Patent ID: 8831015

Claim:
A network bridge configured to perform communications on a Multi-media over Coax Alliance (“MoCA”) network and a WiFi network using shared network bridge resources, the network bridge comprising: a processor; a transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to operate in both the MoCA network and the WiFi network; and a memory coupled to the processor on which is stored computer executable code to enable the processor to manage the functions of the MoCA network and the WiFi network and assign the shared network bridge resources to only one of the MoCA network or the WiFi network at any one time to allow for sharing of the shared network bridge resources, which when the stored program is executed by the processor, causes the network bridge to perform the operations of: a) in a current access cycle of the MoCA network, receiving a Media Access Plan (“MAP”) from a MoCA NC on the MoCA network and checking the MAP to determine whether the MoCA Network Coordinator (“NC”) has scheduled MoCA communications in an upcoming MAP cycle; b) in instances where the MAP indicates that the MoCA NC has scheduled MoCA communications in an upcoming MAP cycle, configuring the shared network bridge resources for MoCA communications; c) in instances where the MAP indicates that the MoCA NC has not scheduled any MoCA communications in an upcoming MAP cycle, configuring the shared network bridge resources for WiFi communications; and d) at the conclusion of a WiFi communication period, sending a Clear-to-Send (“CTS”) to WiFi devices on the WiFi network and configuring the shared network bridge resources for WiFi communications; wherein the shared network bridge resources comprise at least one of a baseband processor, memory, the transceiver, a power amplifier and a low noise amplifier.