System for allowing a single device to share multiple transmission lines

• US 7,305,006 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Netgear Holdings Ltd. (NETGEAR, Inc.), NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Westell Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Bella, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman; Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US10/225,947
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 370/494, 370/495
• US Class Current: 370/463
• 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 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end

Abstract

A front end, such as can be used in a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network, may connected to a plurality of transmission lines. Each of the plurality of transmission lines may connected to one or more devices, such as a plain old telephone service device or an asynchronous digital subscriber line device. Devices connected to different transmission lines may then communicate with each other over the Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network.

Claims

1. A system for connecting devices via multiple transmission lines, the system comprising:

a front end of a home networking device, wherein the front end includes a filter without a blocking capacitance;

a first transmission line connected to the front end via a first blocking capacitance, wherein the first blocking capacitance is external to the front end;

a first user device connected to the first transmission line;

a second transmission line connected to the front end via a second blocking capacitance, wherein the second blocking capacitance is external to the front end; and

a second user device connected to the second transmission line.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first subscriber line interface circuit connected to the first transmission line; and

a second subscriber line interface circuit connected to the second transmission line.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first subscriber line interface circuit connects to the first transmission line through at least a first inductor, and wherein the second subscriber line interface circuit connects to the second transmission line through at least a second inductor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a subscriber line interface circuit connected to the first transmission line; and

a network interface device connected to the second transmission line.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit connects to the first transmission line through at least one inductor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device is a plain old telephone service device, and wherein the second user device is a plain old telephone service device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device is a plain old telephone service device, and wherein the second user device is an asynchronous digital subscriber line device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second transmission lines are twisted-pair transmission lines, wherein the first blocking capacitance comprises a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and wherein the second blocking capacitance comprises a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first, second, third and fourth capacitors have capacitances of approximately 3300 pF.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first, second, third and fourth capacitors have capacitances of approximately 2200 pF.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device connects to the first transmission line through at least one connector, and wherein the second user device connects to the second transmission line through at least one other connector.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device and the second user device communicate using a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device and the second user device communicate using a Homeplug network.

14. A system of connecting multiple transmission lines in a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network, the system comprising:

a front end of a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance device, wherein the front end provides connectivity to a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network, and wherein the front end includes a filter without a blocking capacitance;

a first transmission line, wherein the first transmission line connects to the front end via a first blocking capacitance, wherein the first blocking capacitance is external to the front end, wherein the first transmission line connects to a first user device, and wherein the first transmission line is a twisted-pair transmission line; and

a second transmission line, wherein the second transmission line connects to the front end via a second blocking capacitance, wherein the second blocking capacitance is external to the front end, wherein the second transmission line connects to a second user device, and wherein the second transmission line is a twisted-pair transmission line.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first subscriber line interface circuit connected to the first transmission line; and

a second subscriber line interface circuit connected to the second transmission line.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first subscriber line interface circuit connects to the first transmission line through at least a first inductor, and wherein the second subscriber line interface circuit connects to the second transmission line through at least a second inductor.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a subscriber line interface circuit connected to the first transmission line; and

a network interface device connected to the second transmission line.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit connects to the first transmission line through at least one inductor.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the first user device is a plain old telephone service device, and wherein the second user device is a plain old telephone service device.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first user device is a plain old telephone service device, and wherein the second user device is an asynchronous digital subscriber line device.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the first blocking capacitance comprises a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and wherein the second blocking capacitance comprises a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first, second, third and fourth capacitors have capacitances of approximately 3300 pF.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the first, second, third and fourth capacitors have capacitances of approximately 2200 pF.