Apparatus and method for frequency shifting of a wireless signal and systems using frequency shifting

• US 20070173202A1
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications Wireless Ltd. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SercoNet Limited (Yehuda Binder, MBA)
• Inventors: Hazani, Ami, Binder, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for improving the coverage of a wireless network based on frequency shifting scheme. A wireless signal in a frequency band is shifted to another distinct band, and carried in the shifted band, using wired or wireless mediums to another location, wherein the wireless signal is shifted back to the original frequency band. The frequency shifting may make use of a conventional frequency shifting schemes such as mixer/filter and heterodyne. In one embodiment the wireless signal is frequency shifted by converting it to other representing signals (such as I/Q components) and forming the frequency-shifted signal from the representations. The system is may be used to increase in-door or outdoor coverage, as well as bridging between in-door and outdoor networks. The medium may use dedicated wiring or existing service wiring in a residence or building, including LAN, telephone, AC power and CATV wiring. The system (in whole or in part) may be enclosed as a stand-alone unit, housed in integrated form as part of a service outlet or as a snap-on/plug-in module. Methods and other systems with different advantageous configurations are also described. This abstract is not intended to limit or construe the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for faithful frequency shifting of a first spread-spectrum signal without any protocol conversion from a first frequency band to a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band, said apparatus comprising:

a first port for receiving the first spread-spectrum signal in the first frequency band;

a first I/Q demodulator coupled to said first port to receive the first spread-spectrum signal from said first port, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the first spread spectrum signal;

a first I/Q modulator coupled to said first I/Q demodulator to receive the first spread spectrum signal I and Q component signals, said first I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct first spread-spectrum signal and to frequency shift the first spread-spectrum signal to the second frequency band; and

a second port coupled to said first I/Q modulator to receive the frequency shifted signal from said first I/Q modulator, for outputting the frequency shifted first spread spectrum signal in the second frequency band.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further operative for faithful frequency shifting of a second spread-spectrum signal without any protocol conversion from the second frequency band to the first distinct frequency band, said apparatus further comprising:

a third port for receiving the second spread-spectrum signal in the second frequency band;

a second I/Q demodulator coupled to said third port to receive the second spread-spectrum signal from said third port, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the second spread spectrum signal;

a second I/Q modulator coupled to said second I/Q demodulator to receive the second spread spectrum signal I and Q component signals, said second I/Q demodulator being operative to reconstruct the second spread-spectrum signal frequency shifted to the first frequency band; and

a fourth port coupled to said second I/Q modulator to receive the frequency shifted signal from said second I/Q modulator, for outputting the frequency shifted second spread spectrum signal in the first frequency band.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and third ports are connected to each other, and wherein said second and fourth ports are connected to each other.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 further operative to be in a selected one of distinct first and second states, wherein in the first state a signal is received at said first port and output frequency shifted at said second port, and wherein in the second state a signal is received at said third port and output frequency shifted at said fourth port.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first filter coupled to said first port for substantially passing only signals in the first frequency band;

a first threshold detector coupled to said first filter for detecting the presence of a signal in the first frequency band;

a second filter coupled to said third port for substantially passing only signals in the second frequency band; and

a second threshold detector coupled to said second filter for detecting the presence of a signal in the second frequency band;

wherein said apparatus shifts to said first state upon sensing the presence of a signal in the first frequency band by said first threshold detector, and shifts to said second state upon sensing the presence of a signal in the second frequency band by said second threshold detector.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spread spectrum signal is a multi-carrier signal based on one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an attenuator connected for attenuating a signal to or from one of said ports.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said attenuator produces an attenuation of more than 10 dB.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second frequency bands is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one of the first and second frequency bands is selected by a switch.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first spread-spectrum signal and the frequency shifted first spread-spectrum signal is a wireless signal, and at least one out of said first and second ports is an antenna.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first I/Q modulator and said first I/Q demodulator are part of a wireless transceiver component.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards:

WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3 G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one out of the first and second frequency bands is an ISM frequency band.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first and second frequency bands are non-overlapping channels according to a single wireless standard.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a single enclosure housing said first and second ports, said first I/Q demodulator and said first I/Q modulator, and wherein said single enclosure is wall mountable.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said single enclosure is shaped to plug-into an outlet.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said single enclosure is further shaped to mechanically attach and electrically connect to an outlet.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first spread-spectrum signal is transmitted in the first frequency band in one of:

a WPAN, WLAN, MAN, and WAN network.

