Network combining wired and non-wired segments
First Claim
1. A communication apparatus for adapting existing in-building telephone lines for data communication, said apparatus comprising a module electrically and mechanically attachable to a wall-mounted telephone outlet, said module comprising a housing containing:
- (a) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines leading from the outlet in accordance with a first communications protocol;
(b) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from a receiver inside an area of the building near the outlet in accordance with a second communications protocol; and
(c) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A local area network (60) within a residence or other building, including both wired (5) and non-wired segments (53). The wired segments are based on new or existing wires (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) in the building, wherein access to the wires is provided by means of outlets (61a, 61d), such as a telephone system, electrical power distribution system, or cable television wiring system. The non-wired segments are based on communication using propagated waves such as radio, sound, or light (e.g. infrared). The wired and non-wired segments interface in the outlet, using a module (50) that serves as mediator between the segments. The module can be integrated into the outlet, partially housed in the outlet, or attached externally to the outlet. Such a network allows for integrated communication of data units (24b) connected by wires and data units (24a, 24d) connected without wires.
1726 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A communication apparatus for adapting existing in-building telephone lines for data communication, said apparatus comprising a module electrically and mechanically attachable to a wall-mounted telephone outlet, said module comprising a housing containing:
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(a) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines leading from the outlet in accordance with a first communications protocol; (b) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from a receiver inside an area of the building near the outlet in accordance with a second communications protocol; and (c) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communications apparatus for adapting existing in-building telephone lines for data communications comprising:
a unit mounted on an interior wall of a room and directly connected to the telephone lines, said unit containing; (a) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from the telephone lines in accordance with a first communications protocol; (b) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from a receiver inside the room in accordance with a second communications protocol; (c) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem; and (d) a standard telephone outlet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of adapting existing in-building telephone lines to conduct data communications comprising:
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(a) detaching an existing standard telephone outlet from an interior wall of a room of a building; (b) in place of the detached outlet, mounting a unit containing; (i) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from the telephone lines in accordance with a first communications protocol; (ii) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from a wireless receiver inside the room in accordance with a second communications protocol; (iii) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem; and (iv) a new standard telephone outlet; and (c) directly connecting the new standard telephone outlet and the telephone modem to the telephone lines.
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21. A method of adapting existing in-building telephone lines for data communications comprising:
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(a) attaching, to a standard telephone outlet mounted on an interior wall of a room of a building, a unit containing; (i) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines in accordance with a first communications protocol; (ii) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from a receiver inside the room in accordance with a second communications protocol; and (iii) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem; wherein, when so attached, the telephone modem is electrically coupled to the telephone lines.
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22. A communications system network in a building, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of wall-mounted standard telephone outlets carrying a telephone signal to different rooms of the building, said outlets being wired together by building wiring carrying the telephone signal; (b) a plurality of wireless receivers inside the building; and (c) a plurality of modules, each attached externally to, and supported by, one of said outlets, each of said modules containing; (i) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines leading from the outlet in accordance with a first communications protocol; (ii) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from at least one of the receivers in accordance with a second communications protocol; and (iii) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of conducting data communication over a network in a building, comprising:
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(a) attaching, to each of a plurality of standard telephone outlets mounted on interior walls of first and second rooms of the building, a unit containing; (i) a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines in accordance with a first communications protocol; (ii) an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from transceivers in accordance with a second communications protocol; and (iii) a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem, said step of attaching causing the telephone modem to be electrically coupled to the telephone lines of the building; (b) placing transceivers at select locations in rooms of the building in which the units are attached to outlets; (c) wirelessly transmitting digital data from a transceiver in the first room; (d) in response to wireless transmission in step (c), automatically causing the protocol adapter of a unit in the first room to convert the digital data from the first communications protocol to the second communications protocol and applying the converted data to the telephone modem of the same unit; (e) in response to step (d), automatically transmitting the converted data through the telephone lines of the building to at least one of the units in the second room of the building; (f) in response to step (e), automatically causing the protocol adapter of the unit in the second room to reconvert the digital data from the second communications protocol to the first communications protocol and to apply the reconverted data to the RF modem of the unit in the second room; and (g) in response to step (f), automatically causing the RF modem of the unit in the second room to transmit the reconverted data to a transceiver in the second room.
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31. A communications system comprising:
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a plurality of standard telephone outlets configured to carry telephone signal; a plurality of non-wired receivers; and a plurality of modules, each attached to one of said outlets, each of said modules having; a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from telephone lines leading from the outlet in accordance with a first communications protocol; an RF modem configured for bidirectional non-wired digital data communication to and from at least one of the receivers in accordance with a second communications protocol; and a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of conducting data communication over a network using a unit comprising:
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a telephone modem configured for bidirectional digital data communication to and from a telephone line in accordance with a first communications protocol; an RF modem configured for bidirectional wireless digital data communication to and from transceivers in accordance with a second communications protocol; and a protocol adapter coupling the telephone modem and the RF modem for converting data between the first communications protocol and the second communications protocol, the method comprising; placing transceivers at select locations in which the units are attached to outlets; wirelessly transmitting digital data from a transceiver through non-wired medium; in response to non-wired transmission, causing the protocol adapter of the unit to convert the digital data from the first communications protocol to the second communications protocol and applying the converted data to the telephone modem of the unit; in response to the step of causing the protocol adapter, automatically transmitting the converted data through the telephone lines to at least one of other units; causing the protocol adapter of the other unit to reconvert the digital data from the second communications protocol to the first communications protocol and to apply the reconverted data to the RF modem of the other unit; and causing the RF modem of the other unit to transmit the reconverted data to the transceiver.
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Specification