Local area network of serial intelligent cells
First Claim
1. An in-wall controller device for use with wiring in a wall of a building, the wiring being adapted to carry a power signal and an information signal, the device comprising:
- at least one wiring connector operative for connecting to the wiring;
firmware and a processor for executing said firmware, said processor being coupled to said at least one wiring connector for coupling to the information signal;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said at least one wiring connector for receiving the power signal to be powered therefrom, said power supply being coupled for powering said processor;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status;
at least one user settable manual switch coupled to said processor and operative for device control by a user; and
a single enclosure housing said at least one wiring connector, said processor, said firmware, said power supply, said visual indicator and said at least one user settable manual switch, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be wall-mountable into a mating wall opening, or an outlet receptacle, or an outlet opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A serial intelligent cell (SIC) and a connection topology for local area networks using Electrically-conducting media. A local area network can be configured from a plurality of SIC'"'"'s interconnected so that all communications between two adjacent SIC'"'"'s is both point-to-point and bidirectional. Each SIC can be connected to one or more other SIC'"'"'s to allow redundant communication paths. Communications in different areas of a SIC network are independent of one another, so that, unlike current bus topology and star topology, there is no fundamental limit on the size or extent of a SIC network. Each SIC can optionally be connected to one or more data terminals, computers, telephones, sensors, actuators, etc., to facilitate interconnectivity among such devices. Networks according to the present invention can be configured for a variety of applications, including a local telephone system, remote computer bus extender, multiplexers, PABX/PBX functionality, security systems, and local broadcasting services. The network can use dedicated wiring, as well as existing wiring as the in-house telephone or electrical wiring.
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Citations
125 Claims
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1. An in-wall controller device for use with wiring in a wall of a building, the wiring being adapted to carry a power signal and an information signal, the device comprising:
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at least one wiring connector operative for connecting to the wiring;
firmware and a processor for executing said firmware, said processor being coupled to said at least one wiring connector for coupling to the information signal;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said at least one wiring connector for receiving the power signal to be powered therefrom, said power supply being coupled for powering said processor;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status;
at least one user settable manual switch coupled to said processor and operative for device control by a user; and
a single enclosure housing said at least one wiring connector, said processor, said firmware, said power supply, said visual indicator and said at least one user settable manual switch, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be wall-mountable into a mating wall opening, or an outlet receptacle, or an outlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A power outlet device for powering an apparatus by a power signal carried over wiring in a wall of a building, said device comprising:
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a wiring connector operative for connecting to the wiring;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said wiring connector for receiving the power signal in order to be powered by the power signal;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status;
a DC power connector coupled to be powered by said power supply, said connector being connectable to an apparatus for supplying power to the apparatus from said power supply; and
a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said power supply, said visual indicator, and said DC power connector, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be wall-mountable into a mating wall opening, or an outlet receptacle, or an outlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A LAN video camera system comprising:
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a wiring in a wall of a building for concurrently carrying a power signal and a digitized video signal;
a wall-mounted outlet comprising a jack connected to said wiring;
a plug connected to said jack for connecting to said wiring;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said plug for being powered by the power signal;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status;
a transceiver coupled to said plug for conducting serial digital data communication over said wiring; and
a video camera for producing the digitized video signal, said camera being coupled to said transceiver for coupling the digitized video signal to said transceiver, wherein said transceiver, said visual indicator and said video camera are coupled to be powered by said power supply. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A serial-to-Ethernet converter device for converting signals between a standard serial interface and Ethernet interface, the device comprising:
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an Ethernet connector connectable to first wires for carrying full-duplex packet-based digital data, the first wires comprising at least one twisted-wire pair;
an Ethernet transceiver connected to said Ethernet connector for conducting full-duplex point-to-point communication with only a single identical transceiver over the first wires;
a serial connector connectable to second wires for carrying serial digital data;
a serial transceiver connected to said serial connector, for conducting serial digital data communication over the second wires;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to power said Ethernet transceiver and said serial transceiver;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status; and
a single enclosure housing said Ethernet and serial connectors, said power supply, said Ethernet and serial transceivers, said power supply and said visual indicator, wherein said Ethernet transceiver is coupled to said serial transceiver for passing information between the first and second wires. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A coaxial outlet for coupling a data unit to a coaxial cable in a wall of a building, the cable having two conductors connected to simultaneously carry a digital data signal and an analog signal frequency multiplexed with the digital data signal, wherein the analog signal is carried over a frequency band distinct from the digital data signal band, said coaxial outlet comprising:
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a coaxial connector operative for connecting said outlet to the coaxial cable;
a data connector connectable to a data unit, for coupling the digital data signal to the data unit;
a filter coupled between said coaxial connector and said data connector and operative for substantially passing only the digital data signal; and
a single enclosure housing said coaxial connector, said data connector and said filter, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a standard outlet receptacle or opening. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. A telephone outlet for coupling an analog telephone set to a telephone wire-pair in a wall of a building, the wire-pair having two conductors that simultaneously carry a digital data signal and an analog telephone signal frequency multiplexed with the digital data signal, wherein the digital data signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from and higher than the analog telephone signal frequency band, said telephone outlet comprising:
