Multi-Wideband Communications over Multiple Mediums within a Network

Abstract

A multi-network interface device comprises a powerline communications interface and at least one other non-power line communications interface configured to communicate over a network. The network may comprise mediums including powerlines, telephone lines, and/or coaxial cables. The multi-network interface device may receive a communications signal via a first medium and transmit the message via a second medium based on a quality of service (QoS) metric.

1 . A multi-network interface device, comprising:
 communications interfaces coupled to respective communication mediums, the communications interfaces including at least a power line communications interface coupled to a power line communication medium and a non-power line communications interface coupled to a non-power line communication medium; and   a network processor for receiving a communications signal via a first one of the communications interfaces and selecting a second one of the communications interfaces for transmission of the communications signal based on a respective quality of service metric associated with each of the communication mediums.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the network processor further measures the respective quality of service metric for each of the communication mediums. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a first communication medium and the second one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a second communication medium that is different from the first communication medium. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the network processor further selects a third one of the communications interfaces for transmission of the communications signal such that communications signal is substantially simultaneously transmitted on both the second one of the communications interfaces and the third one of the communications interfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 4 , wherein the second one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a first one of the communication mediums and the third one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a second one of the communication mediums that is the same as the first one of the communication mediums. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 4 , wherein the second one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a first one of the communication mediums and the third one of the medium interfaces is coupled to a second one of the communication mediums that is different from the first one of the communication mediums. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-power line communications interface is configured to communicate via a telephone line or a coaxial cable. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein both the powerline communications interface and the non-power line communications interface are identified by a same media access control address. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a host interface coupled to a host communication medium and configured to provide communications between a network apparatus and the multi-network interface device; and   a host interface controller coupled to the host interface and the network processor and configured to be shared by communications received through the powerline communications interface and the non-power line communications interface.   
     
     
         10 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the first communications interface comprises one of the power line communications interface and the non-power line communications interface and the second communications interface comprises the other of the power line communications interface and the non-power line communications interface. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the network processor selects the second communications interface to avoid transmission of the communications signal through a junction box. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the network processor further selects at least one frequency band associated with the communication medium coupled to the second communications interface for transmission of the communications signal based on the quality of service metric associated therewith. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an analog signal separation device coupled to the communication interfaces for isolating communication paths from the communication mediums to an apparatus coupled to the multi-network interface device.   
     
     
         14 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the network processor further switches to a third one of the communication interfaces during transmission of the communications signal based on the respective quality of service metric associated with each of the communication mediums. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-network interface device of  claim 1 , wherein the quality of service metric associated with each of the communication mediums measures one or more of network latency, network throughput and available bandwidth. 
     
     
         16 . A network apparatus comprising:
 a multi-network interface device including communications interfaces coupled to respective communication mediums, the communications interfaces including at least a power line communications interface coupled to a power line communication medium and a non-power line communications interface coupled to a non-power line communication medium;   a host subsystem including circuitry for operating the network apparatus; and   a host interface coupling the multi-network interface device and the host subsystem;   wherein the multi-network interface device is further configured to receive a communications signal via a first one of the communications interfaces and select a second one of the communications interfaces for transmission of the communications signal based on a respective quality of service metric associated with each of the communication mediums.   
     
     
         17 . The network apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-network interface device is further configured to provide the communications signal to the host subsystem via the host interface. 
     
     
         18 . The network apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-network interface device further measures the respective quality of service metric for each of the communication mediums. 
     
     
         19 . The network apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a first communication medium and the second one of the communications interfaces is coupled to a second communication medium that is different from the first communication medium. 
     
     
         20 . The network apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-network interface device further selects at least one frequency band associated with the communication medium coupled to the second communications interface for transmission of the communications signal based on the quality of service metric associated therewith.