21. A network for wireless communication of a first wireless signal carried in a first frequency band between first and second wireless units, said network comprising:

a first frequency shifter for wireless communication of the first wireless signal with the first wireless unit, said first frequency shifter being operative to frequency shift the first wireless signal between the first frequency band and a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band; and

a second frequency shifter for wireless communication of the first wireless signal with the second wireless unit, said second frequency shifter being operative to frequency shift said first wireless signal between said first frequency band and said second frequency band.

22. The network according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said frequency shifters is based on a heterodyne circuit.

23. The network according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said frequency shifters comprises:

an I/Q demodulator coupled to receive the first wireless signal, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the first wireless signal; and

an I/Q modulator coupled to receive the first wireless signal I and Q component signals, said I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct the first wireless signal frequency shifted to the second frequency band.

24. The network according to claim 23, wherein said I/Q modulator and said I/Q demodulator are part of a wireless transceiver component.

25. The network according to claim 21, wherein the first wireless signal is a spread-spectrum signal.

26. The network according to claim 21, wherein the first wireless signal is a multi-carrier signal based on one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

27. The network according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the first and second frequency bands is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

28. The network according to claim 27, wherein at least one of the first and second frequency bands is selected by a switch.

29. The network according to claim 21, wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards:

WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

30. The network according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the first and second frequency bands is an ISM frequency band.

31. The network according to claim 21, wherein the first and second frequency bands are non-overlapping channels according to a single wireless standard.

32. The network according to claim 21, wherein one of said first and second frequency shifters is enclosed in a single enclosure that is wall mountable.

33. The network according to claim 32, wherein the single enclosure is shaped to plug-in to an outlet.

34. The network according to claim 32, wherein the single enclosure is further shaped to mechanically attach and electrically connect to an outlet.

35. The network according to claim 32, wherein the single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall-mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

36. The network according to claim 21, wherein the first wireless signal is transmitted in the first frequency band in one of a WPAN, WLAN, MAN, and WAN network.

37. An apparatus for frequency shifting without any protocol conversion between a wireless signal in a wireless frequency band carried by a wireless medium and a wired signal in a wired frequency band carried by a wired medium, said apparatus comprising:

an antenna for receiving and transmitting the wireless signal;

a wiring connector for connecting to the wired medium;

a down frequency shifter for down frequency shifting a signal from the wireless frequency band to the wired frequency band;

an up frequency shifter for up frequency shifting of a signal from the wired frequency band to the wireless frequency band;

an RF switch coupled between said antenna, said down frequency shifter and said up frequency shifter, said RF switch having first and second states, wherein in the first state said antenna is coupled to said down frequency shifter and in the second state said antenna is coupled to said up frequency shifter; and

a wired frequency band switch coupled between said wiring connector, said down frequency shifter and said up frequency shifter, said wired frequency band switch having first and second states, wherein in the first state said wiring connector is coupled to said down frequency shifter and in the second state said connector is coupled to said up frequency shifter;

wherein said apparatus is switchable into distinct first and second states, wherein in the first state of said apparatus, said RF switch is in its said first state and said wired frequency band switch is in its said first state for receiving the wireless signal from the antenna, down frequency shifting the wireless signal and transmitting the shifted wireless signal to the wiring connector; and

wherein in the second state of said apparatus, said RF switch is in its said second state and said wired frequency band switch is in its said second state for receiving the frequency shifted wireless signal from said wiring connector, up frequency shifting to reconstruct the wireless signal and transmitting the wireless signal to the antenna.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising:

