Title: Modular-type home gateway system including ADSL controller and homePNA controller
Abstract: A modular-type home gateway system that includes a HomePNA controller connectable to an existing home telephone line, for providing a home network interface; an ADSL controller connected to a prior outdoor telephone line for providing an access network interface; and a system controller for controlling the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller, the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller formed as a modular type that are detachably connected to the system controller through a predetermined interface, and that provides a bridge function between a home network and an access network. The modular-type home gateway system provides a plurality of informational terminals connected to the home network with various data sharing functions (e.g., Internet service sharing function, a peripheral device sharing function, file/and application program sharing function, and an entertainment service sharing function like a network game) for not only narrow-band service data but also wide-band service data.
Patent Number: 6,941,364 Issued on 09/06/2005 to Kim, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Kim; Jong-Won (Taejon, KR);
Park; Kwang-Ro (Taejon, KR);
Yang; Jae-Woo (Taejon, KR)
|
| Assignee:
|
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (Taejon, KR)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
872287 |
| Filed:
|
May 31, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Dec 27, 2000[KR] | 2000-83262 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
709/223; 370/254; 370/352; 370/401; 709/225; 709/228 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 015/17.3; H04L 012/28; H04L 012/66 |
| Field of Search: |
709/223,225,228,233,200,206,245
370/254,257,352,401,430,503
710/310
379/900.1,932.8
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5564055 | Oct., 1996 | Asnaashari et al.
| |
| 5812786 | Sep., 1998 | Seazholtz et al.
| |
| 6005861 | Dec., 1999 | Humpleman.
| |
| 6212263 | Apr., 2001 | Sun et al.
| |
| 6397343 | May., 2002 | Williams et al.
| |
| 6442477 | Aug., 2002 | Okada.
| |
| 6453040 | Sep., 2002 | Burke et al.
| |
| 6483902 | Nov., 2002 | Stewart et al.
| |
| 6546419 | Apr., 2003 | Humpleman et al.
| |
| 6701406 | Mar., 2004 | Chang et al.
| |
| 6711138 | Mar., 2004 | Pai et al.
| |
| 6778549 | Aug., 2004 | Keller.
| |
| 6819682 | Nov., 2004 | Rabenko et al.
| |
| 2001/0036192 | Nov., 2001 | Chiles et al.
| |
| 2002/0021465 | Feb., 2002 | Moore et al.
| |
| 2002/0026528 | Feb., 2002 | Lo.
| |
| 2002/0031226 | Mar., 2002 | Simonsen et al.
| |
Primary Examiner: El-Hady; Nabil
Assistant Examiner: Lin; Kenny
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Seed IP Law Group PLLC
Claims
1. A modular-type home gateway system comprising:
a HomePNA(Home Phoneline Network Alliance) controller connected to a prior home
telephone line, for providing a home network interface;
an ADSL(Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) controller connected to an existing
outdoor telephone line, for providing an access network interface; and
a system controller for controlling the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller,
wherein the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller are formed as a modular
type that are detachably connected to the system controller through a PCMCIA (Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association) interface unit, and that provides
a bridge function between a home network and an access network,
wherein the PCMCIA interface unit includes:
a PCMCIA slot A interface unit for an interface function between the ADSL controller
and the system controller; and
a PCMCIA slot B interface unit for an interface function between the HomePNA
controller and the system controller:
wherein each of the PCMCIA slot A interface unit and the PCMCIA slot B interface
unit includes:
an address latch part for controlling an address signal between the system controller
and a PCMCIA slot;
a data buffer for converting PCMCIA slot data to CPU data according to a state
of a PCMCIA slot card enabling signal received from the system controller, and
for transmitting the PCMCIA slot data to the system controller;
a control signal buffer for converting a CPU control signal to a PCMCIA slot
control signal according to a state of the PCMCIA slot card enabling signal received
from the system controller; and
a state signal buffer for converting a PCMCIA slot state signal to a CPU state
signal according to a state of the PCMCIA slot card enabling signal generated from
the system controller, and transmitting it to the system controller,
wherein the ADSL controller includes:
an ADSL modulation/demodulation controller for processing a data switching between
the PCMCIA slot A interface unit and an ADSL AFE(Analog Front End) controller,
and for transmitting a resultant signal to the PCMCIA slot A interface unit; and
the ADSL AFE controller for interchanging an ADSL transmitting/receiving signal
with the access network through an outdoor telephone line after completing the
data switching with the ADSL modulation/demodulation controller, and for transmitting
the resultant signal to the ADSL modulation/demodulation controller.
