OUTLET WITH ANALOG SIGNAL ADAPTER, A METHOD FOR USE THEREOF AND A NETWORK USING SAID OUTLET

• US 20090046742A1
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SercoNet Limited (Yehuda Binder, MBA)
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/478
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires

Abstract

An outlet (70, 75, 76, 78, 79) for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter (21, 25) that converts digital data to and from analog video signal. Such an outlet allows using analog video units in a digital data network (80), eliminating the need for a digital video units or external adapter. The outlet may include a hub (31, 41) that allows connecting both an analog video signal via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack (73). The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the analog video adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular telephone service, analog video connectivity, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet would have a standard telephone jack (71), an analog video jack (72) and at least one data networking jack (73). Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation

Claims

1. A video network in a building for carrying a video signal from a video source to a video receiver, said network comprising:

at least two outlets;

pre-existing wiring in at least one wall of the building, said wiring comprising at least two conductors and being connected to said at least two outlets, said at least two conductors comprising one of;

a twisted-wire pair;

a CATV coaxial cable;

a telephone wire pair; and

AC power wiring, and being connected to carry an analog service signal in an analog service signal frequency band, the analog service signal being one of;

a CATV signal;

an analog telephone signal; and

an AC power signal, and being connected to concurrently carry a frequency multiplexed bi-directional serial packet-based digital data signal in a digital data signal frequency band distinct from the analog service signal frequency band, the digital data signal comprising at least one packetized and digitized video data signal; and

a first device connected to said wiring and connectable to an analog video source, said first device being operative to digitize and packetize the analog video signal from the analog video source and to couple the digitized and packetized analog video signal to the wiring; and

a second device connected to said wiring and connectable to an analog video receiver, said second device being operative to convert the digitized and packetized data received from the wiring back into the analog video signal for coupling to the analog video receiver.

2. The network according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second devices is housed in a single enclosure dimensioned to be wall-mountable in a standard outlet receptacle or opening.

3. The network according to claim 1, 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.

4. The network according to claim 1, wherein the digitized and packetized analog video signal is based on standard Ethernet or Internet Protocol.

5. The network according to claim 1, further comprising a gateway coupled between an IP network external to the building and said wiring, said gateway being operative to couple said network to the Internet.

6. A network for coupling first and second digitized video data carried as part of respective first and second bi-directional serial packet-based digital data streams external to a building to respective ones of first and second analog video units in the building, said network comprising:

first wiring comprising two first conductors at least in part in walls of the building and at least in part external to the building, said first wiring being connected to carry the first and second bi-directional serial digital data streams in time-multiplexed form;

second wiring comprising two conductors at least in part in walls of the building, said second wiring being connected to carry the second bi-directional serial packet-based digital data stream;

a first outlet mounted in a wall opening or outlet opening and connected to said first wiring;

a second outlet mounted in a wall opening or outlet opening and connected to said second wiring;

a first device couplable to a first analog video unit and connected to said first outlet for connecting to said first wiring, said first device being connected to said second wiring and being operative to couple the first digitized video data to the first analog video unit and to pass only the second bi-directional serial digital data streams between said first and second wirings; and

a second device couplable to a second analog video unit and connected to said second outlet for connecting to said second wiring, said second device being operative to couple the second digitized video data to the second analog video unit.

7. The network according to claim 6, wherein said first device is attached to said first outlet.

8. The network according to claim 6, wherein said second device is attached to said second outlet.

9. The network according to claim 6, wherein said first wiring further simultaneously carries a service signal using frequency domain multiplexing.

10. The network according to claim 9, wherein the service signal is an analog telephone signal and said first outlet is a telephone outlet.

11. The network according to claim 10, wherein the time-multiplexed first and second serial packet-based digital data is carried over said first wiring using DSL.

12. The network according to claim 6, wherein said second wiring further simultaneously carrying a service signal using frequency domain multiplexing.

13. The network according to claim 12, wherein the service signal is an analog telephone signal and said second outlet is a telephone outlet.

14. A device for coupling a digitized version of analog signals to one or more analog devices, for use with wiring installed in walls of a building and connected for carrying a bi-directional digital data signal and a power signal over the same wires, the digital data signal containing the digitized version of the analog signals, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to the wiring;

a transceiver coupled to said wiring connector for transmitting and receiving the digital data signal carried over the wiring and containing both a digitized version of a first analog signal and a digitized version of a second analog signal;

a first analog connector for receiving the first analog signal in analog form from an analog device;

a second analog connector for transmitting the second analog signal in analog form to an analog device;

an analog to digital converter coupled between said first analog connector and said transceiver and operative for converting the first analog signal from analog form to the digitized version;

a digital to analog converter coupled between said second analog connector and said transceiver and operative for converting the second signal from the digital version to analog form; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said transceiver, said converters and said first and second analog connectors,

wherein said transceiver and said converters are coupled to the wiring in order to be powered by the power signal.

