points by sending control messages to the communication nodes. Control messages may traverse a power line, a non-power line medium, and / or a wireless medium. Control messages may include information relating to encryption parameters, transmission power levels, communication channels, access control, and other such parameters.

A powerline communications device comprises a powerline communications interface and at least one other communications interface configured to communicate over a computing network. The powerline communications interface is further configured to receive electrical power. The computing network may comprise mediums including powerlines, telephone lines, and / or coaxial cables. In some embodiments, the powerline communications interface may communicate with a network apparatus, such as a personal computer, via an Ethernet interface. The powerline interface, the telephone line interface, and / or the coaxial cable interface may all be associated with the same media access control (MAC) address. The powerline communications device may receive a message via a first medium and repeat the message via a second medium based on a quality of service (QoS) metric. In some embodiments, the powerline communications device may communicate using multiple frequency bands.

A broadband communications access device. The broadband communications access devices includes a gateway interface, wired interface, wireless interface and security interface for proving secure wired and wireless broadband communications access.

A broadband access transmission network integrating the functions of electric power network, communication network, TV network and Internet relates to network transmission. It includes a broadband transmission network of 10 KV power distribution network and a broadband transmission network of low-voltage power distribution network. These two transmission networks are connected via distribution transformers and optical fiber connectors. The broadband transmission network of 10 KV power distribution network is composed of optical compound power lines, wires, transformer substations, machine rooms, taps, insulating jackets, insulating waterproofing outer jackets and optical fiber connectors. The broadband transmission network of low-voltage power distribution network is composed of optical compound power lines, coaxial cable compound power lines, taps, insulating jackets, optical access points, distributors, modems and two-way amplifiers. The invention can perform high-speed broadband communication and power transmission on the same compound wires. It utilizes the existing power network sufficiently and prevents the cost of rebuilding the communication network, cable TV network and Internet, and can simultaneously perform building, operating, maintaining and managing of these networks.

A radio communication system between a mobile terminal station of a vehicle and a plurality of roadside fixed base stations is so constructed that communication areas of the base stations do not overlap with each other and satisfy the following two conditions. Condition (i): each communication area is defined so that there cannot be a plurality of terminal stations simultaneously. Condition (ii): it is needless to perform multiple access such as time division in the communication area and capable of affording the whole band and all the communication time allocated to one communication area to one terminal station and broad band communication becomes possible. Thus, each mobile terminal station can utilize all the frequency band allocated for service.

A powerline communications device comprises a powerline communications interface and at least one other communications interface configured to communicate over a computing network. The powerline communications interface is further configured to receive electrical power. The computing network may comprise mediums including powerlines, telephone lines, and / or coaxial cables. In some embodiments, the powerline communications interface may communicate with a network apparatus, such as a personal computer, via an Ethernet interface. The powerline interface, the telephone line interface, and / or the coaxial cable interface may all be associated with the same media access control (MAC) address. The powerline communications device may receive a message via a first medium and repeat the message via a second medium based on a quality of service (QoS) metric. In some embodiments, the powerline communications device may communicate using multiple frequency bands.

Disclosed is a power line broadband communication system having broadband coupler devices capable of direct electrical connection to an energized power line. The coupler includes a conductive portion movable by an adjustable member from a non-conducting retracted position spaced apart from the power transmission line to a forward conducting position in electrical contact with the power line. An insulated arm supports the coupler on the power line. A base on the coupler is engageable with a remotely activated tool in order to accomplish the electrical connection in a safe and secure manner. Broadband data signals are sent to and from customer premises along the shared energized power lines. New coupler connections to the energized power lines allow the additional broadband customers and / or repeaters to join the communication system. Also couplers may provide connections to control electronics, routers, wireless transceivers, and may allow the broadband signals to bypass transformers on the power lines. The invention helps to minimize risk by allowing an installer to be remotely spaced from the energized power line while making the electrical coupling contact with the energized power line.

A system and method for broadband communications over power lines has a low-voltage transformer for the house connection unit and / or the electricity distribution inside the house. The system method allow for several parallel asynchronous data communications in different sub-channels with individual transmit power in each sub-channel. Sub-channel separation uses pass-band filters with high stop-band attenuation. High data rate in each sub-channel is achieved through the use of discrete wavelet multi-tone modulation. Coarse synchronization in each sub-channel and the optimization of the coefficients of the time-domain equalizer are carried out using a training sequence.

