Ultra-wideband communication through a wired network

Abstract

A method to increase the available bandwidth across a wired network is provided. The method includes transmitting an ultra-wideband signal across the wired network. One embodiment of the present invention may transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband signals through a community access television network. The present invention may transmit an ultra-wideband signal across an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, a hybrid fiber-coax network, an Internet service provider network, and a PSTN network.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An ultra-wideband communication system for a wired network, comprising: 
 an ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit an ultra-wideband signal through the wired network; and    an ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the ultra-wideband signal from the wired network.    
     
     
         2 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises an impulse radio signal.  
     
     
         3 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds.  
     
     
         4 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds and a power that can range between about 30 power decibels to about −90 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.  
     
     
         5 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises an ultra-wideband pulse modulator that is structured to transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband signals.  
     
     
         6 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises an ultra-wideband pulse demodulator that is structured to receive a multiplicity of ultra-wideband signals.  
     
     
         7 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein a wire employed in the wired network is selected from a group consisting of: an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         8 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the wired network is selected from a group consisting of: a power line, an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, a hybrid fiber coax system network, a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a TCP/IP network, a dial-up network, a switched network, a dedicated network, a nonswitched network, a public network and a private network.  
     
     
         9 . A method of transmitting data through a community access television network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing the community access television network; and    transmitting an ultra-wideband signal through the community access television network.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the community access television network is selected from the group consisting of: an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, and a hybrid fiber coax television network.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises an impulse radio signal.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds and a power that can range between about 30 power decibels to about −90 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal is used to transmit data selected from a group consisting of: telephony data, high-speed data, digital video data, digital television data, Internet communication data and audio data.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal is transmitted substantially simultaneously with a community access television signal.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the community access television signal is used to transmit data selected from the group consisting of: telephony data, high-speed data, digital video data, digital television data, Internet communication data and audio data.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal and a community access television network signal use a substantially common portion of an electromagnetic radiation spectrum.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal and a community access television network signal are transmitted in a frequency band that can range from between about 100 KHz to about 3 GHz.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal and a community access television network signal use separate portions of an electromagnetic radiation spectrum.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal is transmitted in a frequency band that can range from between about 880 MHz to about 3 GHz and a community access television network signal is transmitted in a frequency band that can range from between about 100 KHz to about 3 GHz.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal is transmitted in a frequency band that can range from between about 1 GHz to about 3 GHz and a community access television network signal is transmitted in a frequency band that can range from between about 1 MHz to about 900 MHz.  
     
     
         22 . An ultra-wideband system structured to transmit and receive data through a network that includes a wired medium, the ultra-wideband system comprising: 
 an ultra-wideband transmitter positioned at a first location on the network, the ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit an ultra-wideband signal through the wired medium; and    an ultra-wideband receiver positioned at a second location on the network, the ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the ultra-wideband signal from the wired medium.    
     
     
         23 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the network is selected from a group consisting of: a power line, an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, a hybrid fiber coax system network, a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a TCP/IP network, a dial-up network, a switched network, a dedicated network, a nonswitched network, a public network and a private network.  
     
     
         24 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the wired medium is selected from a group consisting of: an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         25 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises an impulse radio signal.  
     
     
         26 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds.  
     
     
         27 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds and a power that can range between about 30 power decibels to about −90 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.  
     
     
         28 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises an ultra-wideband pulse modulator that is structured to transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband signals.  
     
     
         29 . The ultra-wideband system of  claim 22 , wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises an ultra-wideband pulse demodulator that is structured to receive a multiplicity of ultra-wideband signals.