a first signal detector coupled to said wiring connector for sensing the presence of a signal in the wired frequency band; and

a second signal detector coupled to said antenna for sensing the presence of a signal in the wireless frequency band;

wherein said apparatus is operative to shift to its said first state upon sensing the presence of a signal in the wireless frequency band and to shift to its said second state upon sensing the presence of a signal in the wired frequency band.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein at least one out of said up frequency shifter and down frequency shifter comprises one out of a mixer/filter, a heterodyne circuit, or a super-heterodyne circuit.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said up frequency shifter comprises:

an I/Q demodulator coupled to receive the wired signal in the wired frequency band, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the wired signal; and

an I/Q modulator coupled to receive said wired signal I and Q component signals, said I/Q modulator being operative to up frequency shift the wired signal to the wireless frequency band.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said I/Q modulator or said I/Q demodulator are part of a wireless transceiver component.

42. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said down frequency shifter comprises:

an I/Q demodulator coupled to receive the wireless signal in the wireless frequency band, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the wireless signal; and

an I/Q modulator coupled to receive said wireless signal I and Q component signals, said I/Q modulator being operative to down frequency shift the wireless signal to the wired frequency band.

43. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising, between said wiring connector and said wired frequency band switch:

a protector for absorbing and protecting against transients, over-voltage and lightning;

a filter for substantially passing only signals in the wired frequency band; and

a signal transformer for providing isolation between said apparatus and the wired medium.

44. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising an equalizer between said wiring connector and said wired frequency band switch for compensating for the frequency characteristics of the wired medium.

45. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wireless signal is a spread spectrum multi-carrier signal based on one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

46. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising an attenuator connected for attenuating a signal to or from said antenna.

47. The apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said attenuator produces an attenuation of more than 10 dB.

48. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wireless frequency band is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

49. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the wireless frequency band is selected by a switch.

50. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards:

WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3 G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

51. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein one of the frequency bands is an ISM frequency band.

52. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a single enclosure housing said up and down frequency shifters, said antenna, said connector, said RF switch and said wired frequency band switch, and wherein said single enclosure is wall mountable.

53. The apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said single enclosure is shaped to plug-into an outlet.

54. The apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said single enclosure is further shaped to mechanically attach and electrically connect to an outlet.

55. The apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

56. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted in the wireless frequency band in a MAN or WAN network.

57. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wired medium is one of:

a twisted wire pair;

UTP;

STP;

a telephone wire pair;

AC power wires;

a coaxial cable; and

a LAN cable, and said wiring connector is operative to connect to the wired medium.

58. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wired medium is further connected to carry a DC or AC power signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band coupled between said wired frequency band switch and said wiring connector;

a power connector for connecting to an AC power source;

a power supply, including one of an AC/DC or an AC/AC converter, connected to be powered via said power connector; and

a low pass or band pass filter coupled between said power supply and said wiring connector for substantially passing the power signal.

59. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the apparatus is further connected to be powered by a DC or AC power signal carried over the wired medium, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band switch and said wiring connector for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

a power supply, including an AC/DC or DC/DC converter, coupled to power at least said up frequency shifter and said down frequency shifter; and

a low pass or band pass filter coupled between said power supply and said wiring connector for substantially passing the power signal.

60. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wired medium is further connected to carry an analog telephone signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band switch and said wiring connector for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

a telephone connector for connecting to a telephone set or to a PBA/PABX/CO; and

a low pass filter coupled between said wiring connector and said telephone connector for substantially passing the telephone signal.

61. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the wired medium is a coaxial cable that is further connected to carry a CATV signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a band pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band switch and said wiring connector for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

a coaxial connector for connecting to a CATV appliance; and

a band pass filter coupled between said wiring connector and said coaxial connector for substantially passing the CATV signal.

