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

• US 20110096778A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Original Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Application Number:
  US12/986,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096778A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• 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 device comprising:

a video camera for producing video data;

a processor coupled to the video camera for compressing the video data into compressed video data;

a transceiver coupled to the processor for full-duplex communication of digital data with a Local Area Network (LAN), at least part of the digital data representing the compressed video data;

a LAN connector coupled to the transceiver and couplable to the LAN; and

a single enclosure housing the video camera, the processor, the transceiver, and the LAN connector,

the device being addressable in the LAN; and

the device being configured to be powered by a power signal received from the LAN.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is a modem.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the digital data comprises packet-based digital data.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the digital data comprises IP-based digital data.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the power signal comprises a DC power signal carried over the LAN concurrently with the digital data.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the DC power signal and the digital data are carried concurrently using frequency division multiplexing.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a splitter operative to:

receive the DC power signal and the digital data carried concurrently; and

separately output the digital data and the DC power signal via separate output ports.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a power supply coupled to the splitter for receiving the DC power signal, and wherein at least one power-consuming component of the device is connected to be powered by the power signal via the power supply.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising an audio source for producing audio data for communication with the LAN.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the audio data is an analog audio data,

the device further comprising an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog audio data to a digitized audio data for communication with the LAN.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising an audio target for receiving audio data from the LAN.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a multi-port packet-based unit including one of:

a hub;

a switch;

a router; and

a gateway, the multi-port packet-based unit being coupled to the video camera, the audio source, and the audio target to provide data communication with the transceiver via the multi-port packet-based unit.

13. The device of claim 3, wherein communication of the packet-based digital data is based on the IEEE802.3 Ethernet standard.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one further data connector for connecting to a device outside the single enclosure; and

a multi-port packet-based unit including one of;

a hub;

a switch;

a router; and

a gateway, the multi-port packet-based unit being coupled to the video camera and the at least one further data connector to provide data communication with the transceiver via the multi-port packet-based unit.