Local area network of serial intelligent cells

• US 7,653,015 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOAKYE, ALEXANDER O
• Application Number:
  US11/485,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20060251110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 370/436, 370/463, 370/293, 370/502, 370/479, 370/295, 370/335, 370/337, 370/254, 370/347, 370/435, 340/310.11, 379/93.05
• US Class Current: 370/293
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/02 providing ringing current or supervisory tones, e.g. dialling tone or busy tone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 Local area network

Abstract

A device for coupling signals between first and second coaxial cables, the first coaxial cable being connected to carry a first bi-directional digital data signal in a first digital data frequency band, and the second coaxial cable being connected to carry a second bi-directional digital data signal in a second digital data frequency band, and each of the coaxial cables being connected to carry, multiplexed with the respective digital data signal, an analog video signal in an analog video signal frequency band distinct from each of the first and second digital data frequency bands.

Claims

1. A device for coupling signals between first and second coaxial cables, the first coaxial cable being connected to carry a first bi-directional digital data signal in a first digital data frequency band, and the second coaxial cable being connected to carry a second bi-directional digital data signal in a second digital data frequency band, and each of the coaxial cables being connected to carry, multiplexed with the respective digital data signal, an analog video signal in an analog video signal frequency band distinct from each of the first and second digital data frequency bands, said device comprising:

a first coaxial connector connectable to the first coaxial cable;

a second coaxial connector connectable to the second coaxial cable;

a first filter coupled between said first and second coaxial connectors and operative for substantially passing only signals in the analog video signal frequency band for passing the analog video signals between the first and second coaxial cables;

a second filter coupled to said first coaxial connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the first digital data frequency band;

a first coaxial cable modem coupled to said second filter for conducting the first bi-directional digital data signal over the first coaxial cable;

a third filter coupled to said second coaxial connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the second digital data frequency band;

a second coaxial cable modem coupled to said third filter for conducting the second bi-directional digital data signal over the second coaxial cable;

a power port connectable to receive a power signal from a power signal source;

a power supply coupled between said power port and said first coaxial cable modem for powering said first coaxial cable modem from the power signal; and

a single enclosure housing said filters, said power supply, said modems and said connectors,

wherein;

said first and second coaxial cable modems are coupled to each other for passing digital data between the first and second coaxial cables; and

said device is addressable in a local area network.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data connector for connecting to a data unit; and

a data transceiver coupled between said data connector and said first coaxial cable modem and operative to effect full-duplex serial digital data communication of the first bi-directional digital data signal with the data unit.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the digital data communication with the data unit is Ethernet based.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an analog connector for connecting to an analog set;

a fourth filter coupled between said first coaxial connector and said analog connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the analog video signal frequency band in order to pass the analog video signal between the first coaxial cable and the analog set.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device has a manually assigned address.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device has an address assigned by a data unit connected to said device.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is at least in part housed within an outlet.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a power connector coupled to said power supply and operative for supplying the power signal for powering an additional device connected to said power connector.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein information carried by one of the digital data signals is used to control the power signal.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the control of the power signal is one of:

on/off operation;

timing of operations; and

a delayed start.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the one of the data signals is used to monitor the power signal.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the power signal is a direct current signal.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is pluggable into an outlet or attachable to an outlet.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein said single enclosure is wall mountable, or mountable into an outlet opening, or structured to at least in part replace an existing outlet.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first coaxial cable simultaneously carries a power signal, and said power port is connected to the first coaxial connector for feeding said power supply from the power signal carried over the first coaxial cable.

17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an analog connector connectable to an analog unit for coupling an analog signal to the analog unit; and

a converter between analog and digital signals coupled between said analog connector and said first coaxial cable modem.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the analog unit is an analog actuator for creating a physical phenomenon, and said converter is a digital to analog converter.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the analog unit is an analog sensor for sensing a physical phenomenon, and said converter is an analog to digital converter.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein the analog unit is one of an audio unit and a video unit and the analog signal is one of an audio signal and a video signal, respectively.

21. The device according to claim 17, wherein the analog unit is an analog telephone unit, the analog connector is a telephone connector, and the analog signal is a telephone signal.

22. The device according to claim 17, wherein the analog connector is coupled to said power supply and to the analog unit for powering the analog unit.

23. The device according to claim 17, wherein at least one parameter of said device is configurable by a data unit connected thereto.

24. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a standard computer bus interface comprising a computer connector and mechanical means for connecting and attaching said computer connector to a computer plug-in unit, said computer connector being coupled to said first coaxial cable modem.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein said computer bus interface is one of:

an ISA interface, a PCMCIA interface, an IDE interface, and a SCSI interface.

26. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems is a local area network modem operative for point-to-point, packet-based, half-duplex communication with only a single additional mating coaxial cable modem over one of the coaxial cables.

27. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems is operative for point-to-point full-duplex communication.

28. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems is operative for bi-directional digital data signal communication with one or more additional coaxial cable modems of the same type as said at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems over the respective coaxial cable.

29. The device according to claim 1, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

30. The device according to claim 1, further operative for coupling a digitized telephone signal carried as part of the first digital data signal to an analog telephone set, said device further comprising:

a telephone connector for coupling a second analog telephone signal to the analog telephone set; and

a converter coupled between said telephone connector and said first coaxial cable modem for converting between the digitized telephone signal and the second analog telephone signal.

31. A network for respectively coupling first and second bi-directional serial digital data signals to first and second data units and for coupling an analog signal to an analog set, said network comprising:

a first coaxial cable comprising two conductors connected for carrying the analog signal in an analog signal frequency band frequency multiplexed with the first bi-directional digital data signal in a first digital data frequency band that is distinct from the analog signal frequency band;

a second coaxial cable distinct from said first coaxial cable and comprising two conductors connected for carrying the analog signal in the analog signal frequency band frequency multiplexed with the second bi-directional second digital data signal in a second digital data frequency band that is distinct from the analog signal frequency band;

a first device enclosed in a first single enclosure and connected between said first and second coaxial cables, said first device being operative to transparently pass signals in the analog signal frequency band and pass digital data between said first and second coaxial cables, said first device further comprising a port couplable to a first data unit for coupling the first and second bi-directional digital data signals to the first data unit; and

a second device enclosed in a second single enclosure connected to second coaxial cable, said second device comprising an analog connector connectable to an analog set for coupling the analog signal to the analog set, said second device further comprising a port couplable to a second data unit for coupling the second bi-directional digital data signal to the second data unit,

wherein each of said first and second devices is addressable as part of the network.

32. The network according to claim 31, wherein said first device comprises an analog connector connectable to a second analog set for coupling the analog signal to the second analog set.

33. The network according to claim 31, wherein said first and second devices are connected to each other in a point-to-point connection by said second coaxial cable.

34. The network according to claim 31, wherein the first and second bi-directional digital data signals are at least in part independent of, or distinct from, each other.

35. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least part of at least one of said first and second coaxial cables is pre-existing coaxial cable in walls of a building.

36. The network according to claim 35, wherein at least one of said first and second devices is connected to at least one of said first and second coaxial cables via a coaxial outlet.

37. The network according to claim 35, wherein at least one of said first and second enclosures is integrated into, and connected to, the coaxial outlet.

38. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least part of at least one of said first and second coaxial cables is outside of a building.

39. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices has a manually assigned address.

40. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices has an automatically assigned address.

41. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices has an address assigned by a data unit connected to said one of said first and second devices.

42. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices further comprises a power connector operative for supplying a power signal for powering a further device connected thereto.

43. The network according to claim 42, wherein information carried by one of the first and second digital data signals is used to control the power signal.

44. The network according to claim 43, wherein the control is one of:

on/off operation;

timing of operations; and

delayed start.

45. The network according to claim 43, wherein the one of the first and second digital data signals is used to monitor the power signal.

46. The network according to claim 42, wherein the power signal is a direct current signal.

47. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices is pluggable into an outlet, or is attachable to an outlet, or is wall mountable, or is mountable into an outlet opening.

