Patent ID: 7876717
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for facilitating simultaneous Power Line Communication (PLC) communication using first and second PLC protocols that are different from each other, comprising: dynamically assigning frequency bands on demand to first and second PLC home networks using the respective first and second PLC protocols; assigning a first frequency band to a receiver in the first PLC home network, wherein the receiver can communicate with both a first and a second transmitter; determining whether the first transmitter in the first PLC home network is too distant from the second transmitter in the first PLC home network to communicate therewith; determining whether the receiver can respond to a tone map request from the first transmitter; in response to determining that: further responsive to a determination that the first transmitter fails to receive a response from the receiver after a predetermined time period, the fist transmitter relinquishing the first frequency band and attempting a tone map exchange with the receiver on a second frequency band, the second frequency band having a lower frequency than the first frequency band that was attempted to be used by the first transmitter, the second frequency band including at least first and second sub-bands that are not consecutive in a frequency spectrum such that a portion of the frequency spectrum between the first and second sub-bands is notched.