Systems and methods for providing broadband communication are provided. An optical fiber node may be coupled to a source component. The optical fiber node may receive, from the source component, a downstream light signal via at least one input optical fiber, and transmit the downstream light signal to a plurality of output optical fibers. A tap device may be coupled to the optical fiber node via at least on optical fiber. The tap device may receive the downstream light signal via the at least one output optical fiber, convert the downstream light signal into a radio frequency downstream signal, and transmit the radio frequency downstream signal to a plurality of cable lines. The plurality of cable lines may be coupled to one or more customer premises.

Methods and systems are provided for dynamically pricing viewing options in a digital broadband communication network by receiving bandwidth allocation information from a bandwidth allocation manager and dynamically assigning a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information. The group of viewing options may, for example, comprise a reservation option, a normal-play option, a random access option, an on-demand random access option, and an adjust preference option. In addition, the method may optionally comprise receiving a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options and transmitting a price criterion for the viewing option to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request. The subscriber request may comprise, for example, a request for a price criterion for a viewing option, a request for viewing a program according to a viewing option, and / or a request for a list of available viewing options. In addition, the price criterion may be based, in part, on subscriber profile data.

A method and system for precise position determination of general Internet Protocol (IP) network-connected devices. A method enables use of remote intelligence located at strategic network points to distribute relevant assistance data to IP devices with embedded receivers. Assistance is tailored to provide physical timing, frequency and real time signal status data using general broad band communication protocols. Relevant assistance data enables several complementary forms of signal processing gain critical to acquire and measure weakened or distorted in-building Global Navigation Satellite Services (GNSS) signals and to ultimately extract corresponding pseudo-range time components. A method to assemble sets of GNSS measurements that are observed over long periods of time while using standard satellite navigation methods, and once compiled, convert using standard methods each pseudo-range into usable path distances used to calculate a precise geographic position to a known degree of accuracy.

The present invention provides for an activity log which may include user proactive billing management for use in a broadband communications system that guarantees voice, data and video communication reliability and security to users for an integrated telephone, television and data network. The activity log and user proactive billing management may log incoming calls directory numbers (DNs) and outgoing call DNs in a database that may be provided at a central system location, such as the IP Central Station or at the system subscriber's customer premises equipment. The activity log may also log incoming and outgoing email interactive sessions (e.g., instant message (IM) email) and log multimedia video and audio calls. According to a variation of the invention, the user may access the activity log(s) and identify any communication the cost of which should be billed to a different party. The activity log may also be sorted based on user preferences and set to direct calls to low cost alternatives.

A method and apparatus for providing multiple telephone lines using a single directory number. A method and apparatus for associating multiple directory numbers with multiple telephone lines. A broadband residential gateway (BRG) is a user interface to a broadband communication system providing packetized telephone service and other media services. The BRG has multiple ports, and each port is connected to one or more telephones. The multiple ports may be mapped to a single directory number, or the multiple ports may be mapped to multiple directory numbers. The BRG can provide greeting and message features. A greeting may instruct a caller to select a port which is associated with a party the caller is attempting to reach. Also, a message, played after the greeting, may further instruct the caller.

An integrated phone-based home gateway system. The integrated phone-based home gateway system is a multi-function wireless and wired networking, wireless and wired telephony, broadband, gateway device. It provides automatic wireless and wired broadband initialization, configuration and service provisioning, gateway, routing and bridging functionality, wireless and wired data and telephony functionality and allows resource sharing among multiple wireless and wired devices.

An enhanced telephony services manager is used in a broadband communication environment, such as with a set-top-box coupled to a television monitor. A number of different telephony-based services can be offered and displayed on the television monitor (e.g., voice mail, call logs, Internet access, personal telephone directories, white pages, yellow pages, etc.), where a remote control, keyboard, or any other suitable interface device can be used to access the services. In accordance with the present invention, the GUI of the enhanced services consists of a set of menus that can be displayed concurrently with other video information on the television monitor.

In an entertainment service providing on-demand programs over a broadband communications network, a user is allowed to view multiple programs in a continuous manner. The user's enjoyment of the entertainment service is enhanced especially when the on-demand programs are short, e.g., on-demand music videos which typically are a few minutes long. The user is provided with graphical user interfaces for selecting the desired programs to watch, and also allowed to determine the order in which the selected programs are to be played, which may be random.

The present invention is a method and system for supporting a beamfonming antenna system in a mobile broadband communication network with an improved beam pattern, beam sweep pattern, pilot channel design with feedback and reporting rules, and control signaling design. Specifically, the improved beam pattern includes a method of supporting wireless communications in a wireless network forming at least two spatial beams within a cell segment where the at least two spatial beams are associated with different power levels, and separately, where at least two spatial beams can be moved across the cell segment according to a unique sweep pattern. The pilot channel design improves network bandwidth performance and improve user mobility tracking. Feedback and reporting rules can be established using a particular field designator, CQI, in the preferred embodiment.

The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber.

A integrated phone-based home gateway system is disclosed. The integrated phone-based home gateway system includes a broadband communication device, such as digital subscriber line (“DSL”) device, an analog modem, a wireless interface, integrated into a screen-phone for providing broadband communication service to home users. Multiple home users are able to access the Internet and the content services for conducting e-commerce, receiving content news, entertaining on-demand, making audio or video communications, and telecommuting or working at home. This screen-phone based, modular, plug-n-play home gateway interface allows in-home as well as to-home networking, provides automatic data and broadband initialization, configuration and service provisioning, routing and bridging functionality and allows resource sharing among home devices via the existing phone wire, wireless, coaxial or optical cable connections.

A method for providing broadband communications over a multi-layered network having a plurality of Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layers functioning therein includes monitoring at least one OSI reference model layer functioning in the multi-layered network. A quality of service event is determined whether to have occurred in the multi-layered network. The quality of service event is determined to have occurred at a layer N in the OSI reference model. Network provisioning is changed at a layer less than N in response to the quality of service event, and a signal is provided when the network provisioning at the layer less than N has been changed. A system for providing broadband communications includes a multi-layered network, a network monitor, and a network controller. The multi-layered network has a plurality of Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference model layers functioning therein. The network monitor is coupled to the multi-layered network, and the network monitor is adapted to monitor at least one OSI reference model layer functioning in the multi-layered network, determine that a quality of service event has occurred in the multi-layer network, and determine that the quality of service event occurred at a layer N in the OSI reference model. The network controller is coupled to the multi-layered network, and the network monitor is adapted to respond to the quality of service event in the multi-layered network by changing the network provisioning at a layer less than N.

In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using interactive program guides in accordance with the invention. Such programming content may include in-progress programs, future programs and previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a headend in the cable system, and which may or may not have overlapping broadcast times. In addition, the user may reserve programs at a set-top terminal, and may also do so remotely from the terminal through a communications network such as, the Internet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network, etc.

An improved oven for use in a residence is described. The oven includes a cooking chamber, a programmable controller for executing program instructions, memory media for recording executable program instructions, and at least one controllable cooking system under control of the programmable controller, which provides a data-processing-controlled high speed cooking process which may be applied to food placed in the oven chamber. A plurality of cooking programs are recorded in the memory media of the oven. These define a plurality of high speed cooking routines available for use with the oven. A gateway server is communicatively coupled to the programmable controller. It manages the communication of digital content which is at least in-part related to operation and utilization of the improved oven. A broadband communication channel extends from a source of digital content, which is external to the residence, to the residence. The broadband communication channel delivers particular digital content related to the oven through the gateway server for distribution within the residence, including distribution to the programmable controller of the oven in order to facilitate cooking operations utilizing the oven.

Improved high-speed, broadband data communication between a mobile terminal, including aircraft in flight, and secure, private remote networks, can be implemented by using the bandwidth of a single transponder on a satellite. The improved high-speed data communications system uses a single frequency to transmit the broadband data from the mobile terminal to the satellite and the same frequency to transmit the broadband data from the remote network to the satellite. Likewise, the improved high-speed data communications system uses a corresponding frequency on the same satellite transponder to transmit the high-speed, broadband data from the satellite to the mobile terminal and to transmit the high-speed, broadband data from the satellite to the remote network.

An apparatus and a receiver, which is in a broadband communication system, includes the logic necessary for protecting keys used for encrypting content that is received by the receiver. The apparatus validates the keys and denies the receiver the use of the keys if they become invalid.