48. The network according to claim 31, wherein the coupling between said first device and the first data unit is based on point-to-point full-duplex communication.

49. The network according to claim 48, wherein digital data communication with the first data unit is Ethernet based.

50. The network according to claim 31, wherein the coupling between said second device and the second data unit is based on point-to-point full-duplex communication.

51. The network according to claim 50, wherein the digital data communication with the second data unit is Ethernet based.

52. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said first and second devices is further operative to couple the first digital data signal to an additional analog unit, and said network further comprises:

an analog connector connectable to the additional analog unit for coupling an additional analog signal to the analog unit; and

a converter between analog and digital signals coupled to said analog connector for converting between one of the first and second bi-directional digital data signals and the additional analog signal.

53. The network according to claim 52, wherein the analog unit is an analog actuator for creating a physical phenomenon, and said converter is a digital to analog converter.

54. The network according to claim 52, wherein the analog unit is an analog sensor for sensing a physical phenomenon, and said converter is an analog to digital converter.

55. The network according to claim 52, wherein the analog unit is one of an audio unit and a video unit and the additional analog signal is one of an audio signal and a video signal, respectively.

56. The network according to claim 52, further comprising a power supply, and wherein said analog connector is coupled to said power supply and to the analog unit for powering the analog unit.

57. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one parameter of at least one of said first and second devices is configurable by a data unit connected to said at least one of said first and second devices.

58. The network according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the single enclosures is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

59. A device for coupling digital data between first and second coaxial cables, each coaxial cable being connected for carrying an analog signal frequency multiplexed with a bi-directional digital data signal, wherein, the digital data signal carried in each coaxial cable is in a digital data frequency band and the analog signal carried in each coaxial cable is in an analog signal frequency band distinct from the digital data frequency band of the digital data signal carried in the same coaxial cable, said device comprising:

a first coaxial connector for connecting to the first coaxial cable;

a second coaxial connector for connecting to the second coaxial cable;

a first filter coupled between said first and second coaxial connectors and operative for substantially passing only signals in the digital data frequency bands and for substantially stopping signals in the analog signal frequency bands, for passing digital data signals between the first and second coaxial cables; and

a single enclosure housing said first high pass filter and said coaxial connectors.

60. The device according to claim 59, further comprising a second filter coupled between said first and second coaxial connectors and operative for substantially passing only signals in the analog signal frequency bands and for substantially stopping signals in the digital data frequency bands, for passing the analog signals between the first and second coaxial cables.

61. The device according to claim 59, further operative for coupling the digital data signal over the first coaxial cable to a data unit, said device further comprising:

a data connector for connecting to the data unit; and

a second filter coupled between said first coaxial connector and said data connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the digital data frequency bands and for substantially stopping signals in the analog signal frequency bands.

62. The device according to claim 59, further comprising:

an analog connector for connecting to and analog set; and

a filter coupled between said first coaxial connector and said analog connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the analog signal frequency band associated with the first coaxial cable and for substantially stopping signals in the digital data frequency band associated with the first coaxial cable.

63. The device according to claim 59, wherein said device is at least in part housed within an outlet, or is pluggable into an outlet, or is attachable to an outlet.

64. The device according to claim 59, wherein said single enclosure is:

wall mountable;

or mountable into an outlet opening;

or structured to at least in part replace an existing outlet.

65. The device according to claim 59, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard Outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

66. A device for passing digital data between a first bi-directional digital data signal in a first digital data frequency band and a second bi-directional digital data signal in a second digital data frequency band, the first and second digital data frequency bands each being and wherein at least the first bi-directional digital data signal is carried over a coaxial cable, said device comprising:

a first port for coupling to the first digital data signal;

a second port for coupling to the second digital data signal;

a first filter coupled to said first port and operative for substantially passing only signals in the first digital data frequency band and for substantially stopping signals in an analog signal frequency band distinct from the first and second digital data frequency bands;

a first coaxial cable modem coupled to said first filter for conducting the first bi-directional digital data signal in the first digital data frequency band;

a second filter coupled to said second port and operative for substantially passing only signals in the second digital data frequency band and for substantially stopping signals in the analog signal frequency band;

a second coaxial cable modem coupled to said second filter for conducting the second bi-directional digital data signal in the second digital data frequency band; and

a single enclosure housing said filters, said coaxial cable modems and said ports,

wherein;

said first and second coaxial cable modems are coupled to each other for passing digital data between said first and second ports;

at least one out of said first and second filters is a low pass filter; and

said device is addressable in a local area network.

