Multi-Tone Modem Scheduling for Network Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing broadband access technologies face challenges in ease, security, and coverage provisioning for residential and business customers, particularly in efficiently utilizing wired communication mediums for data transfer.
Innovation Solution
A multi-tone modem configured to couple with a wired communication medium, utilizing Fourier transform components for domain transformation and scheduling protocols that improve data transfer capabilities by reducing overhead through FDMA and TDMA multiplexing, and aggregating acknowledgments to enhance network efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional broadband access technologies are used, then network coverage and connectivity are provided, but network overhead is high and data transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication medium into multiple frequency subchannels using FDMA, allowing parallel data transmission across different frequency bands. This segmentation increases overall data transfer capability while reducing the overhead burden on any single channel, as overhead can be distributed and optimized per subchannel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic transmission of data and acknowledgments using TDMA, where communication occurs in structured time slots. This periodic action allows for efficient resource allocation and reduces overhead by batching acknowledgments and optimizing the timing of transmissions, thereby improving overall network productivity.
2Productivity
If multiple communication channels are transmitted simultaneously, then data transfer capability is improved, but alignment and synchronization become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where receiving modems send acknowledgment signals back to transmitting modems. This feedback enables synchronization and alignment adjustments, ensuring that even with multiple simultaneous channels, the system maintains proper timing and coordination, thus managing the complexity through controlled interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary alignment determination using correlation techniques on received signals before full data processing. By pre-aligning the channels using pilot signals or preamble sequences, the system reduces the complexity of real-time alignment, enabling efficient handling of multiple simultaneous communication channels.
3Reliability
If acknowledgment signals are sent for each transmission, then data reliability is improved, but network overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple acknowledgment signals into aggregated acknowledgment transmissions. Instead of sending individual ACKs for each data packet, the system combines acknowledgments for multiple packets into single transmission events, particularly utilizing the periodic TDMA structure. This merging maintains data reliability through proper acknowledgment while significantly reducing network overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-tone modem with components forming a transmit path and a receive path configured to couple to a wired communication medium for at least intermittent communication of frequency division multiplexed multi-tone modulated communication channels thereon. A Fourier transform component transforms received communication channels between a time domain and a frequency domain and vice-versa. Selected components on the receive path determine alignments between the received multiplexed communication channels in the time domain using alignment determinations made in both a time domain and frequency domain portions of the receive path. The Fourier transform component transforms a stream of digitized samples of the received multiplexed communication channels from the time to the frequency domain using the alignment determinations made by the selected components on the receive path. In another embodiment of the invention the multi-tone modem includes a scheduler which optimizes bandwidth allocation on the wired communication medium.