Local area network equalization system and method

Claim 2

In a communications network including a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters, a plurality of gain-adjustable receivers, and a communications medium, wherein each one of said plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters is associated with one of said plurality of gain-adjustable receivers and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other via the communications medium, said communications network comprising: means for providing a calibration signal at a common point of the communications medium; means responsive to said calibration signal for adjusting the gain of at least one of the plurality of receivers as a function of a preselected characteristic of said calibration signal; means for enabling the transmitter associated with said at least one receiver to transmit a test signal to said at least one receiver via said common point; and means in said at least one receiver for receiving said test signal and for adjusting the gain of said transmitter associated with said at least one receiver as a function of a preselected characteristic of said test signal received by said at least one receiver.

Claim 3

The communications network of claim 1 wherein the preselected characteristic is signal amplitude.

Claim 4

The communications network of claim 1 wherein the preselected characteristic is signal power.

Claim 5

The communications network of claim 1 wherein the preselected characteristic is signal spectral density.

Claim 6

In a communications network including a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters, a plurality of associated gain-adjustable receivers, and a communications medium, wherein each one of said plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters is associated with one of said plurality of gain-adjustable receivers, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other via a common point of the communications medium, said communications network comprising: means for providing a calibration signal at the common point, wherein said calibration signal propagates over the communications medium for reception by at least one of the plurality of receivers; means responsive to said calibration signal for adjusting the gain of said at least one receiver to compensate for signal degradation between the common point and the receiver; means for enabling the transmitter associated with said at least one receiver to transmit a test signal to said at least one receiver via the common point; and means responsive to said test signal for adjusting the gain of said transmitter associated with said at least one receiver to compensate for signal degradation between said transmitter associated with said at least one receiver and the common point.

Claim 7

In a communications network including a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters, a plurality of associated gain-adjustable receivers, and a communications medium, wherein each one of said plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters is associated with one of said plurality of gain-adjustable receivers, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other via a common point of the communications medium, said communications network comprising: means for providing a calibration signal at the common point, wherein said calibration signal propagates over the communications medium for reception by at least one of the plurality of receivers; means responsive to said calibration signal for adjusting the gain of said at least one receiver to compensate for signal degradation between the common point and the receiver; means for enabling the transmitter associated with said at least one receiver to transmit a test signal to said at least one receiver via the common point; and means responsive to said test signal for adjusting the gain of said transmitter associated with said at least one receiver to compensate for signal degradation between said transmitter associated with said at least one receiver and the common point.

Claim 8

A communications network including a communications medium, a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters, wherein each one of the plurality of transmitters has an associated gain-adjustable receiver, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other via a common point of the communications medium, and wherein the communications network comprises; means for injecting a calibration signal at the common point; means for tuning at least one of the plurality of receivers to receive said calibration signal; wherein the tuned receiver produces a first received signal in response to said calibration signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means for comparing said first received signal with said first reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned receiver in response thereto; means for tuning the tuned receiver and the transmitter associated therewith to an unused frequency; wherein the tuned transmitter transmits a test signal to the associated tuned receiver, via the common point; wherein the tuned receiver produces a second received signal in response to said test signal; means for producing a second reference signal; and means for comparing said second received signal with said second reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned transmitter in response thereto.

Claim 9

A communications network including a communications medium, a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters, wherein each one of the plurality of transmitters has an associated gain-adjustable receiver, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other via a common point of the communications medium, and wherein the communications network comprises; means for injecting a calibration signal at the common point; means for tuning at least one of the plurality of receivers to receive said calibration signal; wherein the tuned receiver produces a first received signal in response to said calibration signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means for comparing said first received signal with said first reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned receiver in response thereto; means for tuning the tuned receiver and the transmitter associated therewith to an unused frequency; wherein the tuned transmitter transmits a test signal to the associated tuned receiver, via the common point; wherein the tuned receiver produces a second received signal in response to said test signal; means for producing a second reference signal; and means for comparing said second received signal with said second reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned transmitter in response thereto.

Claim 10

The communications network of claim 6 wherein the first and the second reference signals represent signal amplitude.

Claim 11

The communications network of claim 6 wherein the first and the second reference signals represent signal power.

Claim 12

The communications network of claim 6 wherein the first and the second reference signals represent signal spectral density.

Claim 13

The communications network of claim 6 wherein the first reference signal represents a predetermined threshold value, and wherein the means for comparing the first received signal with the first reference signal includes: means for comparing the first received signal with the first reference signal and for producing a comparison signal representing the difference between the first received signal and the predetermined threshold value; control means responsive to said comparison signal for controlling the gain of the tuned receiver until said comparison signal indicates that the first received signal is substantially equal to the predetermined threshold value.

Claim 14

The communications network of claim 10 wherein the control means includes: up/down counter means for producing a binary count of N bits, wherein said binary count is incremented when the comparison signal indicates that the first received signal is less than the predetermined threshold value, and wherein said binary count is decremented when the comparison signal indicates that the first received signal is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and digital-to-analog converter means responsive to said binary count for producing an analog signal representative thereof, wherein said analog signal controls the gain of the tuned receiver.

Claim 15

The communications network of claim 10 wherein the control means includes: up/down counter means for producing a binary count of N bits, wherein said binary count is decremented when the comparison signal indicates that the first received signal is less than the predetermined threshold value, and wherein said binary count is incremented when the comparison signal indicates that the first received signal is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and digital-to-analog converter means responsive to said binary count for producing an analog signal representative thereof, wherein said analog signal controls the gain of the tuned receiver.

Claim 16

The communications network of claim 6, wherein the second reference signal represents a predetermined threshold value, and wherein the means for comparing the second received signal with the second reference signal includes: means for comparing the second received signal with the second reference signal and for producing a comparison signal representing the difference between the second received signal and the predetermined threshold value; control means responsive to said comparison signal for controlling the gain of the tuned transmitter until said comparison signal indicates that the test signal is substantially equal to the predetermined threshold value.

Claim 17

The communications network of claim 13 wherein the control means includes; up/down counter means for producing a binary count of N bits wherein said binary count is incremented when the comparison signal indicates that the second received signal is less than the predetermined threshold value and wherein said binary count is decremented when the second comparison signal indicates that the second received signal is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and digital-to-analog converter means responsive to said binary count for producing an analog signal representing said binary count, wherein said analog signal controls the gain of the tuned transmitter.

Claim 18

The communications network of claim 13 wherein the control means includes: up/down counter means for producing a binary count of N bits wherein said binary count is decremented when the comparison signal indicates that the parameter of the second received signal is less than the predetermined threshold value and wherein said binary count is incremented when the second comparison signal indicates that the second received signal is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and digital-to-analog converter means responsive to said binary count for producing an analog signal representing said binary count, wherein said analog signal controls the gain of the tuned transmitter.

Claim 19

A broadband communications network, including a communications medium, a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters wherein each one of the plurality of transmitters has an associated gain-adjustable receiver, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other over one of a plurality of adjacent frequency bands via a common point of the communications medium, said broadband communications network comprising: means for injecting a calibration signal at the common point, wherein the frequency of said calibration signal is adjacent to two of the plurality of adjacent frequency hands; means for tuning at least one of the plurality of receivers to the frequency of said calibration signal, wherein the tuned receiver produces a first received signal representative of said calibration signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means for comparing said first received signal with said first reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned receiver in response thereto; means for tuning the tuned receiver and the transmitter associated therewith to an unused frequency; wherein the tuned transmitter transmits a test signal to the associated tuned receiver, via the common point; wherein the tuned receiver produces a second received signal representative of said test signal; means for producing a second reference signal; and means for comparing said second received signal with said second reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned transmitter in response thereto such that the tuned transmitter and the tuned receiver are equalized for communications in either of the adjacent frequency bands.

Claim 20

A broadband communications network, including a communications medium, a plurality of gain-adjustable transmitters wherein each one of the plurality of transmitters has an associated gain-adjustable receiver, and wherein the plurality of transmitters and receivers communicate with each other over one of a plurality of adjacent frequency bands via a common point of the communications medium, said broadband communications network comprising: means for injecting a calibration signal at the common point, wherein the frequency of said calibration signal is adjacent to two of the plurality of adjacent frequency hands; means for tuning at least one of the plurality of receivers to the frequency of said calibration signal, wherein the tuned receiver produces a first received signal representative of said calibration signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means for comparing said first received signal with said first reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned receiver in response thereto; means for tuning the tuned receiver and the transmitter associated therewith to an unused frequency; wherein the tuned transmitter transmits a test signal to the associated tuned receiver, via the common point; wherein the tuned receiver produces a second received signal representative of said test signal; means for producing a second reference signal; and means for comparing said second received signal with said second reference signal and for adjusting the gain of the tuned transmitter in response thereto such that the tuned transmitter and the tuned receiver are equalized for communications in either of the adjacent frequency bands.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17 wherein step (c) includes the steps of: (c1) receiving a calibration signal at said common point; and (c2) adjusting the gain of the at least one receiver such that a characteristic of said calibration signal has a value substantially equal to a predetermined reference characteristic after processing through the at least one receiver.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17 wherein step (e) includes the step of: (e1) adjusting the gain of the at least one transmitter such that any signal transmitted therefrom has a characteristic substantially equal to a predetermined reference characteristic at said common point.

Claim 29

The method of claim 21 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is amplitude.

Claim 30

The method of claim 21 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is power.

Claim 31

The method of claim 21 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is spectral density.

Claim 34

The method of claim 25 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is amplitude.

Claim 35

The method of claim 25 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is power.

Claim 36

The method of claim 25 wherein the characteristic of the calibration signal and the characteristic of the signal transmitted from the transmitter is spectral density.