67. The device according to claim 66, further comprising:

a data connector for connecting to a data unit; and

a data transceiver coupled between said data connector and said first coaxial cable modem and operative to effect full-duplex serial digital data communication with the data unit, for coupling the first bi-directional digital data signal to the data unit.

68. The device according to claim 67, wherein the digital data communication with the data unit is Ethernet based.

69. The device according to claim 66, wherein the coaxial cable is connected for concurrently carrying an analog signal in the analog signal frequency band, said device is further operative for coupling to an analog set, and said device further comprises:

an analog connector for connecting to the analog set; and

a low pass filter coupled between said first port and said analog connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the analog signal frequency band.

70. The device according to claim 66, wherein said device has a manually assigned address.

71. The device according to claim 66, wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.

72. The device according to claim 66, wherein said device has an address assigned by a data unit connected to said device.

73. The device according to claim 66, wherein said device is:

at least in part housed within an outlet, or pluggable into an outlet, or attachable to an outlet.

74. The device according to claim 66, wherein said single enclosure is:

wall mountable;

or mountable into an outlet opening;

or structured to at least in part replace an existing outlet.

75. The device according to claim 66, wherein at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems is a local area network modem operative for point-to-point packet-based half-duplex communication with only a single mating coaxial cable modem over a coaxial cable.

76. The device according to claim 66, wherein at least one said first and second coaxial cable modems is operative for point-to-point full-duplex communication.

77. The device according to claim 66, wherein at least one of said first and second coaxial cable modems is operative for bi-directional digital data signal communication with one or more additional coaxial cable modems of the same type as said one of said first and second coaxial cable modems over a coaxial cable.

78. The device according to claim 66, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

79. The device according to claim 66, further operative for coupling a digitized telephone signal carried as part of said first digital data signal to an analog telephone, said device further comprising:

a telephone connector for coupling a second analog telephone signal to the analog telephone; and

a converter coupled between said telephone connector and said first coaxial cable modem for converting between the digitized telephone signal and the second analog telephone signal.

80. A device that is part of a local area network in a building for coupling a digital data signal to multiple data units, the local area network including at least part of an existing coaxial cable that is at least in part in walls of the building and is terminated by an outlet, the coaxial cable being connected for carrying a frequency multiplexed analog service signal and a digital data signal, said device comprising:

a coaxial connector for connecting said device to the coaxial cable;

a modem coupled to said coaxial connector for bi-directional digital data signal communication with one or more additional modems of the same type over the coaxial cable;

a first data connector for connecting to a first data unit;

a first data transceiver coupled between said first data connector and said modem and operative to effect point-to-point full-duplex serial digital data communication with the first data unit for coupling the bi-directional digital data signal to the first data unit;

a second data connector for connecting to a second data unit;

a second data transceiver coupled between said second data connector and said modem and operative to effect point-to-point full-duplex serial digital data communication with the second data unit for coupling the bi-directional digital data signal to the second data unit; and

a single enclosure housing said coaxial connector, said modem, said first and second data connectors and said first and second data transceivers;

wherein said device is addressable in the local area network.

81. The device according to claim 80, further comprising a filter coupled between said modem and said coaxial connector, said filter being operative to substantially pass only the digital data signal.

82. The device according to claim 80, wherein said device has a manually assigned address.

83. The device according to claim 80, wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.

84. The device according to claim 80, wherein the device has an address assigned by said first or second data units connected to the device.

