Telephone communication system and method over local area network wiring
First Claim
1. A device for coupling local area network packet-based digital data signals between first and second network cables each having first and second wire pairs, the first and second wire pairs of the first cable also defining a phantom channel for carrying a first signal, the device comprising:
- a first signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding having a center-tap connection, said first signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals;
a second signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding having a center-tap connection, said second signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals;
a first local area network connector having a first contact pair coupled to said primary winding of said first signal transformer, and a second contact pair coupled to said primary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said primary windings of said first and second signal transformers to respective ones of the first and second wire pairs of the first local area network cable;
a second standard local area network connector having a first contact pair coupled to said secondary winding of said first signal transformer, and a second contact pair coupled to said secondary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said secondary windings of said first and second signal transformers to respective ones of the first and second wire pairs of the second local area network cable;
a third connector having a first contact coupled to said center tap connection of said primary winding of said first signal transformer and a second contact coupled to said center tap connection of said primary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said center tap connections to the phantom channel defined by the first and second wire pairs of the first cable; and
a single enclosure housing said first and second signal transformers and said first, second and third connectors.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enabling a local area network wiring structure to simultaneously carry digital data and analog telephone signals on the same transmission medium. It is particularly applicable to a network in star topology, in which remote data units (e.g. personal computers) are each connected to a hub through a cable comprising at least two pairs of conductors, providing a data communication path in each direction. Modules at each end of the cable provide a phantom path for telephony (voice band) signals between a telephone near the data set and a PBX, through both conductor pairs in a phantom circuit arrangement. All such communication paths function simultaneously and without mutual interference. The modules comprise simple and inexpensive passive circuit components.
246 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A device for coupling local area network packet-based digital data signals between first and second network cables each having first and second wire pairs, the first and second wire pairs of the first cable also defining a phantom channel for carrying a first signal, the device comprising:
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a first signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding having a center-tap connection, said first signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a second signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding having a center-tap connection, said second signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a first local area network connector having a first contact pair coupled to said primary winding of said first signal transformer, and a second contact pair coupled to said primary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said primary windings of said first and second signal transformers to respective ones of the first and second wire pairs of the first local area network cable; a second standard local area network connector having a first contact pair coupled to said secondary winding of said first signal transformer, and a second contact pair coupled to said secondary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said secondary windings of said first and second signal transformers to respective ones of the first and second wire pairs of the second local area network cable; a third connector having a first contact coupled to said center tap connection of said primary winding of said first signal transformer and a second contact coupled to said center tap connection of said primary winding of said second signal transformer, for connecting said center tap connections to the phantom channel defined by the first and second wire pairs of the first cable; and a single enclosure housing said first and second signal transformers and said first, second and third connectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A device for coupling first signals cooperatively forming a single data signal and second and third signals to or from a local area network (LAN) cable carrying the data signals over four wire pairs, the second signal over a first phantom channel and the third signal over a second phantom channel, said device comprising:
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a first signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said first signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a second signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said second signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a third signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said third signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a fourth signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said fourth signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a first standard local area network connector having first, second, third and fourth contacts pairs for connecting said first standard local area network connector to respective ones of first, second, third and fourth wire pairs of the LAN cable, each of the wire pairs of the LAN cable carrying a respective local area network packet-based digital data signal, wherein the first and second wire pairs cooperatively form the first phantom channel carrying the second signal, and the third and fourth wire pairs cooperatively form the second phantom channel carrying the third signal; a LAN connector connected to said secondary windings of said first, second, third and fourth signal transformers, for connecting each of said secondary windings to a respective one of the four wire pairs of the LAN cable for coupling respective local area network packet-based digital data signals between said secondary windings and the wire pairs; a first port having first and second contacts for coupling to the second signal, said first contact being connected to said center-tap connection of said second signal transformer, and said second contact being connected to said center-tap connection of said third signal transformer, for providing the first phantom channel over the LAN cable for carrying the second signal; a second port having first and second contacts for coupling to the third signal, said first contact being connected to said center-tap connection of the third signal transformer, the second contact connected to said center-tap connection of said fourth signal transformer, for providing the second phantom channel over the LAN cable for carrying the third signal; and a single enclosure housing said first, second, third and fourth signal transformers, said LAN connector, said first standard local area network connector and said first and second ports. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A Local Area Network (LAN) for carrying a LAN signal simultaneously with a second signal channel and a third signal channel, said network comprising:
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a 1000BaseT-based LAN cable comprising a first group and a second group of twisted-wire pairs, each group comprising two twisted-wire pairs, said cable having first and second ends; first and second RJ-45 connectors each connected to terminate a respective one of said first and second ends of said cable for carrying full-duplex serial digital data according to IEEE802.3 1000BaseT Ethernet standard; a first system connected to said first RJ-45 connector; and a second system connected to said second RJ-45 connector, wherein; said first and second systems communicate over said LAN cable using IEEE802.3 1000BaseT signals; said first group of twisted-pairs cooperatively form a first phantom channel for carrying the second signal between said first and second systems; and said second group of twisted-pairs cooperatively form a second phantom channel for carrying the third signal between said first and second systems. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An arrangement for coupling first signals in the form of data signals and second and third signals to or from a local area network (LAN) cable carrying the data signals over four wire pairs, the second signal over a first phantom channel and the third signal over a second phantom channel, said device comprising:
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a first signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said first signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a second signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said second signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a third signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said third signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a fourth signal transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a center-tap connection, said fourth signal transformer being operative to pass local area network packet-based digital data signals; a first local area network port having first, second, third and fourth contacts pairs for connecting said first local area network port to respective ones of first, second, third and fourth wire pairs of the LAN cable, each of the wire pairs of the LAN cable carrying a respective local area network packet-based digital data signal, wherein the first and second wire pairs cooperatively form the first phantom channel carrying the second signal, and the third and fourth wire pairs cooperatively form the second phantom channel carrying the third signal; a LAN port connected to said secondary windings of said first, second, third and fourth signal transformers, for connecting each of said secondary windings to a respective one of the four wire pairs of the LAN cable for coupling respective local area network packet-based digital data signals between said secondary windings and the wire pairs; a first port having first and second contacts for coupling to the second signal, said first contact being connected to said center-tap connection of said second signal transformer, and said second contact being connected to said center-tap connection of said third signal transformer, for providing the first phantom channel over the LAN cable for carrying the second signal; a second port having first and second contacts for coupling to the third signal, said first contact being connected to said center-tap connection of the third signal transformer, the second contact connected to said center-tap connection of said fourth signal transformer, for providing the second phantom channel over the LAN cable for carrying the third signal; and a single enclosure housing said first, second, third and fourth signal transformers, said LAN port, said first local area network port and said first and second ports. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A device for coupling digital data and a signal to first and second Local Area Network (LAN) cables, each cable having at least first and second twisted wire pairs connected for carrying full-duplex packet-based digital data over the wire pairs and a signal over a phantom channel formed between the twisted wire pairs, said device comprising:
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an Ethernet switch or router having at least first and second ports; a first digital data connector for connecting to the first LAN cable; a first signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said first port and said first digital data connector for passing only digital data signals between said first port and the first twisted wire pair of the first LAN cable; a second signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said first port and said first digital data connector for passing only digital data signals between said first port and the second twisted wire pair of the first LAN cable; a second digital data connector for connecting to the second LAN cable; a third signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said second port and said second digital data connector for passing only digital data signals between said second port and the first twisted wire pair of the second LAN cable; a fourth signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said second port and said second digital data connector for passing only digital data signals between said second port and the second twisted wire pair of the second LAN cable; a first connector connected for receiving a first signal; and a single enclosure housing said Ethernet switch or router, said first and second digital data connectors, said first, second, third and fourth signal transformers, and said first connector, wherein said first connector is coupled to the center taps of said first and second signal transformers, for coupling the first signal onto a phantom channel over the first cable; and
wherein said first connector is coupled to the center taps of said third and fourth signal transformers, for coupling the first signal onto a phantom channel over the second cable. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification