Abstract: A power unit includes an AC/DC converter for converting VAC input to DC, a zero cross unit for modulating the AC/DC converter output to facilitate zero crossing detection based on the output, and a high pass filter (HPF) for filtering data signals, where the data signals are transmitted and received on the same medium from which the VAC input is received. A method for providing power and data signals from a single powerline source, including receiving incoming VAC in an external power unit, converting the incoming VAC to DC, modulating the DC in accordance with zero crossings from the incoming VAC, filtering the VAC to isolate high frequency data signals, where the data signals are transmitted and received on a same medium from which the incoming VAC is received, and providing the DC, modulated DC, and data signals to an embedded processing unit capable of processing the data signals.

Abstract: A method for pairing a first power line communication device with a second power line communication device is disclosed, the method includes the first device triggering a pairing initiating state responsive to sensing a connection of a data cable with the second device; entering an appropriate pairing initiation state, the pairing initiation state being either an add device state or a join device state; and performing pairing with the second device.

Abstract: Coupling circuit for coupling a power line communication device to a power line network, including a first network port coupled between a network phase line and a first network line, a second network port coupled between a network neutral line and a second network line, a third network port coupled between a network ground line and a third network line, a first differential modem port including a first terminal and a second terminal, a second differential modem port including a third terminal and a fourth terminal, a first transformer including a first network side winding and a first modem side winding, a second transformer including a second network side winding and a second modem side winding, the transformers including respective terminals, a center tap extending from the midpoint of the first network side winding to a terminal of the second network side winding and a plurality of capacitors.

Abstract: To reduce artifacts caused by quantization errors in image compression systems, an offset is added to quantized samples at low frequency sections of a macroblock. A decoder uses the offset after decoding to bring the decoded sample closer to the original pre-encoded and pre-quantized sample, thereby compensating for quantization errors.

Abstract: A system and method combine an entropy coding algorithm like Huffman or arithmetic coding with a fixed length coding scheme and can improve the compression performance in a fixed rate compression scheme. The fixed length code assigns codes with a fixed length to symbols that have the highest probability of occurrence. Therefore, fixed length coding is used if all symbols in the sequence are from the set of symbols that have the highest probability values. Otherwise an entropy coding algorithm (e.g. Huffman coding) is used to encode quantized symbols.

Abstract: A method for multicast transmissions between a source node and a client node includes the source node generating a multicast stream identifier to uniquely identify the multicast stream, and the source node establishing a path between the source node and the client node for a specified the multicast stream, each node in the path using unicast routing tables in order to identify a next node on the path during path establishment, and the source node transmitting messages of the specified multicast stream along the path. Network nodes implement the method.

Abstract: There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. Each of the stations is configurable to generate one or more tone maps for communicating with each of the other stations in the powerline network. Each tone map includes a set of tones to be used on a communication link between two of the stations. Each tone map further includes a unique set of modulation methods for each tone. Each of the stations is further configurable to generate a default tone map for communicating with each of the other stations, where the default tone map is valid for all portions of a powerline cycle. Each of the stations is further configurable to monitor its bandwidth needs and to request additional bandwidth from the central coordinator.

Abstract: A zero-crossing detection circuit includes a comparator and circuitry. The comparator produces an output signal that is indicative of zero-crossing events in an input Alternating Current (AC) waveform. The circuitry may be configured to feed the comparator with first and second rails voltages, and to progressively increase the rails voltages during time intervals derived from the input AC waveform, so as to feed the comparator with target values of the rails voltages in time-proximity to the zero-crossing events. The circuitry may be configured to compensate for an error in detecting the zero crossing events caused by differences in amplitude of the input AC waveform, by correcting the input AC waveform provided to the comparator. The circuitry may be configured to activate the comparator during time intervals preceding respective anticipated times of the zero-crossing events, and to deactivate the comparator at least once during time periods other than the time intervals.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sensing a change in a network topology using a discovery node in a mesh network; transmitting an explore frame, based at least in part on the sensed change, from the discovery node to a destination node using an intermediate node; receiving a response to the explore frame from the destination node; determining at least one functional network route from the discovery node to the destination node based at least in part on route information received in association with the response to the explore frame, wherein the route information includes a node path; and transmitting an instruction to the destination node from the discovery node based on a reverse node path.

Abstract: A method of generating a transmission schedule for a network device of a home network includes ensuring that strongly interfering nodes of different domains do not transmit simultaneously while enabling other non interfering nodes of the different domains to transmit simultaneously. A domain master for a home network includes a receiver and a scheduler. The receiver receives at least one transmission from at least one node of its domain indicating at least one node of at least one neighboring domain whose transmissions are interfering. The scheduler schedules transmissions of said nodes of its domain in coordination with a domain master of said neighboring domain according to inter-domain node interference.

Abstract: The approach of the present invention is to take advantage of similarity in implementation between SKIP and DIRECT modes and one other inter-picture prediction modes, namely, the 16×16 partition mode. The SKIP/DIRECT modes are classified into two groups, one involving inter-picture prediction in one temporal direction in which prediction is chosen from either past or future recon pictures, and the other involving prediction in two temporal directions in which prediction is constructed as a superposition of both past and future recon pictures. The first group requires interpolation for only one direction, whereas the latter requires interpolation for both directions, thus requiring roughly twice as much data processing power than the first group. The 16×16 partition mode also allows both prediction schemes, either past or future, or a superposition of past and future. The SKIP/DIRECT and 16×16 partition modes all apply the same motion vector on the entire block unit.

Abstract: A MAC layer protocol that converts packets into a data stream is presented. The protocol layer accepts packets (like Ethernet packets) and converts them into blocks. The packets may be segmented into multiple hocks and multiple packets or packet fragments may be contained in a block. The blocks contain information for reassembling the data. All blocks may be exactly the same size and format, with the same coding. This allows blocks to be precisely recovered even when some of the bits on the stream have errors on them. The blocks may be interleaved and coded. Each block may be decoded independently of other blocks. The blocks may be numbered, so an ARQ mechanism may request that any missing blocks be resent without asking for a whole packet to be resent. The data stream may be passed to a physical layer like an OFDM or WOFDM stream of data.

Abstract: A method for routing communications on a network node in a communications network includes: updating a central domain master regarding changes detected in topology, receiving a routing plan from the central domain master, where the routing plan is calculated at least in accordance with the changes, and transmitting data as necessary in accordance with the routing plan. A method implementable on a central domain master for routing communications between network nodes in a communications network includes receiving transmissions regarding changes detected in topology from the network nodes, calculating a routing plan based on at least the transmissions, and distributing the routing plan to the network nodes, where the central domain server is one of the network nodes.

Abstract: A multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) communications unit includes a multiplicity of analog front ends and a MIMO processor. Each analog front end is connectable to a different two of the wires in a subscriber premises and each handles data of one channel. The MIMO processor processes together the data of the channels. In one embodiment, the wires are the power line wires in a subscriber premises, including the phase, neutral and ground power line wires. In another embodiment, the wires are pairs of telephony wires.

Abstract: Coupling circuit for coupling a power line communication device to a power line network, including a first network port coupled between a network phase line and a first network line, a second network port coupled between a network neutral line and a second network line, a third network port coupled between a network ground line and a third network line, a first differential modem port including a first terminal and a second terminal, a second differential modem port including a third terminal and a fourth terminal, a first transformer including a first network side winding and a first modem side winding, a second transformer including a second network side winding and a second modem side winding, the transformers including respective terminals, a center tap extending from the midpoint of the first network side winding to a terminal of the second network side winding and a plurality of capacitors.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sensing a change in a network topology using a discovery node in a mesh network; transmitting an explore frame, based at least in part on the sensed change, from the discovery node to a destination node using an intermediate node; receiving a response to the explore frame from the destination node; determining at least one functional network route from the discovery node to the destination node based at least in part on route information received in association with the response to the explore frame, wherein the route information includes a node path; and transmitting an instruction to the destination node from the discovery node based on a reverse node path.

Abstract: A method of communicating across power lines, including communicating data between at least two in-premises network devices along more than one channel, each channel defined by a different two of a plurality of wires in a subscriber premises, a first channel forming a straight path channel and a second channel forming a cross-path channel, and using multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) processing and maximum ratio combining (MRC) processing of data received along the plurality of wires, at least a portion of the data being received simultaneously from the straight path channel and the cross-path channel, wherein the wires are phase, neutral and ground wires of a subscriber premises.

Abstract: A power line communication device includes a power line communication unit, a sensor to sense a physical connection to a second power line communication device other than via a powerline medium and a pairing unit to receive an indication of a physical connection between the power line communication device and the second power line communication device and to initiate a pairing process with the second power line communication device. A method of pairing communication devices which communicate along a non-data-cable medium includes sensing a data cable connection with a second device, entering an appropriate pairing state upon sensing the data cable connection, the pairing state being either an add device state or a join device state and performing pairing with the second device along the non-data-cable connection.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present disclosure improved capabilities are described for delivering a command to a group of computing devices, comprising sending a message from a controller to a first of a plurality of computing devices, wherein the plurality of computing devices are on the same network, and where the message includes a plurality of bit-wise addresses and a command. The message is then broadcast from the first of the plurality of computing devices to the remaining of the plurality of computing devices. The execution of the command amongst the executing each of the plurality of computer devices is made with low time-latency due to the near-simultaneous delivery of the message to the plurality of computing devices.

Abstract: A method for multicast transmissions between a source node and a client node includes the source node generating a multicast stream identifier to uniquely identify the multicast stream, and the source node establishing a path between the source node and the client node for a specified the multicast stream, each node in the path using unicast routing tables in order to identify a next node on the path during path establishment, and the source node transmitting messages of the specified multicast stream along the path. Network nodes implement the method.