85. The device according to claim 80, wherein said device is at least in part housed within an outlet.

86. The device according to claim 80, wherein said device is pluggable into an outlet or attachable to an outlet.

87. The device according to claim 80, wherein said first data connector and said first data transceiver cooperatively form a first digital data interface substantially conforming to Ethernet standard, and wherein said second data connector and said second data transceiver cooperatively form a second digital data interface substantially conforming to Ethernet standard.

88. The device according to claim 80, wherein said single enclosure is mountable in a wall opening or in an outlet cavity.

89. The device according to claim 80, further operative to couple the analog service signal to an analog appliance, said device further comprising an analog connector coupled to said coaxial connector and connectable to the analog appliance.

90. The device according to claim 80, further operative to couple the digital data signal to an analog unit, said device further comprising an analog connector connectable to the analog unit for coupling an analog signal to the analog unit, and a converter between the analog and digital signals coupled between said analog connector and said modem.

91. The device according to claim 90, wherein the analog unit is an analog actuator for creating a physical phenomenon, and said converter is a digital to analog converter.

92. The device according to claim 90, wherein the analog unit is an analog sensor for sensing a physical phenomenon, and said converter is an analog to digital converter.

93. The device according to claim 90, wherein the analog unit is one of an audio unit and a video unit and the analog signal is one of an audio signal and a video signal, respectively.

94. The device according to claim 90, wherein the analog unit is a telephone unit, the analog connector is a telephone connector and the analog signal is a telephone signal.

95. The device according to claim 80, further operative for coupling a digitized telephone signal carried as part of said digital data signal to an analog telephone, said device further comprising:

a telephone connector for coupling an analog telephone signal to the analog telephone; and

a converter coupled between said telephone connector and said modem for converting between the digitized telephone signal and the analog telephone signal.

96. The device according to claim 80, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

97. A device for coupling a digital data signal carried in a local area network in a building to a data unit and to an analog unit, the network including at least part of an existing coaxial cable that is at least in part in walls of the building and is terminated by an outlet, the coaxial cable being connected for carrying a frequency multiplexed analog service signal and a digital data signal, said device comprising:

a coaxial connector for connecting said device to the coaxial cable;

a modem coupled to said coaxial connector for bi-directional digital data signal communication over the coaxial cable with one or more modems of the same type;

a data connector for connecting to the data unit;

a data transceiver coupled between said data connector and said modem, said data transceiver being operative for full-duplex serial communication of the digital data signal with the data unit, for coupling the digital data signal to the data unit;

an analog connector for coupling an analog signal to the analog unit;

a converter between analog and digital data signals coupled between said modem and said analog connector; and

a single enclosure housing said coaxial connector, said modem, said data connector, said data transceiver, said converter and said analog connector,

wherein said device is addressable in the local area network, the analog unit is an analog sensor for sensing a physical phenomenon, and said converter is an analog to digital converter.

98. The device according to claim 97, further comprising a filter coupled between said coaxial connector and said modem and operative to substantially pass only the digital data signal.

99. The device according to claim 97, wherein said data connector and said data transceiver cooperatively form a digital data interface substantially conforming to Ethernet standard.

100. The device according to claim 97, wherein said device has a manually assigned address.

101. The device according to claim 97, wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.

102. The device according to claim 97, wherein said device has an address that is assigned by said data unit connected to said device.

103. The device according to claim 97, wherein said device is pluggable into an outlet or attachable to an outlet.

104. The device according to claim 97, wherein said single enclosure is mountable into a wall opening or an outlet cavity.

105. The device according to claim 97, wherein the analog unit is one of an audio unit and a video unit and the analog signal is one of an audio signal and a video signal, respectively.

106. The device according to claim 97, wherein the analog unit is a telephone unit, said analog connector is a telephone connector and the analog signal is a telephone signal.

107. The device according to claim 97, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.

108. A device for coupling signals between first and second point-to-point wiring segments and a coaxial cable in a building, each wiring segment comprising at least one twisted wire pair, the coaxial cable being connected to carry a first bi-directional digital data signal in a digital data frequency band, said device comprising:

a coaxial connector for connecting to the coaxial cable;

a filter coupled to said coaxial connector and operative for substantially passing only signals in the digital data frequency band;

a coaxial cable modem coupled to said filter for packet-based bi-directional digital data communication over the coaxial cable;

a first data connector for connecting to said first wiring segment;

a first data transceiver coupled to said first data connector for point-to-point packet-based full-duplex communication over said first wiring segment;

a second data connector for connecting to said second wiring segment;

a second data transceiver coupled to said second data connector for point-to-point packet-based full-duplex communication over said second wiring segment;

a power supply including an AC/DC converter coupled to DC power said coaxial cable modem and said first and second data transceivers; and

a single enclosure housing said filter, said connectors, said power supply and said coaxial cable modem,

wherein;

said first data transceiver is coupled to said coaxial cable modem for passing data between said first wiring segment and the coaxial cable;

said second data transceiver is coupled to said coaxial cable modem for passing data signals between said second wiring segment and the coaxial cable; and

said device is addressable in a local area network.

109. The device according to claim 108, wherein:

the first and second wiring segments are LAN cables;

said first and second data transceivers are LAN transceivers; and

said first and second data connectors are LAN connectors.

110. The device according to claim 109, wherein:

said LAN transceivers are Ethernet transceivers;

said LAN connectors are Ethernet connectors; and

communication over the first and second LAN cables substantially conforms to Ethernet protocol.

111. The device according to claim 108, wherein said device has a manually assigned address.

112. The device according to claim 108, wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.

113. The device according to claim 108, wherein said device has an address assigned by a data unit communicating with said device.

114. The device according to claim 108, in combination with an outlet in which at least a part of said device is housed.

115. The device according to claim 108, wherein said device is pluggable into, or attachable to, a coaxial outlet.

116. The device according to claim 108, wherein said single enclosure is wall mountable, or mountable into a coaxial cable outlet opening, or structured to at least in part replace an existing outlet.

117. The device according to claim 108, wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following:

a form substantially similar to that of a standard coaxial cable outlet;

wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard coaxial cable wall outlet;

a shape allowing direct mounting in a coaxial cable outlet opening or cavity; and

a form to at least in part substitute for a standard coaxial cable outlet.

118. The device according to claim 108, wherein at least one parameter of said device is configurable by a data unit connected thereto.

119. The device according to claim 108, further comprising:

an analog connector connectable to an analog unit for coupling an analog signal to the analog unit; and

a converter between analog and digital signals coupled between said analog connector and said coaxial cable modem.

120. The device according to claim 119, wherein the analog unit is an analog actuator for creating a physical phenomenon, and said converter is a digital to analog converter.

121. The device according to claim 119, wherein the analog unit is an analog sensor for sensing a physical phenomenon, and said converter is an analog to digital converter.

122. The device according to claim 119, wherein the analog unit is one of an audio unit and a video unit and the analog signal is one of an audio signal and a video signal, respectively.

123. The device according to claim 119, wherein the analog unit is an analog telephone unit, said analog connector is a telephone connector, and the analog signal is a telephone signal.

124. The device according to claim 108, wherein said device is further operative to allow the communication over the first wiring segment to be independent of the communication over the second wiring segment.

125. The device according to claim 108, wherein:

said device further functions as a multiplexer;

said coaxial cable is connected for carrying first and second signals;

said device is connected to pass only the first signal between the coaxial cable and the first wiring segment; and

said device is connected to pass only the second signal between the coaxial cable and the second wiring segment.

126. The device according to claim 125, wherein the first and second signals are digital data signals time multiplexed over the coaxial cable.

127. The device according to claim 126, wherein the coaxial cable is connected to a high data rate connection whose bandwidth is multiplexed to the first and second wiring segments.

128. The device according to claim 108, wherein said first and second data connectors are coupled to receive DC power from a power supply, for supplying a DC power signal to be concurrently carried over the wiring segments with the digital data signals.

129. The device according to claim 128, wherein the DC power signal is carried over dedicated wires in the wiring segments.