Wall mountable mixed media outlet
First Claim
1. A mixed media outlet capable of being mounted upon a wall, the mixed media outlet comprising:
- a housing adapted to be wall mounted;
first and second ports, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for receiving respective electrical connectors, each port including a plurality of electrically conductive elements;
an electro-optic converter positioned within said housing for converting between electrical and optical signals, said electro-optic converter disposed in electrical communication with at least some of the electrically conductive elements of said first port; and
a fiber port, disposed within said housing and in optical communication with said electro-optic converter, for establishing communications between an optical fiber within the wall and at least some of the electrically conductive elements of said first port.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mixed media outlet is provided that is capable of being mounted upon a wall and that includes ports that are typically designed to provide separate access to an electrical network and to an optical network. The wall mounted outlet can therefore permit a telephone to be connected to the electrical network, and a computer to be connected to the optical network. Alternatively, the outlet can permit a telephone to also be connected to either the same or a different optical network than the computer. The mixed media outlet includes a housing adapted to be wall mounted and first and second ports that are disposed within openings defined by the housing, such as a data port and a voice port. The mixed media outlet also includes an electro-optic converter connected to the first port for converting between electrical and optical signals such that electrical signals presented at the first port are converted to corresponding optical signals for transmission to an optical network and optical signals delivered by an optical fiber are converted to electrical signals for transmission via the first port to a computer, for example. The mixed media outlet can also include a fiber port for optically interfacing the optical fiber and the electro-optic converter in order to permit optical communication therebetween. While the fiber port can be in the same plane as the data and voice ports, the fiber port can lie in a different plane in some embodiments. Further, the mixed media outlet can include a protective subhousing covering at least the electro-optic converter for protecting the electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A mixed media outlet capable of being mounted upon a wall, the mixed media outlet comprising:
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a housing adapted to be wall mounted;
first and second ports, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for receiving respective electrical connectors, each port including a plurality of electrically conductive elements;
an electro-optic converter positioned within said housing for converting between electrical and optical signals, said electro-optic converter disposed in electrical communication with at least some of the electrically conductive elements of said first port; and
a fiber port, disposed within said housing and in optical communication with said electro-optic converter, for establishing communications between an optical fiber within the wall and at least some of the electrically conductive elements of said first port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
a base capable of being mounted to an electrical outlet box, said base defining an opening through which the optical fiber and a conductive element that are located within the wall enter the mixed media outlet; and
a cover mounted to said base.
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4. A mixed media outlet according to claim 3 wherein said base comprises at least one fiber guide for guiding the optical fiber from said fiber port to the opening defined by said base.
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5. A mixed media outlet according to claim 4 wherein at least one side of both said base and said cover is curved to permit the optical fiber to be guided from said fiber port to the opening defined by said base without bending the optical fiber more sharply than a predetermined minimum bend radius.
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6. A mixed media outlet according to claim 3 wherein said cover comprises first and second portions, the first portion of said cover enclosing an active section of the mixed media outlet including said first port, said electro-optic converter and said fiber port, the second portion of said cover enclosing a passive section of the mixed media outlet including said second port.
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7. A mixed media outlet according to claim 1 further comprising a protective subhousing covering at least said electro-optic converter for protecting said electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference, said protective subhousing defining openings through which said first port and said fiber port are exposed.
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8. A mixed media outlet according to claim 7 wherein said protective subhousing is hingedly connected to at least a portion of said housing.
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9. A mixed media outlet according to claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said first port, said electro-optic converter and said fiber port are mounted upon only one side of said printed circuit board.
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10. A mixed media outlet according to claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said first port, said electro-optic converter and said fiber port are mounted upon first and second opposed sides of said printed circuit board.
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11. A mixed media outlet according to claim 1 further comprising a power port for receiving electrical power from a source outside of the wall.
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12. A mixed media outlet according to claim 1 further comprising a terminal block for establishing electrical connection with a conductive element within the wall that supplies electrical power.
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13. A mixed media outlet capable of being mounted upon a wall, the mixed media outlet comprising:
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a housing adapted to be wall mounted;
a voice port, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for connecting voice transmission elements located within and outside of the wall and for passing voice signals therebetween;
a data port, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for establishing electrical connection with a conductive element capable of transmitting data signals; and
an electro-optic converter positioned within said housing for converting between electrical and optical signals, said electro-optic converter interposed between the data port and an optical fiber within the wall such that the optical fiber and the conductive element that is capable of transmitting data signals can be interconnected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
a base capable of being mounted to an electrical outlet box, said base defining an opening through which the optical fiber and the conductive element that are located within the wall enter the mixed media outlet; and
a cover mounted to said base.
