Method and system for optimizing bandwidth utilization in an in-home network
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for optimizing bandwidth utilization in an in-home network may comprise determining usage and/or quality of communication links operating in accordance with first and second communication protocols in a multi-protocol wired and wireless network. Data communication may be routed from a first communication link operating in accordance with the first communication protocol to a second communication link operating in accordance with the second communication protocol, based on the determining. The first communication protocol may comprise a multimedia over cable alliance (MoCA) standard and the second communication protocol may comprise an IEEE 802.11x standard. The determining and routing may be performed by a MoCA network controller. The first communication protocol may comprise an IEEE 802.11x standard and the second communication protocol may comprise a MoCA standard. The rerouting may increase bandwidth usage efficiency and/or data throughput of the network. The determining and rerouting may be performed dynamically.
1. A method for multimedia communication, the method comprising:
in a network controller in a premises-based wired and wireless network:
monitoring one or more capabilities of a wired communication link operating in accordance with a wired communication standard and capabilities of a wireless communication link operating in accordance with a wireless local area network standard, in said premises-based wired and wireless network;
communicating reallocation commands to one or more devices in said premises-based wired and wireless network based on said one or more capabilities;
routing a first portion of data communications via said wireless communication link and a second portion of said data communications via said wired communication link; and
configuring a bit-loading of said data communications in said wired communication link and a bit-loading of said data communications in said wireless communication link based on said reallocation commands.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more of: bandwidth, data throughput, usage, and signal-to-noise ratio.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said wired communication standard comprises Multimedia over Cable Alliance (MoCA).
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said monitoring is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said routing is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising increasing bandwidth usage efficiency of said premises-based wired and wireless network by said routing.
7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising increasing data throughput of said premises-based wired and wireless network by said routing.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said monitoring and said routing are performed dynamically.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more media capabilities.
10. A system for multimedia communication, the system comprising:
a network device comprising a bandwidth optimization module, a physical layer (PHY), and a wireless local area network (WLAN) module, said network device for use in a premises-based wired and wireless network, said network device being operable to:
monitor, using said bandwidth optimization module, one or more capabilities of said PHY operating in accordance with a wired communication standard and capabilities of said WLAN module operating in accordance with a wireless local area network standard, in said premises-based wired and wireless network;
communicate reallocation commands to one or more devices in said premises-based wired and wireless network based on said one or more capabilities;
route a first portion of data communications via said WLAN module and a second portion of said data communications via said PHY, based on said reallocation commands; and
configure a bit-loading of said data communications in said PHY and a bit-loading of said data communications in said WLAN module-based on said reallocation commands.
11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more of: bandwidth, data throughput, usage, and signal-to-noise ratio.
12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said network device comprises a Multimedia over Cable Alliance MoCA network controller.
13. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said routing is performed by a MoCA network controller that comprises said network device.
14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said network device is operable to increase bandwidth usage efficiency of said wired and wireless network by the routing.
15. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said network device is operable to increase data throughput of said premises-based wired and wireless network by the routing.
16. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more media capabilities.
17. A system for multimedia communication, the system comprising:
a network controller in a premises, said network controller comprising a bandwidth optimization module, a PHY, and a wireless local area network (WLAN) module, said network controller being operable to:
monitor, using said bandwidth optimization module, media capabilities of a wired communication link via said PHY operating in accordance with a wired network standard and capabilities of a wireless communication link operating in accordance with a wireless local area network standard, in a wired and wireless network within said premises;
communicate reallocation commands to one or more devices in said premises-based wired and wireless network based on said one or more capabilities;
route a first portion of data communications via said WLAN module and a second portion of said data communications via said PHY, based on said reallocation commands; and
configure a bit-loading of said data communications in said PHY and a bit-loading of said data communications in said WLAN module-based on said reallocation commands.
18. A method for multimedia communication, the method comprising:
in a network device of a premises-based wired and wireless network:
monitoring one or more capabilities of a wireless communication link operating in accordance with a wireless local area network standard and a wired communication link operating in accordance with a wired communication standard, in said premises-based wired and wireless network;
communicating reallocation commands to one or more devices in said premises-based wired and wireless network based on said one or more capabilities;
routing a first portion of data communications via said wired communication link and a second portion of said data communications via said wireless communication link, based on said reallocation commands; and
configuring a bit-loading of said data communications in said wireless communication link and a bit-loading of said wired communication link based on said reallocation commands.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said monitoring is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said routing is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
21. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more of: bandwidth, data throughput, usage, and signal-to-noise ratio.
22. The method according to claim 18 , comprising increasing bandwidth usage efficiency of said premises-based wired and wireless network by said routing.
23. The method according to claim 18 , comprising increasing data throughput of said premises-based wired and wireless network by said routing.
24. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said monitoring and said routing are performed dynamically.
25. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more media capabilities.
26. A system for multimedia communication, the system comprising:
a network device for use in a premises-based wired and wireless network, said network device comprising a bandwidth optimization module, a physical layer (PHY), and a wireless local area network (WLAN) module, said network device being operable to:
monitor one or more capabilities of a wireless communication link operating in accordance with a wireless local area network standard and a wired communication link operating in accordance with a wired communication protocol, in said premises-based wired and wireless network
communicate reallocation commands to one or more devices in said premises-based wired and wireless network based on said one or more capabilities;
route a first portion of said data communications via said wired communications link and a second portion of said data communications via said wireless communication link, based on said reallocation commands; and
configure a bit-loading of said data communications in said wireless communication link and a bit-loading of said data communications in said wired communication link based on said reallocation commands.
27. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said monitoring is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
28. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more of: bandwidth, data throughput, usage, and signal-to-noise ratio.
29. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said routing is performed by one or more MoCA network controllers.
30. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said network device is operable to increase bandwidth usage efficiency of said premises-based wired and wireless network by the routing.
31. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said network device is operable to increase data throughput of said premises-based wired and wireless network by the routing.
32. The system according to claim 26 , wherein said one or more capabilities comprise one or more media capabilities.