62. A network for wireless communication of wireless signals among a plurality of wireless units, the wireless signals being carried in a wireless frequency band, the wireless units being interconnected by a wired medium for carrying wired signals in a wired frequency band distinct from and lower in frequency than the wireless frequency band, said network comprising a plurality of frequency shifters each connected to the wired medium, and said network having two distinct states, wherein:

in the first state, one of said frequency shifters is operative to wirelessly receive a first wireless signal from one of the wireless units, down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and couple the shifted wireless signal to the wired medium, while wherein all other frequency shifters receive the shifted wireless signal from the wired medium, up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the first wireless signal, and transmit the reconstructed first wireless signal; and

in the second state, one of said frequency shifters is operative to wirelessly receive a second wireless signal from a wireless unit, down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and couple the shifted wireless signal to the wired medium, while all other frequency shifters receive the shifted wireless signal from the wired medium, up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the second wireless signal, and transmit the reconstructed second wireless signal.

63. The network according to claim 62, wherein at least one of said frequency shifters is based on a heterodyne circuit.

64. The network according to claim 62, wherein at least one of said frequency shifters comprises:

an I/Q demodulator coupled to receive the first wireless signal, for providing the I and Q component signals of the first wireless signal;

an I/Q modulator coupled to receive said first wireless signal I and Q component signals, said I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct the first wireless signal frequency shifted to the wired frequency band.

65. The network according to claim 64, wherein said I/Q modulator and said I/Q demodulator are part of a wireless transceiver component.

66. The network according to claim 62 wherein said wireless signal is a spread-spectrum signal.

67. The network according to claim 62 wherein the first wireless signal is a multi-carrier signal based on one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

68. The network according to claim 62 wherein the wireless frequency band is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

69. The network according to claim 68 wherein the wireless frequency band is selected by a switch.

70. The network according to claim 62 wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards:

WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3 G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

71. The network according to claim 62 wherein the wireless frequency band is an ISM frequency band.

72. The network according to claim 62 wherein one of said frequency shifters is enclosed in a single enclosure that is wall mountable.

73. The network according to claim 62 wherein at least part of the wired medium comprises wiring in a wall.

74. The network according to claim 73 wherein the single enclosure is shaped to plug-in to an outlet.

75. The network according to claim 73 wherein the single enclosure is further shaped to mechanically attach and electrically connect to an outlet.

76. The network according to claim 73, wherein the single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall-mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

77. The network according to claim 62, wherein the first wireless signal is transmitted in the first frequency band in one of a WPAN, WLAN, MAN and WAN network.

78. The network according to claim 62, wherein the wired medium is one of:

a twisted wire pair;

UTP;

STP;

a telephone wire pair;

AC power wires;

a coaxial cable; and

a LAN cable.

79. The network according to claim 62, wherein at least one part of the wired medium is in a building and at least another part of the wired medium is external to the building.

80. The network according to claim 62 having a point-to-point topology, wherein the wired medium is a single wiring having two ends, and wherein only two frequency shifters are connected each to a respective end of the wiring.

81. The network according to claim 62, wherein the wired medium is configured to have one of a bus, star, tree and point-to-multipoint topology.

82. The network according to claim 62, wherein:

the wired medium is connected to carry DC or AC power signal using FDM;

the power signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from the wired frequency band; and

at least one of said frequency shifters is coupled to be powered by the power signal.

83. The network according to claim 62, wherein:

the wired medium is connected to carry a first signal using FDM;

the first signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from the wired frequency band; and

the first signal is one of an analog telephone and CATV-related signal.

84. An apparatus for coupling a wireless signal to a plurality of wired mediums, for use with a wireless unit having an antenna connector and operative to receive and transmit the wireless signal in a wireless frequency band, and with a plurality of distinct wired mediums, each operative for conducting signals in a wired frequency band, said apparatus comprising:

a coaxial connector for connecting to the antenna connector of the wireless unit for receiving and transmitting the wireless signal in the wireless frequency band;

a plurality of wiring connectors each for connecting to a distinct wired medium;

a frequency shifter connected for frequency shifting between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band;

an RF attenuator coupled between said coaxial connector and said frequency shifter for substantially attenuating the signal in the wireless frequency band; and

a wired band splitter connected to said frequency shifter and having multiple ports, each port connected to a wiring connector, said splitter being operative to share a signal in the wired frequency band with all devices connected thereto.

85. The apparatus according to claim 84, further operative for wireless communication with a second wireless unit, said apparatus further comprising:

an antenna for receiving and transmitting the wireless signal in the wireless frequency band; and

an RF splitter connected between said antenna, said attenuator and said coaxial connectors.

86. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein said frequency shifter is based on mixer/filter, heterodyne or super-heterodyne circuit.

87. The apparatus according to claim 84, further comprising, between at least one of said wiring connectors and said wired band splitter:

a protector for absorbing and protecting against transients, over-voltage and lightning;

a filter for substantially passing only signals in the wired frequency band; and

a signal transformer for providing isolation between said apparatus and the wired medium.

88. The apparatus according to claim 84, further comprising an equalizer between one of said wiring connectors and said wired band splitter for compensating for the frequency characteristics of the wired medium.

89. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein the wireless signal is a spread spectrum signal based on a multi-carrier signal modulated according to one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

90. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein said attenuator produces an attenuation of more than 10 dB.

91. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein the wireless frequency band is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

92. The apparatus according to claim 91, wherein the wireless frequency band is selected by a switch.

93. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3 G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

94. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein the wireless frequency band is an ISM frequency band.

95. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted in the wireless frequency band in one of:

a WPAN, WLAN, MAN and WAN network.

96. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein at least one of said wired mediums is one out of a twisted pair, UTP, STP, telephone wire pair, AC power wires, coaxial cable and LAN cable, and said respective wiring connector is operative to connect to the wired medium.

97. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein at least one of the wired mediums is further connected to carry a DC or AC power signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band coupled between said wired frequency splitter and at least one of said wiring connectors;

a power connector for connecting to an AC power source;

a power supply, including an AC/DC or AC/AC converter, connected to be powered from said power connector; and

a low pass or band pass filter coupled between said power supply and said wiring connector for substantially passing the power signal.

98. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein is apparatus is further connected to be powered by a DC or AC power signal carried over at least one wired medium, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band switch and at least one of said wiring connectors for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

a power supply, including an AC/DC or DC/DC converter, coupled to power at least said frequency shifter; and

a low pass or band pass filter coupled between said power supply and said wiring connector for substantially passing the power signal.

99. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein at least one of the wired mediums is connected to further carry an analog telephone signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a high pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band splitter and at least one of said wiring connectors for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

a telephone connector for connecting to a telephone set or to a PBX/PABX/CO; and

a low pass filter coupled between one of said wiring connectors and said telephone connector for substantially passing the telephone signal.

100. The apparatus according to claim 84, wherein at least one of the wired mediums is a coaxial cable connected to carry a CATV signal, and said apparatus further comprises:

a band pass filter coupled between said wired frequency band splitter and at least one of said wiring connectors for substantially passing signals in the wired frequency band;

an additional coaxial connector for connecting to a CATV appliance; and

a band pass filter coupled between said wiring connector and said additional coaxial connector for substantially passing the CATV signal.