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a wiring connector operative for connecting said outlet to the telephone wire-pair;
a standard telephone connector connectable to an analog telephone set, for coupling the analog telephone signal to the analog telephone set;
a low pass filter coupled between said wiring connector and said standard telephone connector and operative for substantially passing only the analog telephone signal; and
a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said standard telephone connector and said low pass filter, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a standard outlet receptacle or opening. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64. A power line outlet for coupling an AC powered appliance set to power lines in a wall of a building, the power lines having at least two conductors that simultaneously carry a digital data signal and an AC power signal frequency multiplexed with the digital data signal, wherein the digital data signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from, and higher than, the AC power signal frequency band, said power line outlet comprising:
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a wiring connector operative for connecting said outlet to the power lines;
an AC power connector connectable to an appliance, for powering the appliance by the AC power signal;
a low pass filter coupled between said wiring connector and said AC power connector and operative for substantially passing only the AC power signal; and
a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said AC power connector and said low pass filter, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a standard outlet receptacle or opening. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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67. A parallel-to-Ethernet converter device for converting signals between a standard parallel interface and an Ethernet interface, said device comprising:
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an Ethernet connector connectable to first wires comprising at least one twisted-wire pair for carrying full-duplex packet-based digital data;
an Ethernet transceiver connected to said Ethernet connector, for conducting full-duplex point-to-point communication with only a single second Ethernet transceiver over the first wires;
a parallel connector connectable to second wires for carrying parallel digital data;
a parallel transceiver connected to said parallel connector for conducting parallel digital data communication over the second wires;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to power said Ethernet transceiver and said parallel transceiver;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status; and
a single enclosure housing said Ethernet and parallel connectors, said Ethernet and parallel transceivers, said power supply, and said visual indicator, wherein said Ethernet transceiver is coupled to said parallel transceiver for passing information between the first wires and the second wires. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A power outlet for powering an apparatus with a power signal carried over wiring in a wall of a building, said device comprising:
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a wiring connector operative for connecting to the wiring;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said wiring connector to receive operating power from the power signal;
a power connector coupled to said wiring connector for connecting to an apparatus for powering the apparatus by the power signal;
a monitoring device coupled to be powered by said power supply and coupled to said power connector for monitoring the power consumption of a connected apparatus; and
a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said power connector, said power supply and said monitoring device, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a mating wall opening, or into an outlet receptacle, or into an outlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. A device for monitoring power supplied to an apparatus, for use with wiring in a wall of a building, the wiring being connected to simultaneously carry a power signal and a bi-directional serial digital data signal, said device comprising:
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a wiring connector operative for connecting to the wiring;
a power supply including a voltage converter coupled to said wiring connector to be powered by the power signal;
a transceiver coupled to said wiring connector for communicating the digital data signal over the wiring, the transceiver is coupled to be powered from said power supply;
a visual indicator coupled to said power supply for indicating a status;
a power connector coupled to said wiring connector for connecting to an apparatus for powering the apparatus by said power signal;
a monitoring unit coupled to be powered from said power supply and coupled to said power connector for sensing, monitoring or measuring the power consumption of a connected apparatus; and
a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said power supply, said transceiver, said visual indicator, said power connector, and said monitoring unit, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a mating wall opening, or into an outlet receptacle, or into an outlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A device that is couplable to a cable that simultaneously carries a DC power signal over two dedicated conductors and a half-duplex serial digital data signal over at least one twisted-wire pair, said device comprising:
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a wiring connector for connecting to the cable; and
a light emitter connected to said wiring connector for being powered by the DC power signal in order to emit light. - View Dependent Claims (107)
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108. A network for coupling first and second units in a building to respective ones of first and second bi-directional serial digital data streams external to the building, said network comprising:
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first wires comprising two conductors at least in part in walls of the building and at least in part external to the building, said first wires being connected to carry the first and second bi-directional serial digital data streams in time-multiplexed form;
second wires comprising two conductors at least in part in walls of the building, said second wires being connected to carry the second bi-directional serial digital data stream;
a first outlet connected to said first wires, said first outlet being mounted in a wall opening or an outlet opening;
a second outlet connected to said second wires, said second outlet being mounted in a wall opening or an outlet opening;
a first device couplable to the first unit, said first device being connected to said first outlet for connecting to said first wires and being connected to said second wires, and said first device being operative to couple the first bi-directional serial digital data stream to the first unit to and to pass the second bi-directional serial digital data stream between said first and second wires; and
a second device couplable to the second unit, said second device being connected to said second outlet for connecting to said second wires, and said second device being operative to couple the second bi-directional serial digital data stream to the second unit. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125)
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Specification