Data network interface and communication devices having a data network interface

• US 7,808,973 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lucioni, Gonzalo, Krug, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Salman
• Application Number:
  US10/437,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20040001507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,701 Days
• Field of Search: 370/359, 370/463, 370/442, 370/360, 370/337, 370/401, 370/200, 370/241, 370/352, 379/413, 713/310, 713/324, 455/426.1, 700/295
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks

Abstract

Line-oriented communication devices are coupled by a data network interface to a packet-oriented data network. The data network interface has a data network connection for coupling a data network cable to the data network, as well as a communication network connection for coupling a communication device for setting up line-oriented communication links. The data network interface couples the communication network connection and the data network connection to transmit communication signals on the communication links between the communication network connection and at least one supply conductor, which is provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, in the data network cable.

Claims

1. A data network interface for coupling line-oriented communication devices via a packet-oriented data network to a line-oriented communication network, the packet-oriented data network having at least one data network cable with at least one supply conductor provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, comprising:

a data network connection for the at least one data network cable of the packet-oriented data network;

a communication network connection for at least one communication signal line of said line-oriented communication network; and

coupling means, arranged between said communication network connection and said data network connection, for transmitting communication signals between said communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the at least one data network cable, wherein

the communication signals transmitted between the communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the at least one data network cable are line-oriented communication signals fed into the at least one supply conductor, and

said coupling means includes feed means for feeding a supply voltage, which originates from the line-oriented communication network that is coupled to said communication network connection, to the at least one supply conductor.

2. The data network interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes superimposition means for superimposing the communication signals on a supply voltage which is applied to the at least one supply conductor.

3. The data network interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one data network cable includes two supply conductors provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, and

wherein said coupling means provides a phantom supply circuit for supplying voltage to the at least two supply conductors.

4. The data network interface as claimed in claim 3, wherein said communication network connection is a time division multiplexing (TDM) connection for coupling TDM-based communication devices.

5. A data packet switching device having at least one data network interface for coupling line-oriented communication devices via a packet-oriented data network to a line-oriented communication network, the packet-oriented data network having at least one data network cable with at least one supply conductor provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, comprising:

at least two data network connections, each for a corresponding data network cable of the packet-oriented data network, coupled to one another for packet-oriented data traffic and isolated from one another for communication signals;

a communication network connection for at least one communication signal line of said line-oriented communication network; and

coupling means, arranged between said communication network connection and said at least two data network connections, for transmitting communication signals between said communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the corresponding data network cable, wherein

the communication signals transmitted between the communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor are line-oriented communication signals fed into the at least one supply conductor, and

said coupling means includes feed means for feeding a supply voltage, which originates from the line-oriented communication network that is coupled to said communication network connection, to the at least one supply conductor.

6. A data packet switching device having at least one data network interface for coupling line-oriented communication devices via a packet-oriented data network to a line-oriented communication network, the packet-oriented data network having at least one data network cable with at least one supply conductor provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, comprising:

at least two data network connections, each for a corresponding data network cable of the packet-oriented data network, coupled in a transparent manner for communication signals;

a communication network connection for at least one communication signal line of said line-oriented communication network; and

coupling means, arranged between said communication network connection and said at least two data network connections, for transmitting communication signals between said communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the corresponding data network cable, wherein

the communication signals transmitted between the communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor are line-oriented communication signals fed into the at least one supply conductor, and

said coupling means includes feed means for feeding a supply voltage, which originates from the line-oriented communication network that is coupled to said communication network connection, to the at least one supply conductor.

7. A communication device for setting up line-oriented communication links to a line-oriented communication network that is connectable to a packet-oriented data network having at least one data network cable with at least one supply conductor provided for supplying voltage to data communication devices in the data network, comprising:

a data network connection for the at least one data network cable of the packet-oriented data network;

a communication network connection for at least one communication signal line of said line-oriented communication network; and

coupling means, arranged between said communication network connection and said data network connection, for transmitting communication signals between said communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the at least one data network cable, wherein

the communication signals transmitted between the communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor are line-oriented communication signals fed into the at least one supply conductor, and

said coupling means includes feed means for feeding a supply voltage, which originates from the line-oriented communication network that is coupled to said communication network connection, to the at least one supply conductor.

8. A communication system, comprising:

a packet-oriented data network including data communication devices and at least one data network cable with at least one supply conductor provided for supplying voltage to the data communication devices in the data network;

a line-oriented switching device;

a data network interface for setting up line-oriented communication links, including

a data network connection for the at least one data network cable of said packet-oriented data network;

a communication network connection connected to said line-oriented switching device;

coupling means, arranged between said communication network connection and said data network connection, for transmitting communication signals on the line-oriented communication links between said communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the at least one data network cable; and

at least one line-oriented communication device connected via said packet-oriented data network to said data network connection of said data network interface, and thereby coupled to said line-oriented switching device for the communication signals, wherein

the communication signals transmitted between the communication network connection and the at least one supply conductor in the at least one data network cable are line-oriented communication signals fed into the at least one supply conductor, and

said coupling means includes feed means for feeding a supply voltage, which originates from the line-oriented communication network that is coupled to said communication network connection, to the at least one supply conductor.