Ghost network built using data transmission via phantom mode

• US 7,447,191 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Le Creff, Michel, Gass, Raymond, Mouton, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US10/222,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 370201-286, 370352-396, 370465-493, 370501-502, 370401-463, 379322-325, 379399-413, 375222-258, 709/221
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/20 using different combinations of lines, e.g. phantom working

Abstract

A power supply distributor permits to broadcast data received in phantom mode at one of its port to at least few of the other ports such that the respective apparatus connected to the power supply distributor will receive them. The power supply distributor includes modems for at least few of the communications links, while the modems are connected between each other through a multiplexer. Optionally, the multiplexer is setup with a switching function. This enables advantageously to select the ports to which received data in phantom mode will be forwarded allowing to buildup a communications link between different apparatus, such link being based solely on transmission of data in phantom mode. Such links can be setup in a bi-directional modus between at least two apparatus. A ghost network is designed which is mapped on an existing network and based on transmission of data in a phantom mode.

Claims

1. A power supply distributor comprising:

a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via the respective communications link of the apparatuses while at least a few of said ports are connected at their respective medium data interface to a power supply,

wherein said power supply distributor comprises modems connected to at least a few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in a phantom mode via the respective communications link of the apparatuses,

wherein said modems are connected between each other through a multiplexer;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.

2. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein at least a few of said ports are connectable to a network element.

3. Power supply distributor according to claim 2, comprising said network element.

4. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, comprising a bus connected to a CPU and to said multiplexer.

5. Power supply distributor according to claim 4, wherein said modems are also connected to said bus allowing to be controlled as said multiplexer by said CPU.

6. Power supply distributor according to claim 4, wherein said ports are connected at their respective medium data interface to said bus.

7. Power supply distributor according to claim 6, wherein a port is dedicated for an apparatus to control said CPU.

8. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is setup to broadcast data received from a modem to other modems.

9. Power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is setup with a switching function allowing to select the modems for the broadcast of the received data.

10. Power supply distributor according to claim 9, wherein said multiplexer is setup to permit a bi-directional transmission of data in phantom mode via at least a communication link using the modem connected to its corresponding medium data interface.

20. The power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein the phantom mode permits a transmission of a phantom mode data and an Ethernet data.

21. The power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein a power supply comprises a power patch panel (PPP) comprising a local power and a circuitry for remote power injection over the phantom mode.

22. The power supply distributor according to claim 1, wherein the few of said ports are connected at their respective medium data interface to the power supply via a first electrical link.

23. The power supply distributor according to claim 22, wherein the modems are connected to the at least few of said medium data interfaces via at least one second electrical link.

11. Method for transmitting data in a phantom mode using at least a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via the respective communications links of the apparatuses, modems connected to at least few of the respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving data in phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via the communication link of the apparatus;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of said port receiving data in phantom mode;

forwarding said data to said multiplexer to be broadcast to other connected modems; and

forwarding said broadcast data by the modems to the medium data interface of the corresponding ports to be further transmittable in the phantom mode via communication links to apparatuses connected to the corresponding ports;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein at least a few of the ports are connected at their respective medium data interface to a power supply allowing a remote powering via a communication link of the apparatus to be connected to the ports.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein said multiplexer will be controlled from a local management to be connected at a specific port of said power supply distributor, said port being directly in connection with said multiplexer.

15. Method according to claim 13, wherein the multiplexer will be remotely controlled by an apparatus via a communication link to be connected to a port of said power supply distributor.

16. Method according to claim 14, wherein said multiplexer will be controlled via a CPU connected to the multiplexer and to said port.

12. Method for transmitting data in a phantom mode using at least a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via the respective communications links of the apparatuses, modems connected to at least few of a respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other while said multiplexer comprises switching functions, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving data in the phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via its communication link;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of the port receiving the data in the phantom mode;

forwarding said data to said multiplexer;

selecting by said multiplexer using said switching function at least a modem to further transmit said data; and

forwarding said data by the selected modem to the medium data interface of the corresponding port to be further transmittable in phantom mode via a communication link to the apparatus connected to the corresponding port;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.

17. A network comprising:

a plurality of interconnected nodes with at least a power supply distributor at one of the plurality of interconnected nodes,

wherein said power supply distributor comprises a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via their respective communications link and at least a few of said ports being connected at their respective medium data interface to a power supply,

wherein said power supply distributor comprises modems connected to at least a few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in a phantom mode via a respective communications link, while said modems being connected between each other through a multiplexer allowing broadcasting data in the phantom mode to at least two different communications links;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.

18. A network comprising:

a plurality of interconnected nodes with at least a power supply distributor at one of the plurality of interconnected nodes,

wherein said power supply distributor comprises a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via their respective communications link and at least few of said ports being connected at the respective medium data interface of the ports to a power supply,

wherein said power supply distributor comprises modems connected to at least a few of said medium data interfaces to process data transmitted in a phantom mode via a respective communications link, while said modems are connected between each other through a multiplexer setup with a switching function allowing to select at least a communications link to which the data will be forwarded;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.

19. A method to design a network based on the use of a phantom mode for transmission of data on at least a part of links connecting a plurality of different nodes of said network while said data in the phantom mode will be switched at specific links using a power supply distributor comprising a plurality of ports for the connection of apparatuses via the respective communications link of the apparatuses, modems connected to at least a few of the respective medium data interface of said ports and a multiplexer connecting said modems between each other while said multiplexer comprising switching functions, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving the data in the phantom mode at a port from an apparatus via the communication link of the apparatus;

processing said data by the modem connected to the medium data interface of the port receiving signals in the phantom mode;

transmitting said data to said multiplexer;

selecting by said multiplexer using said switching function at least a modem to further transmit said data;

transmitting said data by the selected modem to the medium data interface of the corresponding port to be further transmittable in the phantom mode via a communications link to the apparatus connected to the corresponding port;

wherein the transmitting data in the phantom mode comprises modulating a power signal to provide a bi-directional out-of-band channel;

wherein the transmitting of data in the phantom mode generates a plesiochronous ghost network; and

wherein the data transmitted in phantom mode overlays Ethernet data.