The amount of data and video (user and commercial) that is being transferred throughout homes is dramatically increasing and home networks need to be able to manage connections to ensure users have a quality and reliable experience. Must of this is user shared and commercial (broadcast video) which is causing the large need for bandwidth. Juan-Carlos Rivero from Broadcom explained to us, during the CES trade show, that there are multiple connection types available in the home; wireless, powerline, coax and Ethernet. Home network systems should be able to identify and manage connection options, and automatically transfer and combine connections so users have the best experiences. 

Having systems that can monitor and automatically transfer connections to the best possible transmission path means more reliable service, more coverage area in the home, and less challenges for the IPTV Provider.
This figure shows that a hybrid home network allows multiple types of connections that may include wireless, power line, coaxial and data cable connections. The IEEE P1905 industry standard can manage and combine connections between multiple types of devices through multiple transmission types. P1905 is used in the router and in the devices that attach to the home network.

There is no “silver bullet” technology that an IPTV service provider or a customer can use that will work in all environments and with all types of devices. The coverage of each home network technology (both wired and wireless) may be limited to specific areas of a home or building. By having a hybrid switching system, all areas of 

the home or building can be reached. The IEEE 1905 (P1905) Hybrid networking standard allows for shifting and combining connections over different home network types of the popularly deployed networking technologies of Wi-Fi, Ethernet, HomePlug and MoCA. This increases the transmission rates, reliability and overall performance (lower delays). 

The P1905 system defines a common data and control layer between network technologies and applications that standardizes each interface. The enables the system to monitor and manage the quality of service (QoS) for multiple types of devices and media formats (voice, data and video).

A key requirement for the hybrid system was the simplicity for the user. This means common setup procedures and the ability to automatically add and configure new devices and establish secure links between them. A key requirement for service providers and equipment makes was to be interoperable with the networking technologies already being deployed.

Some of the key features of the P1905 system include:

- Aggregated Throughput: combine links across multiple interface types

- Multiple Simultaneous Streams: managing multiple sessions on the same transmission line and devices

- Load Balancing: shifting the bandwidth to different interfaces when congestion occurs

- Backwards Interoperability: allowing existing devices (non-P1905) to continue to operate

- Security: simple setup to increase secure connections

- Advanced Diagnostics: automatic-monitoring and configuration

- Self-Install: allowing untrained end users to successfully connect devices

- Mobility: allows the connection to wireless and portable devices

- University Connectivity: enables any device to connect to the hybrid network with a variety of connection types CCC should this say “Universal Connectivity”

- Energy Management: controls and reduces the operation of equipment to minimize power consumption

Smart Internet TV and Home Network Devices have Personal Cloud Capability

There is a new way to simply connect many devices and people, and organize many files that are attached to a home or business network. We interviewed Todd Schuelke from Iomega at the NAB show and he explained that people can now create personal clouds that can be used to share and provide services to other people that they invite to join their cloud. Devices that are part of a personal cloud can be connected within your home network, or can they be connected via the Internet (remote access). This allows for the sharing of media and resources with friends, family and associates, regardless of their location. Personal cloud capability has been featured within Iomega devices like the Boxee Internet TV set top box. Some of the key features of a personal cloud include:

Synchronization – Automatically synchronizes and distributes files or media, allowing you to find and access files, regardless of where they are stored or located.

Collaboration – Allows people who are connected to the cloud to create and share files.

Controlled Access – Limits access to devices and media to users who have been invited and approved to join the personal cloud. 

Secure Distribution – Protects data and media transferred between devices in the personal cloud by using AES 128-bit encryption.

Automatic Backup – Can be setup to allow for automatic recovery of data that is stored on different devices.

Archiving – Used to identify, gather and store older files for long-term storage.

Getting More than 400 Mbps Transmission Throughput on Home Electrical Powerlines

Home media devices continue to require increases in usable bandwidth, and powerline data transmission technology has evolved to provide more available transmission bandwidth. Joseph Spisak from Sigma Designs demonstrated to us during the CES show transmission over 400 Mbps on electric power lines using the G.HN.MIMO technology. He explained that powerline data transmission can benefit from similar MIMO technology used in WiFi systems. By combining multiple transmission paths between power conductors and the ground wire, power line data transmission can become more reliable and have much higher capacity. This provides a much higher data transmission rate, while also increasing the quality and reliability of the transmitted signal.