POINT-TO-POINT AND POINT-TO-MULTIPOINT COMMUNICATIONS
A network, such as wired and/or wireless LAN, is configured to have both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections. The point-to-multipoint connection(s) is used to communicate information between a plurality of the stations (or modem, or transceivers) in the network, whereas the point-to-point connection(s) are used to communicate information between only 2 stations in the network with the ability to, for example, maximize performance (rate/reach/BER/latency/etc) between those two stations. A master station allocates one or more frequency bands to the various point-to-multipoint and point-to-point connections.
1 . A method comprising configuring a network that includes at least one point-to-point connection operating in parallel with at least one point-to-multipoint connection.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising allocating one or more frequency bands.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of frequency bands are associated with different media types.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second, different, physical media type.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second physical media type.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the point-to-point connection and the point-to-multipoint connection are associated with the same physical media type.
7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the physical media types are one of coaxial cable, twisted pair, powerline, wireless, telephone, optical fiber, Ethernet cable and air.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the frequency bands on different media types at least partially overlap.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein different frequency bands are assigned to different timeslots.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media for different connection types.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot and allocated to different physical media for different connection types.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a station is connected to the point-to-multipoint connection and the point-to-point connection.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a master station configures the network based on one or more of frequency bands, timeslots, applications, bandwidth requirements, physical media type and information type.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the information type is one or more of data, voice, multimedia and video.
17 . A network comprising a plurality of stations including at least one point-to-multipoint communication connection between more than two stations and at least one point-to-point communication connection between two stations, wherein the point-to-point communication connection and the point-to-multipoint communication connection are both operational on the network at the same time.
18 . A network comprising:
a plurality of stations including:
more than two stations interconnected and communicating within a point-to-multipoint communication connection; and
two stations interconnected and communicating within by a point-to-point communication connection,
wherein the communicating is occurring at the same time.
19 . A network comprising a plurality of stations, wherein:
more than two stations communicate over a point-to-multipoint communication connection while two other stations communicate over a point-to-point communication connection.
20 . A network comprising a plurality of stations, wherein:
more than two of the plurality of stations communicate over a point-to-multipoint communication connection while two of the plurality of stations communicate over a point-to-point communication connection.
21 . A communications network comprising:
a point-to-point connection operating concurrently with a point-to-multipoint connection.
22 . The network of claim 21 , wherein the point-to-multipoint connection is between a plurality of stations.
23 . The network of claim 22 , wherein one of the stations is a master station.
24 . The network of claim 22 , wherein there are a plurality of master stations.
25 . The network of claim 21 , wherein the point-to-point connection is over a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is over a second physical media type.
26 . The network of claim 21 , wherein the point-to-point connection and the point-to-multipoint connection are over the same physical media type.
27 . A network including a plurality of stations that is capable of comprising at least one point-to-multipoint (PtM) communication connection between more than two stations and at least one point-to-point (PtP) communication connection between two stations, wherein the at least one PtM connection and the at least one PtP connection are capable of operating at the same time.
28 . The network of claim 27 , wherein the at least one point-to-multipoint communication connection uses a first frequency band and the at least one point-to-point communication connection uses a second frequency band
29 . The network of claim 27 , wherein a master station manages the point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication connections.
30 . The network of claim 27 , wherein a master station allocates the frequency band for at least one point-to-point station communication connection or at least one point-to-multipoint communication connection.
31 . The network of claim 30 , wherein a point-to-multipoint communication connection is used to transmit management information between the stations.
32 . The network of claim 31 , wherein the first PtM communication connection is disabled and the first frequency band is reallocated to a different PtM or PtP communication connection.
33 . The network of claim 28 , wherein the first PtP communication connection is disabled and the second frequency band is reallocated to a different PtP or PtM communication connection.
34 . In a network including a plurality of stations a method comprising:
allocating a first frequency band to a first PTP communication connection for a first period of time;
disabling the first PTP connection; and
reallocating the first frequency band to a different PtP or PtM communication connection for a second period of time.
35 . In a network including a plurality of stations a method comprising:
allocating a first frequency band to a first PtM communication connection for a first period of time;
disabling the first PtM connection; and
reallocating the first frequency band to a different PtM or PtP communication connection for a second period of time.
