What is claimed is:
1. A method of parallel data rate setting in first and second modem pools, each modem pool including a plurality of modems, where each modem in one of said modem pools is paired with a corresponding modem in the other of said modem pools, the method comprising the steps of:
a) setting substantially in parallel each of said modem pairs to an initial data rate;
for each of said modem pairs:
b) performing the following steps c)-d) one or more times until a termination condition is met:
c) if said modem pair is synchronized within a synchronization time period, increasing said modem pair’s data rate;
d) if said modem pair is not synchronized within said synchronization time period, decreasing said modem pair’s data rate; and
e) setting each of said modem pairs to the highest data rate at which said modem pair achieved synchronization.
2. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising establishing a vector of initial data rates, wherein each of said data rates corresponds to a different one of said modem pairs, and wherein said setting step a) comprises setting each of said modem pairs to its corresponding initial data rate in said vector.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said establishing step comprises establishing said vector at one of said modem pools and communicating said vector to the other of said modem pools.
4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said establishing step comprises establishing said vector from data rates previously used by said modem pairs.
5. A method according to claim 2 wherein said establishing step comprises:
measuring wire attenuation for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolating said corresponding data rate from said wire attenuation using heuristics.
6. A method according to claim 2 wherein said establishing step comprises:
measuring SNR for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolating said corresponding data rate from said SNR using heuristics.
7. A method according to claim I wherein said performing step b) comprises incrementing an iteration counter and wherein said termination condition is met when said iteration counter reaches an iteration limit.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said performing step b) comprises performing until an elapsed time limit is reached.
9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said performing step b) comprises performing until there is no change in said data rates from a previous iteration of step b).
10. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising adjusting said highest data rate for any of said modem pairs according to the formula
9
Rate
Corrected
=
Rate
max
–
StabilityFactor
*
SNR
Re
f
–
SNR
SNR
Re
f
where RateMax is said highest data rate, StabilityFactor is any factor for step adjustment, SNR is the measured SNR of said modem pair, and SNRRef is any SNR value.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said adjusting step comprises using the minimum SNR of said modem pair where the SNR differs for each of said modems in said modem pair.
12. A method of parallel data rate setting in first and second modem pools, each modem pool including a plurality of modems, where each modem in one of said modem pools is paired with a corresponding modem in the other of said modem pools, the method comprising the steps of:
a) establishing a vector of initial data rates, wherein each of said data rates corresponds to a different one of said modem pairs;
b) setting substantially in parallel each of said modem pairs to said modem pair’s corresponding data rate in said vector;
c) setting a lower rate for each of said modem pairs that is less than or equal to said modem pair’s initial data rate;
d) setting an upper rate for each of said modem pairs that is greater than or equal to said modem pair’s initial data rate;
for each of said modem pairs:
e) performing the following steps f)j) one or more times until a termination condition is met:
f) if said modem pair is synchronized within a synchronization time period:
g) setting a lower rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair; and
h) setting a maximum rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair;
i) if said modem pair is not synchronized within said synchronization time period, setting a higher rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair;
j) setting said modem pair’s corresponding data rate in said vector to between said lower rate and said higher rate; and
k) setting each of said modem pairs to said modem pair’s maximum rate where said modem pair achieved synchronization at said maximum rate.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said establishing step comprises establishing said vector at one of said modem pools and communicating said vector to the other of said modem pools.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein said establishing step comprises establishing said vector from data rates previously used by said modem pairs.
15. A method according to claim 12 wherein said establishing step comprises:
measuring wire attenuation for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolating said corresponding data rate from said wire attenuation using heuristics.
16. A method according to claim 12 wherein said establishing step comprises:
measuring SNR for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolating said corresponding data rate from said SNR using heuristics.
17. A method according to claim 12 wherein said performing step e) comprises incrementing an iteration counter and wherein said termination condition is met when said iteration counter reaches an iteration limit.
18. A method according to claim 12 wherein said performing step e) comprises performing until an elapsed time limit is reached.
19. A method according to claim 12 wherein said performing step e) comprises performing until there is no change in said data rates from a previous iteration of step e).
20. A method according to claim 12 and further comprising adjusting said highest data rate for any of said modem pairs according to the formula
10
Rate
Corrected
=
Rate
max
–
StabilityFactor
*
SNR
Re
f
–
SNR
SNR
Re
f
where RateMax is said highest data rate, StabilityFactor is any factor for step adjustment, SNR is the measured SNR of said modem pair, and SNRRef is any SNR value.