2. The modular-type home gateway system according to claim 1, wherein the system
controller includes:
a CPU controlling the ADSL controller, the HomePNA controller and a PCMCIA interface
unit, and performing a bridge function for achieving a wide-band service data transmission
between the ADSL controller and the HomePNA controller;
a flash ROM for storing a program therein;
a synchronous DRAM for storing a plurality of data related to a program execution
of the CPU;
a non-volatile SDRAM for storing a profile information of informational terminals
connected to the home network;
a clock generator for generating a system clock, and transmitting the system
clock to the CPU; and
a system reset part for generating an associated reset signal for operating the
CPU, and transmitting it the CPU.
3. The modular-type home gateway system according to claim 2, wherein the CPU
receives a program from the flash ROM by using a flash ROM control signal and a
CPU data, or stores the program in the flash ROM; receives an access network wide-band
service data from a PCMCIA slot A interface unit of the PCMCIA interface unit,
stores the access network wide-band service data in the synchronous DRAM by using
a synchronous DRAM control signal and the CPU data, reads either a signal or data
related to a driving of the system controller from the synchronous DRAM, and transmits
the related signal or data to a PCMCIA slot B interface unit of the PCMCIA interface unit.
4. The modular-type home gateway system according to claim 3, wherein the CPU
receives a home network wide-band service data from the PCMCIA slot B interface
unit, stores the home network wide-band service data in the synchronous DRAM by
using the synchronous DRAM control signal and the CPU data, reads either the signal
or data related to the driving of the system controller from the synchronous DRAM,
and transmits the related signal or data to the PCMCIA slot A interface unit.
5. The modular-type home gateway system according to claim 4, wherein the CPU
receives a profile information of informational terminals connected to a home network
from the non-volatile by using a non-volatile SRAM control signal and the CPU data,
and stores the profile information of the informational terminals in the non-volatile SRAM.
6. The modular-type home gateway system according to claim 3, wherein the HomePNA
controller includes:
a MAC (Medium Access Control) controller processing a PCMCIA-associated signal
or data received from the PCMCIA slot B interface unit according to a predetermined
rule, transmitting a resultant signal to a HomePNA modulation demodulation controller,
performing a signal processing according to a predetermined control signal received
from the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller, and thereby transmitting the
PCMCIA-associated signal or data to either the PCMCIA slot B interface unit or
the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller;
the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller performing a predetermined data
modulation/demodulation function, and transmitting each resultant signal to either
a HomePNA AFE(Analog Front End) controller or the MAC controller; and
a HomePNA AFE controller converting a digital signal received from the HomePNA
modulation/demodulation controller to an analog signal and then transmitting a
HomePNA transmission signal to a home network, and converting a HomePNA signal
received from the home network to a digital signal and then transmitting the digital
signal to the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a home gateway system installed in the home
of a user, which connects a home network to an access network. More particularly,
it relates to a modular-type home gateway system which interlocks an access network
with a home network by employing ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) controller
for the access network interface and 10 Mbps HomePNA (Home Phoneline Networking
Alliance) controller for the home network interface. The home gateway system includes
the ADSL controller and the HomePNA controller for controlling various kinds of
information terminals connected to the home network, and provides a high-speed
home network using a conventional home telephone line by using the HomePNA controller,
and allows the ADSL controller to connect the information terminals connected to
the home network to the access network by using a conventional outdoor telephone
line. The HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller are modular type controllers
having PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) interface.
