Methods and systems for high speed broadband digital link

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and systems for a digital subscriber line protocol that does not require amplitude modulation, as well as methods and systems for such a protocol that can be used in combination with amplitude-modulation techniques to provide superior broadband DSL capabilities.

1 . A method of providing digital subscriber line communications, comprising: 
 generating a signal of a plurality of tones, the variation in tones producing a change in the phase of the signal;    transmitting the signal over a communications facility;    measuring a characteristic of the received signal; and    determining a value of a data bit based on the value of the measured characteristic.    
   
   
       2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the value from the measured characteristic does not require calculation of an in-phase component and does not require calculation of a quadrature component.  
   
   
       3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the measured characteristic is a peak phase.  
   
   
       4 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the measured characteristic is a peak-to-peak time.  
   
   
       5 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the measured characteristic is a flat time.  
   
   
       6 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the measured characteristic is a ratio that is calculated using at least two values selected from the at least one of a peak phase, a peak-to-peak time, flat time, off time, and event time of a symbol of a transmitted signal.  
   
   
       10 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising, obtaining at least one data bit from an in-phase and a quadrature component of the signal.  
   
   
       11 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A method of providing a DSL transmitter, comprising: 
 providing a facility for receiving an incoming data signal;    providing an encoding facility for encoding the signal;    providing a data facility for assigning frequencies based on the incoming data signal;    providing a frequency generator for generating the assigned frequencies, wherein frequencies are assigned to produce variations in the characteristics of the generated signal, the characteristics selected from the group consisting of peak phase, peak-to-peak time, flat time, off time, event time and a ratio of at least two of them; and    providing a facility for sending the generated frequencies to a communications facility.    
   
   
       18 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the frequencies of the transmitted signal comprise a base frequency, a higher frequency and a lower frequency.  
   
   
       19 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the frequencies of the transmitted signal comprise an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signal.  
   
   
       20 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the communications facility is a telephone line.  
   
   
       21 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the communications facility is a wireless communications facility.  
   
   
       22 . A method of  claim 17 , wherein the communications facility is a cable facility.  
   
   
       23 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . A system for digital subscriber line communications, comprising: 
 a signal generator for generating a signal of a plurality of tones, the variation in tones producing a change in the phase of the signal;    a transmitter for transmitting the signal over a communications facility;    a receiver for measuring a characteristic of the received signal; and    a calculator for determining a value of a data bit based on the value of the measured characteristic.    
   
   
       41 . A system of  claim 40 , wherein determining the value from the measured characteristic does not require calculation of an in-phase component and does not require calculation of a quadrature component.  
   
   
       42 . A system of  claim 40 , wherein the measured characteristic is a peak phase.  
   
   
       43 . A system of  claim 40 , wherein the measured characteristic is a peak-to-peak time.  
   
   
       44 . A system of  claim 40 , wherein the measured characteristic is a flat time.  
   
   
       45 - 47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . A system of  claim 40 , wherein the measured characteristic is a ratio that is calculated using at least two values selected from the at least one of a peak phase, a peak-to-peak time, flat time, off time, and event time of a symbol of a transmitted signal.  
   
   
       49 . A system of  claim 40 , further comprising a second calculator for obtaining at least one data bit from an in-phase and a quadrature component of the signal.  
   
   
       50 - 78 . (canceled)