Method and Apparatus for a Hub in Daisy Chain Configuration

• US 20110134792A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steven Jay Goldstein, Uponor Innovation AB (Uponor Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Uponor Innovation AB (Uponor Oyj)
• Inventors: Kasian, Chris Edwin, Kwong, Robert Christopher, Perrin, William Andrew, Nichols, Glenn William, Andersson, Jan Olof, Rossner, Trevor Lewis, Lemon, Jason John, Wiedemann, Jeffrey Paul, Lockhart, Kenneth John, Grauer, Logan Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/719,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134792A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A connector hub comprising a number of cable interfaces is used to allow a number of network devices connected to a network to be connected in a free-form manner, yet still maintain a daisy chain configuration. A cable comprising at least two conductors, wherein the conductors are preferably a twisted pair of copper wire, is used to connect each of the network devices to a cable interface on the connector hub, so that each network device only has a single cable connected to it. The connector hub connects a master or primary network device to the network devices connected by a cable to the cable interfaces of the connector in a daisy chain configuration.

Claims

1. A master network device for creating a network in a daisy chain configuration, the master network device comprising:

a network component configured to operate on a daisy chain network and comprising an output port and an input port for connection to the daisy chain network; and

a connector hub operative to connect a plurality of network devices in a daisy chain network with cables, wherein each cable comprises two conductors, the connector hub comprising;

a plurality of sequential cable interfaces including a first cable interface and a last cable interface, each cable interface comprising a pair of conductor connectors, each conductor connector operative to connect one conductor of a connected cable to a connecting circuit;

wherein the connecting circuit is configured such that;

one of the conductor connectors of the first cable interface is connected to the output port of the network component and the other of the conductor connectors of the first cable interface is connected to one of the conductor connectors of a next cable interface;

the other of the conductor connectors of the next cable interface is connected to one of the conductor connectors of a succeeding cable interface, and

conductor connectors of the subsequent succeeding cable interfaces are connected sequentially in the same manner; and

the other of the conductor connectors of the last cable interface is connected to the input port of the network component.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each conductor connector of each cable interface is operative to connect to a conductor that is a twisted wire pair.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the cable interfaces is operative to connect to a category 5 cable.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one cable interface comprises a socket adapted to receive a plug attached to an end of a cable, and wherein inserting the plug into the socket connects the conductors of the cable to the conductor connectors of the at least one cable interface.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the plug and socket conform to the RJ45 standard.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the network component is configured to operate on a network using the RS 485 standard.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the network component comprises a second network connection operative to connect to a second network and the network component is operative to act as bridge from the second network to the daisy chain network.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the network connection is an Ethernet connection.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the network connection is a wireless connection.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the network connection is an internet connection.

11. A daisy chain network comprising a master network device according to claim 1, and at least two network devices, wherein:

each network device is operative to communicate as a node in a daisy chain network; and

each network device is operatively connected by a cable to a cable interface of the master network device.

12. The network of claim 11 wherein each of the cable interfaces of the master network device not connected to a cable has a shorting plug inserted in the cable interface.

13. A daisy chain network comprising a master network device according to claim 1, and at least two network devices, wherein:

each network device is operative to communicate as a node in a daisy chain network;

each network device is operatively connected by a cable to one of a cable interface of the master network device and a connector device; and

wherein each cable interface of each connector device is connected by a cable to one of a network device and another connector device.

14. The network of claim 13 wherein each of the cable interfaces of the master network device not connected to a cable has a shorting plug inserted in the cable interface.

15. A connector hub to connect a plurality of network devices in a daisy chain network with cables, wherein each cable comprises two conductors, the connector hub comprising:

a connecting circuit;

a primary network device interface comprising a pair of conductor connectors, each conductor connector operative to connect a conductor to the connecting circuit; and

a plurality of sequential cable interfaces including a first cable interface and a last cable interface, each cable interface comprising a pair of conductor connectors, each conductor connector operative to connect one conductor of a connected cable to the connecting circuit;

wherein the connecting circuit is configured such that;

one of the conductor connectors of the first cable interface is connected to one of the conductor connectors of the primary network device interface and the other of the conductor connectors of the first cable interface is connected to one of the conductor connectors of a next cable interface and the other of the conductor connectors of the next cable interface is connected to one of the conductor connectors of a succeeding cable interface;

conductor connectors of the subsequent succeeding cable interfaces are connected sequentially in the same manner; and

the other of the conductor connectors of the last cable interface is connected to the other conductor connector of the primary network device interface.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein each conductor connector of each cable interface is operative to connect to a conductor that is a twisted wire pair.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the cable interfaces is operative to connect to a category 5 cable.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein at least one cable interface comprises a socket adapted to receive a plug attached to an end of a cable, and wherein inserting the plug into the socket connects the conductors of the cable to the conductor connectors of the at least one cable interface.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the plug and socket conform to the RJ45 standard.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the network component is configured to operate on a network using the RS 485 standard.

21. A daisy chain network comprising:

a connector hub according to claim 15;

a primary network device; and

at least two network devices, wherein;

the primary network device and each network device are operative to communicate as a node in a daisy chain network;

the primary network device is operatively connected to the primary network device interface of the connector hub; and

each network device is operatively connected by a cable to a cable interface of the connector device.

22. The network of claim 21 wherein each of the cable interfaces of the connector hub not connected to a cable has a shorting plug inserted in the cable interface.

23. A daisy chain network comprising:

a connector hub according to claim 15;

a primary network device; and

at least two network devices, wherein;

the primary network device and each network device are operative to communicate as a node in a daisy chain network;

the primary network device is operatively connected to the primary network device interface of the connector hub;

each network device is operatively connected by a cable to one of a cable interface of the master network device or a connector device; and

wherein each cable interface of each connector device is connected by a cable to one of a network device and another connector device.

24. The network of claim 23 wherein each of the cable interfaces of the master network device not connected to a cable has a shorting plug inserted in the cable interface.