21. A data communications system comprising:
a first and a second modem pool, each modem pool including a plurality of modems, where each modem in one of said modem pools is paired with a corresponding modem in the other of said modem pools; and
a parallel data rate setter operative to:
a) set substantially in parallel each of said modem pairs to an initial data rate;
for each of said modem pairs:
b) perform the following steps c) – d) one or more times until a termination condition is met:
c) if said modem pair is synchronized within a synchronization time period, increase said modem pair’s data rate;
d) if said modem pair is not synchronized within said synchronization time period, decrease said modem pair’s data rate; and
e) set each of said modem pairs to the highest data rate at which said modem pair achieved synchronization.
22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to establish a vector of initial data rates, wherein each of said data rates corresponds to a different one of said modem pairs, and set each of said modem pairs to its corresponding initial data rate in said vector.
23. A system according to claim 22 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to establish said vector at one of said modem pools and communicate said vector to the other of said modem pools.
24. A system according to claim 22 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to establish said vector from data rates previously used by said modem pairs.
25. A system according to claim 22 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to:
measure wire attenuation for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolate said corresponding data rate from said wire attenuation using heuristics.
26. A system according to claim 22 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to:
measure SNR for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolate said corresponding data rate from said SNR using heuristics.
27. A system according to claim 21 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to increment an iteration counter and wherein said termination condition is met when said iteration counter reaches an iteration limit.
28. A system according to claim 21 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to perform step b) until an elapsed time limit is reached.
29. A system according to claim 21 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to perform step b) until there is no change in said data rates from a previous iteration of step b).
30. A system according to claim 21 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to adjust said highest data rate for any of said modem pairs according to the formula
11
Rate
Corrected
=
Rate
Max
–
StabilityFactor
*
SNR
Ref
–
SNR
SNR
Ref
where RateMax is said highest data rate, StabilityFactor is any factor for step adjustment, SNR is the measured SNR of said modem pair, and SNRRef is any SNR value.
31. A system according to claim 30 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to adjust using the minimum SNR of said modem pair where the SNR differs for each of said modems in said modem pair.
32. A data communications system comprising:
a first and a second modem pool, each modem pool including a plurality of modems, where each modem in one of said modem pools is paired with a corresponding modem in the other of said modem pools; and
a parallel data rate setter operative to:
a) establish a vector of initial data rates, wherein each of said data rates corresponds to a different one of said modem pairs;
b) set substantially in parallel each of said modem pairs to said modem pair’s corresponding data rate in said vector;
c) set a lower rate for each of said modem pairs that is less than or equal to said modem pair’s initial data rate;
d) set an upper rate for each of said modem pairs that is greater than or equal to said modem pair’s initial data rate;
for each of said modem pairs:
e) perform the following steps f)j) one or more times until a termination condition is met:
f) if said modem pair is synchronized within a synchronization time period:
g) set a lower rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair; and
h) set a maximum rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair;
i) if said modem pair is not synchronized within said synchronization time period, set a higher rate for said modem pair equal to the current data rate of said modem pair;
j) set said modem pair’s corresponding data rate in said vector to between said lower rate and said higher rate; and
k) set each of said modem pairs to said modem pair’s maximum rate where said modem pair achieved synchronization at said maximum rate.
33. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to establish said vector at one of said modem pools and communicate said vector to the other of said modem pools.
34. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to establish said vector from data rates previously used by said modem pairs.
35. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to:
measure wire attenuation for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolate said corresponding data rate from said wire attenuation using heuristics.
36. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to:
measure SNR for any of said modem pairs; and
interpolate said corresponding data rate from said SNR using heuristics.
37. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to increment an iteration counter and wherein said termination condition is met when said iteration counter reaches an iteration limit.
38. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to perform step e) until an elapsed time limit is reached.
39. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to perform step e) until there is no change in said data rates from a previous iteration of step e).
40. A system according to claim 32 wherein said parallel data rate setter is additionally operative to adjust s aid highest data rate for any of said modem pairs according to the formula
12
Rate
Corrected
=
Rate
Max
–
StabilityFactor
*
SNR
Ref
–
SNR
SNR
Ref
where RateMax is said highest data rate, StabilityFactor is any factor for step adjustment, SNR is the measured SNR of said modem pair, and SNRRef is any SNR value.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for mounting a motor, which is adapted to drive an endless belt at a predetermined tension, to a stationary frame, said apparatus comprising:
a housing adapted to receive the motor and having a first end and a second end;
a drive shaft operatively rotatable by the motor and extending from said first end of said housing, said drive shaft being adapted to drive the belt;
an elongated base mount integrally formed on an outside surface of and extending from said first end of said housing for pivotally coupling said housing to the stationary frame, said base mount having a first end and a second end, and a bore extending longitudinally at least partially through said base mount from said first end and said second end; and,
a substantially rigid tab fixedly attached to said first end of said housing at a substantially opposite side from said base mount;
wherein the tension on the belt is set by applying a biasing force on said tab to pivot the motor about an axis of said base mount.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a pulley attached to a portion of said drive shaft which extends from said first end of said housing, said pulley being adapted to operatively engage the belt.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base mount is generally cylindrical.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising two mounting bolts, each being constructed and adapted to be inserted through each said bore for pivotally securing said base mount to the stationary frame.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said mounting bolts each have a threaded portion and a shoulder portion, said bores in the said base mount are internally threaded, said threaded portions of said mounting bolts are each adapted to be threaded into each said bore, and said shoulder portions are each adapted to be pivotally mounted to the frame.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bore extending from said first end of said base mount is connected to said bore extending from said second end of said base mount.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab is attached to said second end of said housing and includes a through hole, said through hole having an axis substantially perpendicular to said axis of said base mount.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising an elongated bolt and a first nut, said bolt having a head adapted to be braced against one of the stationary frame and said through hole of said tab, and a threaded portion being adapted to be inserted through the other of the stationary frame and said through hole and receive said first nut, wherein the motor is adapted to be pivoted about axis of said base mount as said first nut is tightened and loosened on said threaded portion of said bolt.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including a second nut that is adapted to be pushed in contact with said head, and wherein said first nut has a spherical portion which is adapted to make contact with one of the stationary frame and said through hole of said tab, and said second nut has a spherical portion which is adapted to make contact with the other of the stationary frame and said through hole.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of said base mount extending from said first end of said housing, and said tab are generally in line with a force applied to said drive shaft by the belt.
11. Mounting apparatus for pivotally mounting a motor which is adapted to drive an endless belt at a predetermined tension, said apparatus comprising:
a generally cylindrical housing adapted to receive the motor having a first end and a second end;
a drive shaft operatively rotatable by the motor and extending from said first end of said housing and adapted to drive the belt;
a substantially tubular base mount having a portion integrally formed on an outside surface of said housing and extends from said first end of said housing substantially parallel to said drive shaft;
a stationary first base constructed and adapted to pivotally receive said tubular base mount;
a tab fixedly attached to said first end of said housing on substantially the opposite side from said base mount; and,
an elongated adjusting means adapted to be removably connected to said tab at a first end and to a stationary second base at a second end;
wherein said adjusting means is adapted to apply a biasing force on said tab to pivot said housing about an axis of said tubular base mount to apply tension on the belt.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising a pulley attached to a portion of said drive shaft which extends from said first end of said housing, said pulley being adapted to operatively engage the belt.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said base mount has a first end and a second end, and a threaded bore extending longitudinally at least partially through said base mount from said first end and said second end of said base mount along an axis of said base mount.
14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said first base has a pair of brackets spaced parallel to each other, and said base mount is adapted to be pivotally mounted between said brackets at said first and second ends of said base mount.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further comprising two mounting bolts, each said mounting bolt having a threaded portion and a shoulder portion, and wherein said threaded portions of said mounting bolts are each adapted to be threaded into each said threaded bore and said shoulder portions are each adapted to be pivotally mounted to each said bracket.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said bore extending from said first end of said base mount is connected to said bore extending from said second end of said base mount along said axis of said base mount.
17. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said tab includes a through hole, said through hole having an axis substantially perpendicularly to said axis of said base mount.
18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said adjusting means includes an elongated bolt and a first nut, said bolt having a head being adapted to be braced against one of said second base and said through hole of said tab, and a threaded portion being adapted to be inserted though the other of said second brace and said through hole and receive said first nut, further wherein said motor is adapted to be pivoted about said axis of said base mount as said first nut is tightened and loosened on said threaded portion of said bolt.
19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 further including a second nut that is adapted to be pushed in contact with said head, and wherein said first nut has a spherical portion which is adapted make full contact with one of said second brace and said through hole of said tab, and said second nut has a spherical portion which is adapted to make contact with other of said stationary second brace and said through hole
20. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said stationary second base is attached substantially perpendicularly to said first base.
21. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said portion of said base mount extending from said first end of said housing, and said tab are generally in line with a force applied to said drive shaft by the belt.