101. A network for wireless communication of a wireless signal in a wireless frequency band among a plurality of wireless units interconnected by a plurality of distinct wired mediums, the wired mediums providing a wired frequency band distinct from, and lower in frequency than, the wireless frequency band, each wired medium having first and second ends, said network comprising:

a center device coupled to a selected wireless unit and connected to the first end of each of the wired mediums, said center device being operative to frequency shift the wireless signal between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band; and

a plurality of remote devices, each connected to a second end of one of a respective one of the wired mediums and each coupled to a respective wireless unit, each of said remote devices being operative to frequency shift a signal between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band,

wherein;

said network is operative to the allow said center device to receive the wireless signal in the wireless band from the selected wireless unit, to down frequency shift the wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and to transmit the shifted wireless signal to all connected wired mediums;

each of said remote devices is operative to up frequency shift shifted wireless signal from said center device to the wireless frequency band, to reconstruct the wireless signal, and to transmit the reconstructed wireless signal to the respective wireless unit;

said network is operative to allow one of said remote devices to receive a wireless signal in the wireless band from one of the wireless units coupled thereto, to down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and to transmit the shifted wireless signal to the connected wired medium; and

said center device is operative to up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the wireless signal, and to transmit the reconstructed first wireless signal to the coupled wireless unit.

102. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one of said remote devices comprises a frequency shifter that is based on a heterodyne circuit.

103. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one of said remote devices comprises a frequency shifter, said frequency shifter comprising:

an I/Q demodulator coupled to receive the wireless signal, for providing the I and Q component signals of the wireless signal;

an I/Q modulator coupled to receive the first wireless signal I and Q component signals, said first I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct the wireless signal frequency shifted to the wired frequency band.

104. The network according to claim 103, wherein said I/Q modulator and said I/Q demodulator are part of a wireless transceiver component.

105. The network according to claim 101, wherein the wireless signal is a spread-spectrum signal.

106. The network according to claim 101, wherein the first wireless signal is a multi-carrier signal based on one of OFDM, DMT and CDMA modulations.

107. The network according to claim 101, wherein the wireless frequency band is selectable from a plurality of adjacent frequency bands.

108. The network according to claim 107, wherein the wireless frequency band is selected by a switch.

109. The network according to claim 101, wherein the wireless signal conforms to at least one of the following standards:

WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WAN, BWA, LMDS, MMDS, WiMAX, HIPERMAN, IEEE802.16, Bluetooth, IEEE802.15, UWB, ZigBee, cellular, IEEE802.11 standards, GSM, GPRS, 2.5 G, 3 G, UMTS, DCS, PCS and CDMA.

110. The network according to claim 101, wherein the wireless frequency band is an ISM frequency band.

111. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least part of one of the wired mediums comprises wiring in a wall.

112. The network according to claim 101, wherein one out of said remote devices is enclosed in a single enclosure that is wall mountable.

113. The network according to claim 112, wherein the single enclosure is shaped to plug into an outlet.

114. The network according to claim 112, wherein the single enclosure is further shaped to mechanically attach and electrically connect to an outlet.

115. The network according to claim 112, wherein the single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall-mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

116. The network according to claim 101, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted in the wireless frequency band in one of a WPAN, WLAN, MAN and WAN network.

117. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one of the wired mediums is one of:

a twisted wire pair;

UTP;

STP;

a telephone wire pair;

AC power wires;

a coaxial cable, and a LAN cable.

118. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one part of one of the wired mediums is in a building and at least another part the one of the wired mediums is external to the building.

119. The network according to claim 101 having a point-to-point topology, wherein at least one of the wired mediums is a single wiring having exactly two ends, said center device is connected to one of the ends of the single wiring and one of said remote devices is connected to the other end of the single wiring.

120. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one of the wired mediums has a bus, star, tree, or point-to-multipoint topology.

121. The network according to claim 101, wherein:

at least one of the wired mediums is connected to carry a DC or AC power signal using FDM;

the power signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from the wired frequency band; and

at least one of said devices is coupled to be powered by the power signal.

122. The network according to claim 101, wherein:

at least one of the wired mediums is connected to carry a first signal using FDM;

the first signal is carried in a frequency band distinct from the wired frequency band; and

the first signal is one of an analog telephone signal and a CATV-related signal.

123. The network according to claim 101, wherein said center device is conductively coupled to the wireless unit.

124. The network according to claim 101, wherein at least one of said remote devices is conductively coupled to the distinct wireless unit.