To improve the performance of the HomePNA controller or the ADSL controller, a
system controller of a home gateway device is not changed, but either the modular-type
HomePNA controller or ADSL controller is replaced, thereby improving the total
performance of the home gateway device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned modular type Home gateway system provides the ADSL controller
with ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) function, and provides the HomePNA controller with 10
Mbps HomePNA 2.0 function.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a network structure of a conventional
HomePNA gateway system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a network structure using the conventional HomePNA
gateway system 10 provides a home network interface unit with 1 Mbps HomePNA
interface function, and provides an access network interface unit with 1 Mbps HomePNA
interface function. The network structure connects an access network to a home
network by using a bridge and a low pass filter (LPF), performs only a short-distance
transmission with a maximum access network transmission distance of 300 m, and
transmits only a narrow-band service data at a low speed below 1 Mbps.
Further, the conventional low-speed HomePNA gateway system 10 integrates
both HomePNA controller and ADSL controller with a system controller as one body.
Accordingly, if a user wants to improve a performance of HomePNA controller or
ADSL controller, the whole home gateway system should be improved, thereby incurring
a user's inconvenience as well as cost ineffectiveness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a modular-type home
gateway system including ADSL controller and HomePNA controller that substantially
obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the
prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular-type home gateway
system providing a home network interface unit with 10 Mbps HomePNA interface function
in order to achieve a high-speed home network using a conventional home telephone
line, providing an access network interface unit with 8 Mbps ADSL interface function
in order to perform a long-distance transmission of a maximum 5.4 Kilometers (Km)
as well as a high-speed wide-band service data transmission by using a conventional
outdoor telephone line, providing a bridge function between an access network and
a home network, providing a small-sized and economical structure by making HomePNA
controller and ADSL controller as a modular type controllers having PCMCIA interface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular-type home
gateway
system for improving the performance of HomePNA controller or ADSL controller by
maintaining the system controller of a home gateway and replacing either a modular-type
HomePNA controller or a modular-type ADSL controller, thereby improving the total
performance of the home gateway.
It is a still another object of the present invention to provide a modular-type
home gateway system for providing a plurality of information terminals connected
to a home network with various data sharing functions (e.g., Internet service sharing
function, a peripheral device sharing function, file/and application program sharing
function, and an entertainment service sharing function like a network game) for
not only a narrow-band service data but also a wide-band service data.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the
present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a modular-type home gateway
system includes:
HomePNA (Home Phoneline Network Alliance) controller connected to a prior
home telephone line, for providing a home network interface;
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) controller connected to an outdoor
telephone line, for providing an access network interface; and
a system controller for controlling the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller,
wherein the HomePNA controller and the ADSL controller formed as a modular
type are detachably connected to the system controller through a predetermined
interface, and provides a bridge function between a home network and an access network.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth
in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description,
or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages
of the invention will be realized and attained by the scheme particularly pointed
out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following
detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a network structure of a conventional
low-speed HomePNA gateway system;
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a network structure of a modular-type
home gateway system according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a modular-type home gateway system according
to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a system controller of a modular-type
home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a PCMCIA slot A/B interface unit of the
modular-type home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of ADSL controller of the modular-type home
gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of HomePNA controller of the modular-type
home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the
present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A modular-type home gateway system according to the present invention architects
a high-speed home network using a conventional home telephone line by using 10
Mbps HomePNA controller. A plurality of information terminals connected to the
home network are connected to an access network through 8 Mbps ADSL controller
using a conventional outdoor telephone line, thereby making a long-distance transmission
of a maximum 5.4 Km. The modular-type home gateway system provides a plurality
of information terminals connected to the home network with various data sharing
functions (e.g., Internet service sharing function, a peripheral device sharing
function, file/and application program sharing function, and an entertainment service
sharing function like a network game) for not only a narrow-band service data but
also a high-speed wide-band service data. The modular-type home gateway system
has a small-sized and economical structure by making the HomePNA controller and
the ADSL controller as a modular type controller having a PCMCIA interface. Further,
even when improving the performance of HomePNA controller or ADSL controller, the
modular-type home gateway system maintains the system controller of the home gateway
and replaces either the HomePNA controller or the ADSL controller, thereby improving
the whole performance of the home gateway. The ADSL controller and the homePNA
are embedded in the modular-type home gateway system.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a network structure of a modular-type
home gateway system
100 according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the modular-type home gateway system
100 is connected
to an access network by using 8 Mbps ADSL interface function by using 8 Mbps ADSL
interface function as an access network interface unit, and is connected to a home
network by using 10 Mbps HomePNA interface function as a home network interface
unit. The modular-type home gateway system
100 performs a bridge function
between the access network and the home network, and provides various kinds of
data sharing functions, such as an Internet service sharing, a peripheral device
sharing, a file program sharing, and an application service sharing, by controlling
a plurality of information terminals connected to the home network.
