scope:

This standard defines an abstraction layer for multiple home network technologies. The abstraction layer provides a common data and control service access point to the heterogeneous home network technologies described in the following specifications: IEEE Std 1901^TM-2010, IEEE Std 802.11TM-2012, IEEE Std 802.3TM-2008, and MoCA^® 1.1.^1,2 This standard is extensible to work with other home network technologies.

The abstraction layer supports a dynamic interface selection for transmission of packets arriving from any interface (upper protocol layers or underlying network technologies). End-to-end quality of service (QoS) is enabled in an IEEE 1905.1 network.

Also specified are procedures, protocols, and guidelines to provide a simplified user experience to add devices to the network, to set up encryption keys, to extend the network coverage, and to provide network management features to address issues related to neighbor discovery, topology discovery, interface selection, QoS negotiation, and network control and management.

Purpose

The abstraction layer's common interface allows applications and upper layer protocols to be agnostic to the underlying network technologies. The purpose of this standard is to facilitate the integration of IEEE 1901 with other home network technologies.

Additionally, the purpose of this standard is to define an abstraction layer that allows the following:

- Common network setup among heterogeneous network technologies

- Providing the same user experience in the process of adding a device to the network and the same user experience while setting an encryption key

- Intelligent network interface selection for delivery of packets that provides improved coverage performance, improved data rate on the poorest link, improved network capacity, improved network reliability and QoS, and support for end-to-end QoS for different traffic classes

- Seamless/transparent interface switching

- Real-time mapping of connection links and interfaces for each traffic class/stream

- Green energy management