System and method for communicating in a multi-unit structure
First Claim
1. A method of providing communications over a plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure and wherein the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors form a bundle, the method comprising:
- providing a non-conductive coupler having a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and at least one conductor that comprises a winding wound around said toroid;
positioning the non-conductive coupler so that the toroid surrounds the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors;
coupling a data signal comprising a first data packet to the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors via the non-conductive coupler, wherein the first data packet includes a destination address;
receiving the first data packet at the plurality of communication devices;
providing the first data to a user device at one of said plurality of communication devices; and
discarding the first data at multiple communication devices among the plurality of receiving communication devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing communications over a plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises coupling a data signal comprising a first data packet to the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors via a non-conductive coupler, wherein the first data packet includes a destination address. Next, the method comprises receiving the first data packet at the plurality of communication devices; providing the first data to a user device at one of the plurality of communication devices; and discarding the first data at multiple communication devices among the plurality of receiving communication devices. The plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors may form a bundle in which case the non-conductive coupler may comprise a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and a winding wound around the toroid.
84 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of providing communications over a plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure and wherein the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors form a bundle, the method comprising:
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providing a non-conductive coupler having a magnetically permeable toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and at least one conductor that comprises a winding wound around said toroid; positioning the non-conductive coupler so that the toroid surrounds the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors; coupling a data signal comprising a first data packet to the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors via the non-conductive coupler, wherein the first data packet includes a destination address; receiving the first data packet at the plurality of communication devices; providing the first data to a user device at one of said plurality of communication devices; and discarding the first data at multiple communication devices among the plurality of receiving communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing communications over a plurality of twisted pair conductors connected to a plurality of communication devices located in a plurality of units of a multi-unit structure and wherein the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors form a bundle, the method comprising:
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receiving first data; determining a destination address for the data; providing the first data in a first data packet with the destination address; providing a non-conductive coupler having a magnetically permeable toroid and a conductor forming a winding around the toroid; positioning toroid of the non-conductive coupler at least partially around the plurality of sets of twisted pair conductors; and inductively coupling a data signal comprising the first data packet to the plurality of twisted pair conductors via the non-conductive coupler. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A device for providing communications over a plurality of twisted pair conductors forming a bundle and that each extend to a different one of a plurality of units in a multi-unit structure and wherein the conductors are connected to a plurality of communication devices located in different units of the multi-unit structure, comprising:
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a non-conductive coupler configured to couple data signals to and from the plurality of twisted pair conductors; a modem including a media access control layer; wherein said non-conductive coupler comprises a toroid configured to extend around substantially the entire circumference of the bundle and a winding wound around said toroid and communicatively coupled to said modem; a router in communication with said modem and having a routing table that includes an address for each of the plurality of communication devices; an upstream interface configured to receive downstream data and to provide the downstream to data to said router; and wherein said router is configured to receive downstream data from the upstream interface and to select one of said addresses from the routing table for the data and to provide the address and data to the modem for transmission over the plurality of conductors. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification