Data transmission method, communication system, transceiver, transmitter and receiver

Abstract

A data transmission method, a communication system, a transceiver, a transmitter and a receiver are described. In a data transmission method, a signal is transmitted between a first transceiver and a second transceiver, said signal being generated based on configuration parameters. A reconfiguration request signal is transmitted to said second transceiver. Said reconfiguration request signal is evaluated at said second transceiver. Said first transceiver is reconfigured based on a result of said evaluating to generate a further signal based on new configuration parameters different from said configuration parameters.

1 . A data transmission method, comprising:
 transmitting a signal between a first transceiver and a second transceiver, said signal being generated based on configuration parameters;   transmitting a reconfiguration request signal to said second transceiver;   evaluating said reconfiguration request signal at said second transceiver;   communicating a result of said evaluation to the first transceiver; and   reconfiguring said first transceiver based on the result of said evaluating to generate a further signal based on new configuration parameters different from said configuration parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising
 reconfiguring said second transceiver based on said evaluating to receive said further signal generated based on said new configuration parameters.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein said first transceiver and said second transceiver are reconfigured synchronously.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein said first transceiver and said second transceiver are reconfigured online.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising
 generating a reconfiguration response signal based on said evaluating and transmitting said reconfiguration response signal to said first transceiver.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said evaluating is based on said new configuration parameters and at least one transmission condition parameter.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein said at least one transmission condition parameter is indicative of transmission noise.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said reconfiguration request signal comprises information on at least one bound on said further configuration parameters, and said evaluating comprises selecting said new configuration parameters based on said at least one bound.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 wherein said at least one bound comprises an upper bound on a power spectral density.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said new configuration parameters differ from said configuration parameters in one or several of a power spectral density, a net data rate, a signal to noise margin, a tone number of a discrete multi-tone spectrum, or a frequency spacing of a discrete multi-tone spectrum.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 monitoring a transmission condition between a plurality of first transceivers and a plurality of second transceivers; and   generating said reconfiguration request signal based on said monitored transmission condition.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said reconfiguration request signal is generated based on a change in service level of a subscriber.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said signal and said further signal is a discrete multi-tone (DMT) signal or an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal.   
     
     
         14 . A communication system, comprising:
 a first transceiver comprising a configurable transmitter circuit and an interface to output a reconfiguration request signal; and   a second transceiver comprising an interface to receive said reconfiguration request signal and comprising an evaluation circuit coupled to said interface to evaluate said reconfiguration request signal and to output a reconfiguration response signal,   wherein said first transceiver comprises a receiver circuit to receive said reconfiguration response signal, said receiver circuit being coupled to said configurable transmitter circuit to reconfigure said configurable transmitter circuit based on said reconfiguration response signal.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein said second transceiver comprises a configurable receiver circuit coupled to said evaluation circuit, and said evaluation circuit reconfigures said configurable receiver circuit based on said reconfiguration request signal.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein said configurable transmitter circuit of said first transceiver and said configurable receiver circuit of said second transceiver are reconfigured online.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein said configurable receiver circuit of said second transceiver and said configurable transmitter circuit of said first transceiver are reconfigured synchronously.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein said second transceiver comprises a configurable transmitter circuit coupled to said evaluation circuit, wherein said evaluation circuit reconfigures said transmitter circuit based on another reconfiguration request signal.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein said evaluation circuit determines new configuration parameters for said configurable transmitter circuit based on said reconfiguration request signal, and said reconfiguration response signal comprises information on said new configuration parameters.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein said new configuration parameters for said configurable transmitter circuit correspond to a new power spectral density.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising
 a monitoring device to monitor a transmission condition between a plurality of first transceivers and a plurality of second transceivers, wherein said monitoring device is coupled to said first transceiver to initiate outputting of said reconfiguration request signal.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein said transmitter circuit of said first transceiver generates discrete multi-tone (DMT) signals or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising
 a copper wire pair coupled to said interface of said first transceiver and to said interface of said second transceiver.   
     
     
         24 . A transceiver, comprising:
 an interface to receive a reconfiguration request signal;   a configurable receiver circuit coupled to said interface; and   an evaluation circuit coupled to said interface to evaluate said reconfiguration request signal and to output a reconfiguration response signal, said evaluation circuit being coupled to said configurable receiver circuit to reconfigure said configurable receiver circuit based on said reconfiguration request signal.   
     
     
         25 . The transceiver of  claim 24 ,
 wherein said reconfiguration request signal comprises information on bounds on new configuration parameters based on which signals received at said interface will be generated.   
     
     
         26 . The transceiver of  claim 25 ,
 wherein said evaluation circuit determines new configuration parameters based on said reconfiguration request signal.   
     
     
         27 . The transceiver of  claim 26 , comprising
 a register to store information on at least one transmission condition parameter for signals received at said interface, wherein said evaluation circuit is coupled to said register and determines said new configuration parameters based on said at least one transmission condition parameter.   
     
     
         28 . The transceiver of  claim 25 ,
 wherein said evaluation circuit determines whether said transceiver can accommodate said bounds for new configuration parameters.   
     
     
         29 . A data transmission method, comprising:
 generating first signals based on first configuration parameters;   generating at least one second signal based on second configuration parameters different from said first configuration parameters;   transmitting said first signals and said at least one second signal, wherein at least one of said first signals is transmitted prior to one of said at least one second signal and at least another one of said first signals is transmitted after said one second signal; and   adapting an operational parameter of a receiver based on said at least one second signal.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 ,
 wherein each of said at least one second signal comprises data known to the receiver before said at least one second signal is received.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 ,
 wherein said adapting comprises monitoring data corresponding to said at least one second signal.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising
 training said receiver based on said at least one second signal for signals generated based on said second configuration parameters.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising
 providing information on said second configuration parameters to a transmitter and to said receiver.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 ,
 wherein a plurality of second signals generated based on said second configuration parameters is transmitted, a pre-defined number of said first signals being respectively transmitted between successive second signals.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 ,
 wherein said plurality of second signals comprises synchronization signals.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 ,
 wherein said first signals and said at least one second signal are discrete multi-tone (DMT) signals or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 ,
 wherein said first configuration parameters correspond to a first power spectral density and said second configuration parameters correspond to a second power spectral density different from said first power spectral density.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 ,
 wherein a cyclic extension of each of said first signals is different in length from a cyclic extension of each of said at least one second signal.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising
 monitoring a transmission condition between a plurality of first transceivers and a plurality of second transceivers; and   selecting said second configuration parameters based on said monitoring.   
     
     
         40 . A transmitter, comprising:
 a transmitter circuit having a first configuration and a second configuration to generate signals to be transmitted to a receiver;   a register to store predefined data and to provide said pre-defined data to said transmitter circuit; and   a control circuit to switch said transmitter circuit from said first configuration to said second configuration to generate a training signal from said predefined data and to switch said transmitter circuit back to said first configuration after generation of said training signal.   
     
     
         41 . The transmitter of  claim 40 ,
 wherein said first configuration and said second configuration correspond to different power spectral densities.   
     
     
         42 . The transmitter of  claim 41 ,
 wherein said first configuration and said second configuration correspond to different cyclic extension lengths.   
     
     
         43 . The transmitter of  claim 40 ,
 wherein said control circuit periodically switches said transmitter circuit from said first configuration to said second configuration.   
     
     
         44 . The transmitter of  claim 40 , comprising
 a control interface to receive information on said second configuration, and   a communications interface to output said signals generated by said transmitter circuit.   
     
     
         45 . A receiver, comprising:
 an interface to receive signals;   a receiver circuit coupled to said interface to process said received signals, said receiver circuit having a first configuration and a second configuration;   a control circuit to switch said receiver circuit from said first configuration to said second configuration when a pre-defined signal is received and back to said first configuration after said pre-defined signal has been received; and   a training circuit to adjust an operational parameter of said receiver circuit in said second configuration.   
     
     
         46 . The receiver of  claim 45 ,
 wherein said first configuration and said second configuration correspond to different power spectral densities.   
     
     
         47 . The receiver of  claim 45 ,
 wherein said training circuit is coupled to said receiver circuit to receive an indicator of a processing quality of said predefined signal and to adjust said operational parameter based on said indicator.   
     
     
         48 . The receiver of  claim 47 ,
 wherein said receiver circuit operates based on a plurality of operational parameter, and said training circuit adjusts said plurality of operational parameters based on said indicator.   
     
     
         49 . The receiver of  claim 48 ,
 wherein said plurality of operational parameters comprises operational parameters of one or several of an automatic gain control (AGC), a time domain equalizer, a frequency domain equalizer, or a filter.