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19. A mixed media outlet according to claim 18 wherein said base comprises at least one fiber guide for guiding the optical fiber within the mixed media outlet to the opening defined by said base.
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20. A mixed media outlet according to claim 19 wherein at least one side of both said base and said cover is curved to permit the optical fiber to be guided to the opening defined by said base without bending the optical fiber more sharply than a predetermined minimum bend radius.
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21. A mixed media outlet according to claim 18 wherein said cover comprises first and second portions, the first portion of said cover enclosing an active section of the mixed media outlet including said data port and said electro-optic converter, the second portion of said cover enclosing a passive section of the mixed media outlet including said voice port.
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22. A mixed media outlet according to claim 13 further comprising a protective subhousing covering at least said electro-optic converter for protecting said electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference, said protective subhousing defining an opening through which said data port is exposed.
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23. A mixed media outlet according to claim 22 wherein said protective subhousing is hingedly connected to at least a portion of said housing.
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24. A mixed media outlet according to claim 13 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said data port and said electro-optic converter are mounted upon only one side of said printed circuit board.
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25. A mixed media outlet according to claim 13 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said data port and said electro-optic converter are mounted upon first and second opposed sides of said printed circuit board.
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26. A mixed media outlet according to claim 13 further comprising a power port for receiving electrical power from a source outside of the wall.
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27. A mixed media outlet according to claim 13 further comprising a terminal block for establishing electrical connection with a conductive element within the wall that supplies electrical power.
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28. A mixed media outlet capable of being mounted upon a wall, the mixed media outlet comprising:
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a housing adapted to be wall mounted;
first and second ports, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for receiving respective connectors;
a fiber port, disposed within said housing, for establishing communications between an optical fiber within the wall; and
an electro-optic converter positioned within said housing for converting between electrical signals received via at least one of said first and second ports and optical signals received via said fiber port, wherein said fiber port and at least one of said first and second ports are disposed in different imaginary planes. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
a base capable of being mounted to an electrical outlet box, said base defining an opening through which the optical fiber and a conductive element that are located within the wall enter the mixed media outlet; and
a cover mounted to said base.
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31. A mixed media outlet according to claim 28 further comprising a protective subhousing covering at least said electro-optic converter for protecting said electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference, said protective subhousing defining openings through which said first port and said fiber port are exposed.
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32. A mixed media outlet according to claim 28 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said first port, said electro-optic converter and said fiber port are mounted upon said printed circuit board, and wherein said first port and said fiber port are mounted upon opposed sides of said printed circuit board.
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33. An outlet capable of being mounted upon a wall, the outlet comprising:
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a housing adapted to be wall mounted;
first and second ports, disposed within an opening defined by said housing, for receiving respective connectors;
an electro-optic converter positioned within said housing for converting between electrical and optical signals, said electro-optic converter interposed between the first port and an optical fiber within the wall such that the optical fiber and at least some electrically conductive elements of said first port can be interconnected; and
a protective subhousing covering at least said electro-optic converter for protecting said electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
a base capable of being mounted to an electrical outlet box, said base defining an opening through which the optical fiber and the conductive elements that are located within the wall enter the mixed media outlet; and
a cover mounted to said base.
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37. An outlet according to claim 36 wherein said base comprises at least one fiber guide for guiding the optical fiber within the mixed media outlet to the opening defined by said base.
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38. An outlet according to claim 37 wherein at least one side of both said base and said cover is curved to permit the optical fiber to be guided to the opening defined by said base without bending the optical fiber more sharply than a predetermined minimum bend radius.
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39. An outlet according to claim 36 wherein said cover comprises first and second portions, the first portion of said cover enclosing an active section of the mixed media outlet including said first port and said electro-optic converter, the second portion of said cover enclosing a passive section of the mixed media outlet including said second port.
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40. An outlet according to claim 33 wherein said protective subhousing is hingedly connected to at least a portion of said housing.
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41. An outlet according to claim 33 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said first port and said electro-optic converter are mounted upon only one side of said printed circuit board.
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42. An outlet according to claim 33 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein components including said first port and said electro-optic converter are mounted upon first and second opposed sides of said printed circuit board.
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43. An outlet according to claim 33 further comprising a power port for receiving electrical power from a source outside of the wall.
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44. An outlet according to claim 33 further comprising a terminal block for establishing electrical connection with a conductive element within the wall that supplies electrical power.
Specification