Distance Extender

• US 20070284949A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: King, Randy, Voll, Parker, Priebe, Jack, Moffatt, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,432,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/147
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/44 Arrangements for feeding power to a repeater along the transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02

Abstract

A distance extender (100, 200) for increasing a distance between a first device (145) and a second device (150) in electrical communication with the first device includes an electrical cable (130, 230) electrically coupled between the first device and the second device, a first subsystem (110, 210) electrically coupled to the first end of the electrical cable, and a second subsystem (120, 220) electrically coupled to the second end of the electrical cable. The electrical cable includes a first end (131, 231), a second end (132, 232), and a plurality of wires extending between the first end and the second end. The plurality of wires includes a first wire, the first device generates a data signal and provides an electrical power signal, and the data signal and the electrical power signal are simultaneously transmitted between the first device and the second device over the first wire.

Claims

1. A distance extender for increasing a distance between a first device and a second device in electrical communication with the first device, the distance extender comprising:

an electrical cable comprising;

a first end;

a second end; and

at least two wires extending between the first end and the second end;

a first subsystem configured to electrically couple to the first end of the electrical cable and to the first device; and

a second subsystem configured to electrically couple to the second end of the electrical cable and to the second device,

wherein;

at least one of the first device and the second device are configured to generate a data signal and the first device is capable of providing a direct current power signal;

the at least two wires comprise a first wire; and

the first wire of the at least two wires is configured to simultaneously transmit the data signal and the direct current power signal between the first device and the second device.

2. The distance extender of claim 1 wherein:

the direct current power signal received by the first subsystem is a substantially five volt power signal.

3. The distance extender of claim 1 wherein:

the first device or the second device is capable of generating a data signal comprising at least one video signal;

the at least two wires further comprise one or more second wires; and

the one or more second wires of the at least two wires transmits the at least one video signal between the first subsystem and the second subsystem.

4. The distance extender of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch electrically coupled between the first device and the second device.

5. The distance extender of claim 4 wherein:

the switch is a keyboard, video, and mouse switch.

6. The distance extender of claim 4 wherein:

the switch is coupled between the first subsystem and the first device.

7. The distance extender of claim 4 wherein:

the switch is coupled between the second subsystem and the second device.

8. The distance extender of claim 1 wherein:

the second subsystem comprises;

a voltage conversion circuit; and

an attenuation compensation circuit.

9. A distance extender comprising:

a first subsystem capable of being electrically coupled to a first device; and

a second subsystem capable of being electrically coupled to a first subsystem and a second device,

wherein;

the first device is capable of providing a first data signal and a power signal to the first subsystem;

the first subsystem comprises;

a voltage boost circuit configured to receive the power signal and output a boosted voltage power signal; and

a filter circuit configured to couple the boosted voltage power signal with the first date signal into a combined electrical signal; and

the combined electrical signal is capable of being transmit over a single wire to the second subsystem.

10. The distance extender of claim 9 wherein:

the second subsystem is configured to generate a second data signal; and

the first subsystem and the second subsystem are further configured to transmit simultaneously the second data signal and the boosted voltage power signal between the first device and the second device.

11. The distance extender of claim 9 wherein:

the first subsystem further comprises;

a modulation/demodulation circuit with an output, the output is electrically coupled to the filter circuit.

12. The distance extender of claim 9 wherein:

the first subsystem further comprises;

an input header configured to receive the first data signal and the power signal from the first device.

13. The distance extender of claim 9 wherein:

the voltage boost circuit is configured to output the boosted voltage power signal with a substantially constant voltage.

14. A keyboard, video, and mouse extender for increasing the distance between a computer and at least one peripheral device, the keyboard, video, and mouse extender comprising:

a cable comprising;

a first pair of wires; and

at least three second pairs of wires;

a first subsystem capable of being electrically coupled to the first pair of wires and the computer;

a keyboard, video, and mouse switch capable of being electrically coupled between the first subsystem and the computer; and

a second subsystem capable of being electrically couple to the first pair of wires and the at least one peripheral device,

wherein;

the computer is configured to provide an electrical power signal;

at least one of the computer and the at least one peripheral device is configured to generate a data signal and at least three video signals;

the first pair of wires is configured to concurrently transfer the data signal and the electrical power signal between the first subsystem and the second subsystem; and

the at least three second pairs of wires are configured to transfer the at least three or more video signals between the first subsystem and the second subsystem.

15. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 14 wherein:

the cable comprises a Category 5-type cable.

16. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 14 wherein:

the first subsystem is configured to boost the voltage of the electrical power signal and couple the electrical power signal and the data signal after boosting the voltage of the electrical power signal.

17. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 14 wherein:

the first subsystem, the second subsystem, and one or more of the at least one peripheral device are powered by the electrical power signal.

18. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 14 wherein:

the second subsystem comprises;

a voltage conversion circuit; and

an attenuation compensation circuit.

19. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 18 wherein:

the first subsystem comprises;

a voltage boost circuit;

a modulation/demodulation circuit;

a filter circuit;

a detection circuit; and

a pre-emphasis circuit.

20. The keyboard, video, and mouse extender of claim 19 wherein:

the pre-emphasis circuit increases a high-frequency portion of the at least three video signals before the at least three video signals are transmitted across the at least three second pairs of wires; and

the attenuation compensation circuit compensates for a loss of amplitude in the t at least three video signals after the at least three video signals are transmitted across the at least three second pairs of wires.