RJ11 interface unit
40 is used to interconnect a plurality of home telephone lines.
An embedded HomePNA unit
20 formed as a card shape is embedded within a
personal computer (PC), and performs 10 Mbps HomePNA interface function.
An outside HomePNA unit
30 is mounted to the outside of the PC, performs
Ethernet or USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface function and 10 Mbps HomePNA interface
function, thereby converts Ethernet signal or USB signal of PC to 10 Mbps HomePNA
signal or converts 10 Mbps HomePNA signal to Ethernet signal or USB signal of PC.
FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a modular-type home gateway system
100
according to the present invention.
Operations of the inventive modular-type home gateway system will be described
below with reference to FIG.
3.
ADSL controller
130 receives ADSL receiving signal from an access network,
and performs ADC (Analog Digital Conversion) function, DMT (Discrete MultiTone)
demodulation function, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) TC (Transmission Convergence)
function, SAR (Segmentation And Reassembly) function, and PCMCIA signal conversion
function. The ADSL controller
130 transmits PCMCIA slot A data signal of
16 bits and PCMCIA slot A state signal to a PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a,
receives a PCMCIA slot A address of 26 bits, a PCMCIA slot A data of 16 bits and
a PCMCIA slot A control signal from the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a,
performs SAR function, ATM TC function, DMT modulation function and DAC (Digital
Analog Conversion) function, and thereby transmits ADSL transmission signal to
the access network.
The PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a converts CPU address of 26
bits to a PCMCIA address of 26 bits when an address latch signal is enabled. When
one signal between PCMCIA slot A card enabling signals of 2 bits is enabled, the
PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a converts CPU data of 16 bits generated
from a system controller
110 to a PCMCIA slot A data of 16 bits and then
transmits a PCMCIA slot A data of 16 bits to the ADSL controller
130, or
converts a PCMCIA slot A data of 16 bits generated from the ADSL controller
130
to a CPU data of 16 bits and then transmits the CPU data of 16 bits to the system
controller
110.
In addition, when a PCMCIA slot A card output enabling signal is enabled, the
PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a converts a CPU control signal to
a PCMCIA slot A control signal. When all of PCMCIA slot A card enabling signals
of 2 bits are enabled, the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a converts
a PCMCIA slot A state signal generated from the ADSL controller
130 to a
CPU state signal, and transmits the CPU state signal to the system controller
110.
The system controller
110 programmably controls the ADSL controller
130
through the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a, and transmits CPU
address of 26 bits, an address latch signal, a PCMCIA slot A card enabling signal
of 2 bits, a CPU control signal and a PCMCIA slot A card output enabling signal
to the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a. When one signal between
PCMCIA slot A card enabling signals of 2 bits is enabled, the system controller
110 receives a CPU data of 16 bits corresponding to a wide-band service
data from the ADSL controller
130, stores the CPU data of 16 bits to a synchronous
DRAM inside of the system controller
110, converts the stored 16-bits CPU
data to a HomePNA data used for a home network, and transmits the HomePNA data
to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b.
When all of PCMCIA slot A card enabling signals of 2 bits are enabled, the system
controller
110 receives CPU state signal from the PCMCIA slot A interface
unit
120a in order to detect a state of the PCMCIA slot A interface
unit
120a, programmably controls a HomePNA controller
140
through the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b, and transmits a CPU
address of 26 bits, an address latch signal, a PCMCIA slot B card enabling signal
of 2 bits, a CPU control signal, and a PCMCIA slot B card output enabling signal
to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b.
When one signal between PCMCIA slot B card enabling signals of 2 bits is enabled,
the system controller
110 receives a CPU data of 16 bits corresponding to
a wide-band service data from the HomePNA controller
140 as an input, and
stores the CPU data of 16 bits in a synchronous DRAM inside of the system controller
110. If the stored 16-bits CPU data is to be transmitted to an access network,
the system controller
110 converts the stored 16-bits CPU data to an ADSL
data used for the access network, and transmits the ADSL data to the PCMCIA slot
A interface unit
120a. If the stores 16-bits CPU data is to be transmitted
to a home network, the system controller
110 converts the stored 16-bits
CPU data to a HomePNA data used for the home network, and transmits the HomePNA
data to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b. When all of PCMCIA
slot B card enabling signals of 2 bits are enabled, the system controller
110
receives a CPU state signal from the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b,
and detects a state of the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b.
The PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b converts a CPU address of
26 bits to a PCMCIA address of 26 bits to a PCMCIA address of 26 bits when an address
latch signal is enabled. When one signal between PCMCIA slot B card enabling signals
of 2 bits is enabled, the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b converts
CPU data of 16 bits generated from the system controller
110 to a PCMCIA
slot B data of 16 bits and then transmits a PCMCIA slot B data of 16 bits to the
HomePNA controller
140, or converts a PCMCIA slot B data of 16 bits generated
from the HomePNA controller
140 to a CPU data of 16 bits and then transmits
the CPU data of 16 bits to the system controller
110.
In addition, when a PCMCIA slot B card output enabling signal is enabled, the
PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b converts a CPU control signal to
a PCMCIA slot B control signal. When all of PCMCIA slot B card enabling signals
of 2 bits are enabled, the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b converts
a PCMCIA slot B state signal generated from the HomePNA controller
140 to
a CPU state signal, and transmits the CPU state signal to the system controller
110.
The HomePNA controller
140 receives HomePNA receiving signal from a home
network, and performs ADC (Analog Digital Conversion) function, QAM (Quadrature
Amplitude Modulation)/FDQAM (Frequency Diverse QAM) demodulation function, IEEE
802.3 CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) MAC (Medium
Access Control) function, and PCMCIA signal conversion function. The HomePNA controller
140 transmits PCMCIA slot B data signal of 16 bits and PCMCIA slot B state
signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b, receives a PCMCIA
slot B address of 26 bits, a PCMCIA slot B data of 16 bits and a PCMCIA slot B
control signal from the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b, performs
MAC function, QAM/FDQAM modulation function and DAC (Digital Analog Conversion)
function, and thereby transmits a HomePNA transmission signal to the home network.
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a system controller
110 of a modular-type
home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention. Operations of
the system controller
100 will now be described in detail with reference
to FIG.
4.
CPU
111 performs a program execution function, a calculation function,
a memory control function, and a PCMCIA signal generation function, and thereby
controls ADSL controller
130, PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a,
PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b and HomePNA controller
140.
The CPU
111 transmits a wide-band service data of the access network, received
from the ADSL controller
130, to the home network via the HomePNA controller
140, and transmits a wide-band service data of the home network, received
from the HomePNA controller
140, to the access network via the ADSL controller
130. In brief, the CPU
111 serves as a bridge between the wide-band
service data of the access network and the wide-band service data of the home network.
Further, the CPU
111 receives a program from a flash ROM
112
by using a flash ROM control signal and a CPU data of 16 bits, and stores the program
in the flash ROM
112. The CPU
111 receives a 16-bits CPU data corresponding
to an access network's wide-band service data received from a PCMCIA slot A interface
unit
120a, and stores the 16-bits CPU data in a synchronous DRAM
113 by using a synchronous DRAM control signal and a CPU data of 32 bits.
