Network interface apparatus for bypassing inoperable network device

• US 8,842,519 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ronald Douglas, Schultz, Mark Alan, McCleary, Mark Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): LAMONT, BENJAMIN S
• Application Number:
  US12/452,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 370216-221, 315/276, 315/282, 361/38
• US Class Current: 370/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/437 Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085

Abstract

A network interface apparatus is capable of bypassing an inoperable or failed network device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the network interface apparatus includes first and second transformers. A network input and a network output are respectively coupled to a first side of the first transformer and a first side of the second transformer. A terminal input and a terminal output are respectively coupled to a second side of the first transformer and a second side of the second transformer. A switch assembly is coupled to the second sides of the first and second transformers. When the switch assembly is in a first state, the second side of the first transformer is coupled to the terminal output, and when the switch assembly is in a second state, the second side of the first transformer is coupled to the first side of the second transformer bypassing the terminal output.

Claims

1. A network interface apparatus, comprising:

first and second transformers;

a network input and a network output respectively coupled to a first side of said first transformer and a first side of said second transformer and coupling said network interface apparatus to a network comprising a plurality of network devices coupled in a daisy chain manner, each said network device being operative to receive a network signal including at least one of audio and video content;

a terminal input and a terminal output respectively coupled to a second side of said first transformer and a second side of said second transformer and being coupled to a first one of said network devices;

a watchdog circuit operative to detect if a fault condition arises for one of said network devices;

a switch assembly, controlled by said watchdog circuit, and coupled to said second sides of said first and second transformers, wherein;

when said switch assembly is in a first state, said network signal received at said network input is passed to said first network device and a second network device coupled to said first network device in said network; and

when said switch assembly is in a second state, said network signal received at said network input is not passed to said first network device but is passed to said second network device; and

circuitry, coupled to said network, and operative to receive and process said network signal to generate a first signal as an operating voltage for said watchdog circuit and said switch assembly, and further operative to provide the at least one of audio or video content different from said first signal to said first network device.

2. The network interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fault condition includes failing to boot.

3. The network interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating voltage is a DC voltage.

4. The network interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switch assembly includes a MOSFET.

5. The network interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuitry is coupled to said second side of said first transformer and comprises at least one diode and at least one capacitor.

6. The network interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said network includes an Ethernet network.

7. A method, comprising steps of:

providing a network interface apparatus comprising first and second transformers, a network input and a network output respectively coupled to a first side of said first transformer and a first side of said second transformer, a terminal input and a terminal output respectively coupled to a second side of said first transformer and a second side of said second transformer, a watchdog circuit, a switch assembly and a power circuit;

enabling a user to couple said network interface apparatus to a network comprising a plurality of network devices each operative to receive a network signal including at least one of audio and video content, wherein said network input and said network output are coupled to said network and said terminal input and said terminal output are coupled to a first one of said network devices;

detecting, via said watchdog circuit, if a fault condition arises for one of said network devices;

controlling said switch assembly in response to a control signal from said watchdog circuit, wherein;

when said switch assembly is in a first state, said network signal received at said network input is passed to said first network device and a second network device coupled to said first network device in said network; and

when said switch assembly is in a second state, said network signal received at said network input is not passed to said first network device but is passed to said second network device; and

processing, via said power circuit, said network signal to generate a first signal as an operating voltage for said watchdog circuit and said switch assembly, to provide the at least one of audio or video content different from said first signal to said first network device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said fault condition includes failing to boot.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said operating voltage is a DC voltage.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said switch assembly includes a MOSFET.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said power circuit is coupled to said second side of said first transformer and comprises at least one diode and at least one capacitor.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said network includes an Ethernet network.

13. A network interface apparatus, comprising:

first and second transformers;

first input means and first output means respectively coupled to a first side of said first transformer and a first side of said second transformer and coupling said network interface apparatus to a network comprising a plurality of network devices each operative to receive a network signal including at least one of audio and video content;

second input means and second output means respectively coupled to a second side of said first transformer and a second side of said second transformer and being coupled to a first one of said network devices;

detecting means for detecting if a fault condition arises for said first network device;

switching means, controlled by said detecting means, and coupled to said second sides of said first and second transformers, wherein;

when said switching means is in a first state, said network signal is passed to said first network device and a second network device coupled to said first network device in said network; and

when said switching means is in a second state, said network signal is not passed to said first network device but is passed to said second network device; and

means for processing said network signal to generate a first signal as an operating voltage for said detecting means and said switching means, and to provide the at least one of audio or video content different from said first signal to said first network device.

14. The network interface apparatus of claim 13, wherein said fault condition includes failing to boot.

15. The network interface apparatus of claim 13, wherein said operating voltage is a DC voltage.

16. The network interface apparatus of claim 13, wherein said switching means includes a MOSFET.

17. The network interface apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for processing is coupled to said second side of said first transformer and comprises at least one diode and at least one capacitor.

18. The network interface apparatus of claim 13, wherein said network includes an Ethernet network.