36 . In a network including a plurality of stations a method comprising:
establishing at least one point-to-multipoint (PtM) communication connection between more than two stations;
establishing at least one point-to-point (PtP) communication connection between two stations, wherein the at least one PtM connection and the at least one PtP connection are capable of operating at the same time.
37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising allocating a first frequency band to the at least one point-to-multipoint communication connection and allocating a second frequency band to the at least one point-to-point communication connection.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein a master station manages the point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication connections.
39 . The method of claim 36 , wherein a master station allocates the frequency band for at least one point-to-point station communication connection or at least one point-to-multipoint communication connection.
40 . The method of claim 36 , wherein a point-to-multipoint communication connection is used to transmit management information between the stations.
41 . The method of 37 , further comprising disabling the first PtM communication connection and reallocating the first frequency band to a different PtM or PtP communication connection.
42 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising disabling the first PtP communication connection and reallocating the second frequency band to a different PtP or PtM communication connection.
43 . A network that includes the capability of at least one point-to-point connection operating in parallel with at least one point-to-multipoint connection.
44 . The network of claim 43 , further comprising one or more allocated frequency bands.
45 . The network of claim 43 , wherein at least two of frequency bands are associated with different media types.
46 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second, different, physical media type.
47 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second physical media type.
48 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the point-to-point connection and the point-to-multipoint connection are associated with the same physical media type.
49 . The network of claim 45 , wherein the physical media types are one of coaxial cable, twisted pair, powerline, wireless, telephone, optical fiber, Ethernet cable and air.
50 . The network of claim 43 , wherein at least two of the frequency bands on different media types at least partially overlap.
51 . The network of claim 43 , wherein different frequency bands are assigned to different timeslots.
52 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot.
53 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media.
54 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media for different connection types.
55 . The network of claim 43 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot and allocated to different physical media for different connection types.
56 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a station is connected to the point-to-multipoint connection and the point-to-point connection.
57 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station configures the network based on one or more of frequency bands, timeslots, applications, bandwidth requirements, physical media type and information type.
58 . The network of claim 57 , wherein the information type is one or more of data, voice, multimedia and video.
59 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station allocates one or more frequency bands.
60 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station reallocates one or more frequency bands.
61 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station reallocates one or more frequency bands based on a change in communication requirements.
62 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station reallocates one or more overlapping frequency bands based on a change in communication requirements.
63 . The network of claim 43 , wherein a master station reallocates one or more non-overlapping frequency bands based on a change in communication requirements.
64 . An information storage media including information that when executed performs the steps in any of the above method claims.
65 . A communication protocol that performs the steps in any of the above method claims.
66 . Means for performing the steps in any of the above method claims.
67 . Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein.
68 . Means for configuring a network that includes at least one point-to-point connection operating in parallel with at least one point-to-multipoint connection.
69 . The means of claim 68 , further comprising means for allocating one or more frequency bands.
70 . The means of claim 68 , wherein at least two of frequency bands are associated with different physical media types.
71 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second, different, physical media type.
72 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the point-to-point connection is associated with a first physical media type and the point-to-multipoint connection is associated with a second physical media type.
73 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the point-to-point connection and the point-to-multipoint connection are associated with the same physical media type.
74 . The means of claim 71 , wherein the physical media types are one of coaxial cable, twisted pair, powerline, wireless, telephone, optical fiber, Ethernet cable and air.
75 . The means of claim 68 , wherein at least two of the frequency bands on different media types at least partially overlap.
76 . The means of claim 68 , wherein different frequency bands are assigned to different timeslots.
77 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot.
78 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media.
79 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot on different physical media for different connection types.
80 . The means of claim 68 , wherein the same frequency band is used in the same timeslot and allocated to different physical media for different connection types.
81 . The means of claim 68 , wherein a station is connected to the point-to-multipoint connection and the point-to-point connection.
82 . The means of claim 68 , wherein a master station configures the network based on one or more of frequency bands, timeslots, applications, bandwidth requirements, physical media type and information type.
83 . The means of claim 82 , wherein the information type is one or more of data, voice, multimedia and video.