Ghost network built using data transmission via phantom mode

• US 20030035472A1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gass, Raymond, Le Creff, Michel, Mouton, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/20 using different combinations of lines, e.g. phantom working

Abstract

A power supply distributor according to the invention permits to broadcast data received in phantom mode at one of its port to at least few of the other ports such that the respective apparatus connected to said power supply distributor will receive them. Main characteristics are the modems for at least few of the communications links, while said modems being connected between each other through a multiplexer. Optionally, said multiplexer is setup with a switching function. This enables advantageously to select the ports to which received data in phantom mode will be forwarded allowing to buildup a communications link between different apparatus, such link being based solely on transmission of data in phantom mode. Such links can be setup in a bi-directional modus between at least two apparatus. This allows to design a new ghost network mapped on an existing network and based on transmission of data in phantom mode.

Claims

1. A power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link while at least few of said ports being connected at their respective medium data interface to some power supply, wherein said power supply distributor comprises modems connected to at least few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in phantom mode via respective communications link, said modems being connected between each other through a multiplexer.

2. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein at least few of said ports being connectable to a network element.

3. Power supply distributor according to claim 2, comprising said network element.

4. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, comprising a bus connected to a CPU and to said multiplexer.

5. Power supply distributor according to claim 4, wherein said modems are also connected to said bus allowing to be controlled as said multiplexer by said CPU.

6. Power supply distributor according to claim 4, wherein said ports are connected at their respective medium data interface to said bus.

7. Power supply distributor according to claim 6, wherein a port is dedicated for an apparatus to control said CPU.

8. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is setup to broadcast data received from a modem to other modems.

9. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is setup with a switching function allowing to select the modems for the broadcast of the received data.

10. Power supply distributor according to claim 9, wherein said multiplexer is setup to permit a bi-directional transmission of data in phantom mode via at least a communication link using the modem connected to its corresponding medium data interface.

11. Method for transmitting data in phantom mode using at least a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link, modems connected to at least few of the respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving data in phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via its communication link;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of that port;

forwarding said data to said multiplexer to be broadcast to other connected modems;

forwarding said broadcast data by the modems to the medium data interface of the corresponding ports to be further transmittable in phantom mode via communication links to apparatus connected to that ports.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein at least few of the ports being connected at their respective medium data interface to some power supply allowing a remote powering via communication link of the apparatus to be connected to that ports.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein said multiplexer will be controlled from a local management to be connected at a specific port of said power supply distributor, said port being directly in connection with said multiplexer.

15. Method according to claim 13, wherein the multiplexer will be remotely controlled by an apparatus via a communication link to be connected to a port of said power supply distributor.

16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said multiplexer will be controlled via a CPU connected to it and to said port.

12. Method for transmitting data in phantom mode using at least a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link, modems connected to at least few of the respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other while said multiplexer comprising switching functions, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving data in phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via its communication link;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of that port;

forwarding said data to said multiplexer;

selecting by said multiplexer using said switching function at least a modem to further transmit said data;

forwarding said data by the selected modem to the medium data interface of the corresponding port to be further transmittable in phantom mode via communication link to the apparatus connected to that port.

17. A network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes with at least a power supply distributor at one of these nodes, said power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link and at least few of said ports being connected at their respective medium data interface to some power supply, wherein said power supply distributor comprising modems connected to at least few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in phantom mode via a respective communications link, while said modems being connected between each other through a multiplexer allowing broadcasting data in phantom mode to at least two different communications links.

18. A network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes with at least a power supply distributor at one of these nodes, said power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link and at least few of said ports being connected at their respective medium data interface to some power supply, wherein said power supply distributor comprising modems connected to at least few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in phantom mode via a respective communications link, while said modems being connected between each other through a multiplexer setup with a switching function allowing to select at least a communications link to which the data will be forwarded.

19. Method to design a network based on the use of phantom mode for the transmission of data on at least part of the links connecting the different nodes of said network while said data in phantom mode will be switched at specific links using a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatus via their respective communications link, modems connected to at least few of the respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other while said multiplexer comprising switching functions, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving signals in phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via its communication link;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of that port;

transmitting said data to said multiplexer;

selecting by said multiplexer using said switching function at least a modem to further transmit said data;

transmitting said data by the selected modem to the medium data interface of the corresponding port to be further transmittable in phantom mode via communication link to the apparatus connected to that port.