And, the CPU
111 reads a 32-bits CPU data from the synchronous DRAM
113,
and transmits a CPU address of 26 bits, an address latch signal, a CPU data of
16 bits, a PCMCIA slot B card enabling signal of 2 bits, a CPU control signal,
and a PCMCIA slot B card output enabling signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface
unit
120b.
In addition, the CPU
111 receives 16-bits CPU data corresponding to a
home
network wide-band service data received from the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b,
stores the 16-bis CPU data in the synchronous DRAM
113 by using a synchronous
DRAM control signal and a CPU data of 32 bits. Then, the CPU
111 reads the
23-bits CPU data from the synchronous DRAM
113, and transmits a CPU address
of 26 bits, an address latch signal, a CPU data of 16 bits, a PCMCIA slot A card
enabling signal of 2 bits, a CPU control signal, and a PCMCIA slot A card output
enabling signal to the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a. The CPU
111 receives a profile information of information terminals connected to
a home network, from a non-volatile SRAM
114, by using a non-volatile SRAM
control signal and a CPU data of 8 bits. The profile information of the information
terminals is stored in the non-volatile SRAM
114.
In the meantime, the flash ROM
112 performs a program storage function.
In order to make the CPU
111 execute a program, the synchronous DRAM
113
stores a wide-band service data of the access network, a wide-band service data
of a plurality of information terminals connected to the home network, and a CPU
data. The non-volatile SRAM
114 stores a profile information of the information
terminals connected to the home network.
A clock generator
115 generates a system clock, and transmits the system
clock to the CPU
111. A system reset part
116 generates a power starting
reset signal, a hardware reset signal, and a software reset signal, and transmits
them to the CPU
111.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a
and a PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b (hereinafter referred
to as a PCMCIA slot A/B interface unit) of the modular-type home gateway system
of FIG. 3 according to the present invention.
An address latch part
121 receives a CPU address of 26 bits and an address
latch signal from the system controller
110 of FIG.
3. When the address
latch signal is enabled, the address latch part
121 converts a CPU address
of 26 bits to a PCMCIA slot A/B address of 26 bits.
A data buffer
122 receives a CPU data of 16 bits and a PCMCIA slot A/B
card
enabling signal of 2 bits from the system controller
110. When one signal
between the PCMCIA slot A/B card enabling signal of 2 bits is enabled, the data
buffer
122 converts the CPU data of 16 bits to a PCMCIA data of 16 bits,
or converts a PCMCIA slot A/B data to a CPU data of 16 bits, and transmits a resultant
signal to the system controller
110.
A control signal buffer
123 receives a CPU control signal and a PCMCIA
slot
A/B card output enabling signal from the system controller
110. When the
PCMCIA slot A/B card output enabling signal is enabled, the control signal buffer
converts the CPU control signal to a PCMCIA slot A/B control signal.
And, a state signal buffer
124 receives a PCMCIA slot A/B state signal.
When all of PCMCIA slot A/B card enabling signals generated from the system controller
110 are enabled, the state signal buffer
125 converts the PCMCIA
slot A/B state signal to a CPU state signal, and transmits the CPU state signal
to the system controller
110.
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of ADSL controller
130 of the modular-type
home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention.
ADSL modulation/demodulation controller
131 receives a PCMCIA slot A
address of 26 bits, a PCMCIA slot A data of 16 bits, and a PCMCIA slot A control
signal, from the PCMCIA slot A interface unit
120a, performs a SAR
function, ATM TC function, and DMT modulation function, and then transmits a DAC
signal of 14 bits to ADSL AFE (Analog Front End) controller
132. And, the
ADSL modulation/demodulation controller
131 receives the ADC signal of 14
bits from the ADSL AFE controller
132, performs a DMT demodulation function,
ATM TC function, and SAR function, and finally transmits both the PCMCIA slot A
data of 16 bits and the PCMCIA slot A state signal to the PCMCIA slot A interface
unit
120a of FIG.
3.
The ADSL AFE controller
132 receives a DAC signal (being a 14-bits digital
signal) from the ADSL modulation/demodulation controller
131, and converts
the DAC signal to an analog signal. The ADSL AFE controller
132 transmits
an ADSL transmission signal to the access network through a two-line outdoor telephone
line, receives an analog-type ADSL receiving signal from the access network via
the two-line outdoor telephone line, converts the ADSL receiving signal to a digital
signal, and thereby transmits an ADC signal of 14 bits to the ADSL modulation/demodulation
controller
131.
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of HomePNA controller
140 of the
modular-type home gateway system of FIG. 3 according to the present invention.
MAC (Medium Access Control) controller
141 receives a PCMCIA slot B address
of 26 bits, a PCMCIA slot B data of 16 bits, and a PCMCIA slot B control signal
from the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b, performs IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD
MAC function, and transmits a MII (Media Independent Interface) transmission enabling
signal and a MII transmission data of 4 bits synchronized with a MII transmission
clock to a HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142. If a valid symbol
is received from the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142, the
MAC controller
141 receives a MII receiving enabling signal and a 4-bits
MII receiving data synchronized with a MII receiving clock, performs IEEE 802.3
CSDA/CD MAC function, and transmits a PCMCIA slot B data of 16 bits and a PCMCIA
slot B state signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b. If
an invalid symbol is received from the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142, the MAC controller
141 receives a MII receiving error signal,
and transmits a PCMCIA slot B state signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b. When a signal transmitting action and a signal receiving action
are performed at the same time so that a signal collision occurs, the MAC controller
141 receives a MII collision signal, and transmits a PCMCIA slot B state
signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b. If a carrier wave
is received from the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142, the
MAC controller
141 receives a MII carrier receiving signal, and transmits
a PCMCIA slot B state signal to the PCMCIA slot B interface unit
120b.
If a transmission error is generated, the MAC controller
141 transmits a
MII transmission error signal to the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142. In case of setting an operation mode of the HomePNA modulation/demodulation
controller
142, the MAC controller
141 transmits a MII management
data synchronized with a MII management data clock to the HomePNA modulation/demodulation
controller
142.
The HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142 receives a MII transmission
data of 4 bits from the MAC controller
141, performs QAM/FDQAM modulation
function, and transmits DAC signal of 5 bits to the HomePNA AFE controller
143.
And, the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142 receives an ADC
signal of 5 bits from the HomePNA AFE controller
143, performs QAM/FDQAM
demodulation function, and transmits MII receiving data of 4 bits to the MAC controller
141.
The HomePNA AFE controller
143 receives a DAC signal (i.e., a digital
signal of 5 bits) from the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142,
converts the DAC signal to an analog signal, and transmits a HomePNA transmission
signal to the home network through a two-line home telephone line. And, the HomePNA
AFE controller
143 receives an analog-type HomePNA receiving signal from
the home network via the two-line home telephone line, converts the analog-type
HomePNA receiving signal to a digital signal, and transmits an ADC signal of 5
bits to the HomePNA modulation/demodulation controller
142.
As described above, a modular-type home gateway system according to the present
invention constitutes a high-speed home network using a conventional home telephone
line by using 10 Mbps HomePNA controller, interfaces with a high-speed access network
using a conventional outdoor telephone line by using 8 Mbps ADSL controller, and
provides a bridge function between the access network and the home network. Accordingly,
the modular-type home gateway system is applicable to a remote automatic control
system using a cellular phone (or a portable terminal) for a homeowner or a subscriber,
and is also applicable to a household remote control system for providing the homeowner
with a home security service.
In addition, the modular-type home gateway system provides a plurality of information
terminals connected to the home network with various data sharing functions (e.g.,
Internet service sharing function, a peripheral device sharing function, file/and
application program sharing function, and an entertainment service sharing function
like a network game) for not only a narrow-band service data but also a wide-band
service data.
Although representative embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed
for illustrative purposes, those who are skilled in the art will appreciate that
various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible without departing
from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the accompanying
claims and the equivalents thereof.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments
of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various
modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
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