Single medium wiring scheme for multiple signal distribution in building and access port therefor
DCFirst Claim
1. An in-house signal distribution system including:
- a main input node mounted in a structure and taking at least one external signal and converting the at least one external signal to addressed data packets conveyed in a packet stream to at least one access node, each access node having a unique node address;
each access node being an access port including a main module mounted in a wall of the structure and further including;
a main module connector connected to the packet stream;
at least one physical medium connector connected to the main module and arranged for connection to at least one device that can receive respective ones of the at least one signal distributed by the in-house signal distribution network;
a packet handler that picks packets addressed to the access node from the packet stream; and
the packet handler converting the picked packets back to their respective ones of the at least one signal and sending the respective ones of the at least one signal to a respective physical medium connector of the access node; and
a packet stream distributor carrying the packet stream from the main input node output port to each access node main module connector.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
Intended primarily for use within a residential or commercial structure, an access node or access port has physical connectors for a variety of signal-receiving and -transmitting devices and includes apparatus that allow all of the signals used by the devices to be carried by as few as one or two conduits. The conduits can be fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, twister pair wiring, radio frequency broadcasts, or any other signal-carrying medium. The signals are converted to and from addressed data packets carried in a packet stream over the conduits. If the conduits are fiber optic cables or other non-conductor media, a media converter is included. A central node or node zero receives signals from outside the structure and converts them to addressed data packets, then sends the data packets over the conduit(s) as the packet stream. The access nodes take packets addressed to them and convert the packets back into the original signals, then feed the signals to appropriate connectors on the access nodes. The central node can also take packets from the access nodes and convert them into signals for transmission externally of the structure to, for example, service providers. Additionally, the central node can send packets from one access node to other access nodes for internode communication, allowing computer networking, remote use of devices connected to the access nodes, and configuration of the central node from devices connected to the access nodes.
179 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An in-house signal distribution system including:
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a main input node mounted in a structure and taking at least one external signal and converting the at least one external signal to addressed data packets conveyed in a packet stream to at least one access node, each access node having a unique node address; each access node being an access port including a main module mounted in a wall of the structure and further including; a main module connector connected to the packet stream; at least one physical medium connector connected to the main module and arranged for connection to at least one device that can receive respective ones of the at least one signal distributed by the in-house signal distribution network; a packet handler that picks packets addressed to the access node from the packet stream; and the packet handler converting the picked packets back to their respective ones of the at least one signal and sending the respective ones of the at least one signal to a respective physical medium connector of the access node; and a packet stream distributor carrying the packet stream from the main input node output port to each access node main module connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A packet stream decoding access node being an access port of an in-house digital network and including apparatus that receives addressed data packets from a packet stream carried by a packet stream distributor and converts the addressed data packets into signals usable by devices connected to physical medium connectors of the access node, the apparatus of the access node further including:
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a main module connector of the access node mounted on a main module of the access node and arranged to receive the packet stream from the packet stream distributor, an installed physical medium connector being connected to the main module and arranged for connection to a respective device that can receive a respective one of the signals distributed by the in-house digital network as a respective portion of the packet stream; and a packet handling system connected to the main module connector that extracts from the packet stream data packets addressed to one of the access node and a device connected to the access node, the packet handling system including a decoder that decodes the extracted data packets into a signal and sends the signal to a physical medium connector connected to the main module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. In an in-house signal distribution system, an access node of the in-house signal distribution system that is an access port of the in-house signal distribution system and includes:
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a main module mounted in a communications box of a structure in which the in-house signal distribution system is installed; a main module connector mounted on the main module and connected to a packet stream of the in-house signal distribution system, the packet stream including addressed data packets that carry respective portions of at least one signal distributed by the in-house signal distribution network; at least one physical medium connector connected to the main module and arranged for connection to at least one device that can receive respective ones of the at least one signal distributed by the in-house distribution network; a packet handler that picks packets for the access node from the packet stream; the packet handler converting the picked packets back to their respective ones of the at least one signal and sending the respective ones of the at least one signal to a respective physical medium connector of the access node; and a packet stream distributor carrying the packet stream to the access node main module connector. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. In an access port mounted in a communications box recessed within a wall, the access port being an access node of an in-house signal distribution network and including:
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an electronic device mounted on a main module and including a packet handler receiving a packet stream that includes addressed data packets, the packet handler taking from the packet stream data packets addressed to the access node; a first converter of the electronic device in communication with the packet handler that discerns what type of signal each data packet represents, converts the data packet to its signal type, and sends the signal to a connector arranged to receive the signal; and the connector being supported on the main module with one end being accessible from within the communications box for connection to the electronic device and another end being accessible from without the communications box for connection to an external device by a user. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A packet stream decoding access node being an access port of an in-house digital network and including apparatus that receives addressed data packets from a packet stream carried by a packet stream distributor and converts the addressed data packets into signals usable by devices connected to physical medium connectors of the access node, the apparatus of the access node further including:
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a main module connector of the access node mounted on a main module of the access node and arranged to receive the packet stream from the packet stream distributor; a packet handling system connected to the main module connector that extracts from the packet stream data packets addressed to one of the access node and a device connected to the access node, the packet handling system including a decoder that decodes the extracted data packets into a signal and sends the signal to a physical medium connector connected to the main module; and wherein the packet handling system sends an acknowledgment signal via the packet stream distributor when an addressed data packet has been successfully extracted from the packet stream.
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Specification