Architecture for signal and power distribution in wireless data network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017272923-A1
Application number	US-201715614062-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 21, 1999
Publication date	Sep 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system comprising: a local area network (LAN) device configured to produce a local area network (LAN) signal; and a modem unit configured to produce, based on the local area network (LAN) signal produced by the local area network (LAN) device, a transport modulated format signal suitable for transmission over transport cabling. The modem unit further configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a local area network (LAN) device configured to produce a local area network (LAN) signal; and a modem unit configured to produce, based on the local area network (LAN) signal produced by the local area network (LAN) device, a transport modulated format signal suitable for transmission over transport cabling; and wherein the modem unit further configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport cabling comprises a portion of a cable television plant and wherein the modem unit comprises a cable modem.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport cabling comprises telephone twisted-pair cabling and wherein the modem unit comprises a digital subscriber line modem.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the modem unit produces a downstream local area network (LAN) signal based on a downstream transport modulated format signal received from the transport cabling; and the local area network (LAN) device produces a downstream local area network (LAN) signal from the downstream local area network (LAN) signal.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the downstream local area network (LAN) signal comprises a downstream wired local area network (LAN) signal.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport cabling comprises fiber optic cabling.

9 . A system for coupling a local area network (LAN) device to a network, the system comprising:
a local area network (LAN) device; and a converter located communicatively coupled to the local area network (LAN) device and communicating with the local area network (LAN) device using a wired format signal according to a first wired protocol; wherein the converter configured to convert the wired format signal to a transport format for communication over distribution cabling to the network, the distribution cabling comprising at least one of coaxial cable, optical fiber, or twisted pair cabling; and wherein the converter is further configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the converter comprises a cable modem.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the transport format for broadband communication is digital subscriber line signaling.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first wired protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

15 . An apparatus for communicatively coupling wireless devices to a network, the apparatus comprising:
a local area network (LAN) device that provides a wired local area network (LAN) signal; a converter that converts the wired local area network (LAN) signal to a transport signal suitable for transmission to the network over at least one of coaxial cable, optical fiber, or twisted pair cabling; and wherein the converter is further configured to provide power to the local area network (LAN) device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal comprises a wired local area network (LAN) signal.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the local area network (LAN) signal is produced based on a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal received from equipment within a coverage area of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the converter comprises a cable modem.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the transport format for broadband communication is digital subscriber line signaling.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first wired protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Bianchi Charles H
• Greenwood Ken C
• Sabat Jr John

Classifications

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W4/18 Primary

  Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals · CPC title

• H04W88/14

  Backbone network devices · CPC title

• H04L12/2801

  Broadband local area networks · CPC title