15. The device according to claim 14, 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 opening or cavity; and

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

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the digital data signal is a packet-based signal.

17. The device according to claim 14, further comprising a data compressor coupled between said transceiver and one of said converters for compressing or de-compressing the digital version of the respective analog signal.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the compression is MPEG based.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the analog signals is one of an audio signal and a video signal.

20. The device according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the analog signals is an audio signal and the respective analog connector is an audio connector.

21. The device according to claim 14, wherein the power signal is carried over the same wires concurrently with the digital data signal.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the power signal is carried in a power signal frequency band and the digital data signal is carried in a data signal frequency band using frequency division multiplexing, the data signal frequency band is distinct from the power signal frequency band, and said device further comprises:

a first filter coupled between said wiring connector and said transceiver for passing only the digital data signal; and

a second filter coupled between said wiring connector and for passing only the power signal to at least a part of said device.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the power signal is a DC signal.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein:

said transceiver is a local area network (LAN) transceiver;

the wiring is LAN wiring; and

the power signal is carried using Power over LAN/Ethernet (PoE).

25. The device according to claim 14, wherein said transceiver is operative to perform bi-directional communication with one or more identical transceivers connected to the wiring.

26. The device according to claim 14, wherein the analog signals are analog video signals, and said device further comprises a multi-port packet component consisting of one of a switch, a router and a gateway, said packet sharing means being coupled to pass the digitized version of the analog video signals between said converters and said transceiver.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein:

the bi-directional digital data is serial and packet-based and includes a first digital data signal;

said device is further operative for coupling the first digital data signal to a data unit; and

said device further comprises, in said single enclosure;

a data interface connector connectable to the data unit; and

a second transceiver coupled between said multi-port packet sharing component and said data interface connector for conducting a bi-directional serial digital data communication with the data unit, and

further wherein said multi-port packet sharing component is coupled to pass the first digital data signal between the wiring and said second transceiver.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein communication with the data unit conforms to Ethernet standard or Internet Protocol.

29. The device according to claim 14, wherein said transceiver is operative to perform full-duplex point-to-point communication with only a single other transceiver over the wiring.

30. The device according to claim 14, wherein said device is pluggable into and attachable to an outlet.

31. The device according to claim 14, wherein said single enclosure is structured to attach to a mating fixture secured on a wall of the building.

32. A device for coupling digitized versions of first and second analog signals to one or more analog devices, for use with a wire pair installed in walls in a building and connected for carrying a bi-directional digital data signal carried in a data signal frequency band and a power signal carried in a power signal frequency band using frequency division multiplexing, the data signal frequency band being distinct from the power signal frequency band, and the digital data signal containing the digitized versions of the analog signals, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to the wire pair;

a filter coupled to said wiring connector for passing only the digital data signal;

a wiring modem coupled to said wiring connector for transmitting and receiving the digital data signal carried over the wire pair and containing both the digitized version of the first analog signal and the digitized version of the second analog signal;

a first analog connector for receiving the first analog signal in analog form from an analog device;

a second analog connector for transmitting the second analog signal in analog form to an analog device;

an analog to digital converter coupled between said first analog connector and said wiring modem and operative for converting the first analog signal in analog form to the digitized version of the first analog signal;

a digital to analog converter coupled between said second analog connector and said wiring modem and operative for converting the digitized version of the second analog signal to the second analog signal in analog form; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said filter, said wiring modem, said first and second analog connector and said converters.

33. The device according to claim 32, 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 opening or cavity; and

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

34. The device according to claim 32, wherein the digital data signal is a packet-based signal.

35. The device according to claim 32, further comprising a compressor coupled between said wiring modem and at least one of said converters for compressing or de-compressing the digitized version of the respective analog signal.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein the compression performed by said compressor is MPEG based.

37. The device according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the analog signals is one of an audio signal and a video signal.

38. The device according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the analog signals is an audio signal and the respective analog connector is an audio connector.

39. The device according to claim 32, wherein said device is further operative for coupling at least part of the digital data signal to a data unit, and said device further comprises, in said single enclosure:

a data connector connectable to the data unit; and

a multiport unit constituting one of;

a hub;

a switch;

a router; and

a gateway, said multiport unit being coupled to said wiring modem and to at least one of said converters.

40. The device according to claim 38, wherein communication with the data unit conforms to Ethernet standard or Internet Protocol.

41. The device according to claim 32, wherein the data signal frequency band is above the power signal frequency band, and wherein said filter is a high pass filter.

42. The device according to claim 32, wherein said wiring modem is operative to perform full-duplex point-to-point communication with only a single other modem over the wire pair.

43. The device according to claim 32, wherein said device is pluggable into and attachable to an outlet.

44. The device according to claim 32, wherein said single enclosure is structured to attach to a mating fixture secured on a wall of the building.