Combined signal and electrical power distribution system
First Claim
1. A combined signal and electric power distribution system comprising:
- a signal and power distribution center connected with the signal transmission lines of a telephone utility company as well as with the electric power lines of an electric utility company;
a combined signal and power conducting means connected with the signal and power distribution center, and thereby also with said signal transmission lines and electric power lines;
the combined signal and power conducting means including a set of signal conductor means as well as a set of main power conductor means;
the combined signal and power conducting means being operative to permit, at each of plural connection-points disposed at spaced-apart locations therealong, access operative via a connect means to provide for connection with said signal transmission lines and/or said electric power lines; and
plural signal and/or power utilization means, each having a connect means by which it is connected with said combined signal and power conducting means at one of said connection-points.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a combined telephone and electric power distribution system, both telephone signals and electric power are distributed by way of a common distribution system wherein signal conducting means (such as optical fibers) and electric power conducting means are routed alongside each other to/from various utilization points, such as to/from a telephone instrument, a computer, an electric lighting fixture and/or a power receptacle. At some of these utilization points, telephone signal receptacles are provided alongside electric power receptacles. At other points, the signal conducting means is terminated in a radio transceiver and wireless signal radiation/receiving means. In a typical situation, such a transceiver has its antenna mounted at or near a ceiling lighting fixture; which radio antenna interacts with some other transceiver combined with a telephone and/or other information-handling apparatus located nearby. In addition to being used for transmitting telephone and/or other information signals, the signal conducting means is used for controlling the flow and/or usage of electric power, such as control of light from individual lighting fixtures, for distributed protection against electrical circuit overload and/or fire hazards. Also included is a provision for supplying uninterruptible power to selected utilization points.
136 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A combined signal and electric power distribution system comprising:
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a signal and power distribution center connected with the signal transmission lines of a telephone utility company as well as with the electric power lines of an electric utility company; a combined signal and power conducting means connected with the signal and power distribution center, and thereby also with said signal transmission lines and electric power lines;
the combined signal and power conducting means including a set of signal conductor means as well as a set of main power conductor means;
the combined signal and power conducting means being operative to permit, at each of plural connection-points disposed at spaced-apart locations therealong, access operative via a connect means to provide for connection with said signal transmission lines and/or said electric power lines; andplural signal and/or power utilization means, each having a connect means by which it is connected with said combined signal and power conducting means at one of said connection-points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In a building, a combined signal and electric power distribution system comprising:
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a central signal/power distribution means including;
(i) a signal processing means having a signal input/output terminal means; and
(ii) a main power distribution panel having a main power output terminal means at which is provided ordinary AC power line voltage;plural spaced-apart signal/power utilization means;
each signal/power utilization means having;
(i) a signal utilizing means operative to generate and/or use a signal;
(ii) a load means operative to utilize electric power; and
(iii) a connect means; anda combined signal/power transmission line having;
(i) a set of signal conductor means connected with the signal input/output terminal means; and
(ii) a set of main power conductor means connected with the power output terminal means;the combined signal/power transmission line extending from the central signal/power distribution means to each of the plural spaced-apart signal/power utilization means; each of the plural signal/power utilization means being connected, via its associated connect means, with the signal conductor means and the main power conductor means. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. In a building having plural rooms, a combined signal and electric power distribution system comprising:
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central signal/power processing and distribution means including;
(i) central signal processing means operative to receive and deliver signals at a signal input/output terminal means; and
(ii) central power distribution panel connected with an electric utility power line and operative to provide ordinary AC power line voltage at a main power output terminal means;plural signal/power utilization means;
each signal/power utilization means having;
(i) a signal utilizing means operative to generate and/or to use a signal;
(ii) a power utilizing means operative to use electric power; and
(iii) a connect means; anda combined signal/power transmission line having;
(i) a set of signal conductor means connected with the input/output terminal means; and
(ii) a set of main power conductor means connected with the power output terminal means;the signal/power transmission line extending to each of the plural signal/power utilization means;
each if which being connected with the combined signal/power transmission line by way of its connect means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. In a building having plural rooms, a lighting and signal-distribution/processing system comprising:
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a combination power source and information processing entity having a main power output, a main signal input port, and a main signal output port;
an AC voltage from an ordinary electric utility power line being provided at the main power output;
a signal processing means being connected between the main signal input port and the main signal output port;plural lighting fixtures, each having connect means; and a combined signal/power transmission cable extending to each of the lighting fixtures and including a power conductor means and a signal conductor means;
each lighting fixture being connected with the combined signal/power transmission cable by way of its connect means;
the signal conductor means having an input end connected with the main signal output port and an output end connected with the main signal input port;
the power conductor means being connected with the main power output;whereby the lighting fixtures are powered via the power conductor means and controlled, as to their light output, by way the signal conductor means. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A power distribution system comprising:
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a source means operative to provide at a pair of main output terminals a power line voltage from an electric utility power line;
the source means including a circuit breaker means operative, a brief period after having received an actuation signal at an actuation input, to stop any flow of current from the main output terminals;cable means having a pair of main power conductors connected with the main output terminals; and plural loads disposed at spaced-apart locations along the cable means;
each load being connected across the main power conductors by way of a current sensing means;
each current sensing means being operative to produce a signal output commensurate with the magnitude of the current drawn by its associated load means; andcommunication means connected in circuit between each current sensing means and the actuation input;
the communication means being operative to convey information from each current sensing means to the actuation input in regard to the magnitude of the current drawn by each load;whereby the actuation signal will be provided if at any time substantially more current were to flow from the main output terminals than were drawn by all the plural loads in combination. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification