TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OVER LOCAL AREA NETWORK WIRING

• US 20070263530A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Original Assignee: SercoNet Limited (Yehuda Binder, MBA)
• Inventors: BINDER, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6421 Medium of transmission, e.g. fibre, cable, radio, satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6424 Access arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/644 Star
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/20 using different combinations of lines, e.g. phantom working
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling a local area network wiring structure to simultaneously carry digital data and analog telephone signals on the same transmission medium. It is particularly applicable to a network in star topology, in which remote data units (e.g. personal computers) are each connected to a hub through a cable comprising at least two pairs of conductors, providing a data communication path in each direction. Modules at each end of the cable provide a phantom path for telephony (voice band) signals between a telephone near the data set and a PBX, through both conductor pairs in a phantom circuit arrangement. All such communication paths function simultaneously and without mutual interference. The modules comprise simple and inexpensive passive circuit components.

Claims

1. A device for use with a local area network (LAN) cable in a building having at least first and second twisted wire pairs, the LAN cable being connected to simultaneously carry first and second signals, said device comprising:

a first connector for connecting to the LAN cable;

a second connector coupled to said first connector for passing the first signal;

a third connector coupled to said first connector for passing the second signal; and

a single enclosure housing said first, second and third connectors,

wherein the second signal is carried over a phantom channel formed between the first and second twisted wire pairs of the LAN cable.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only the first signal between said first and second connectors.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only the second signal between said third and first connectors.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal is a digital data signal and said first connector is a digital data connector.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first signal is a full-duplex packet-based digital data signal.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first signal, said first connector and said first cable are Ethernet-based substantially based on IEEE802.3 10BaseT or 100BaseTX standards, and wherein said first connector is an RJ-45 type connector.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein said second connector is RJ-45 type connector connectable for communication of Ethernet-based substantially based IEEE802.3 10BaseT, 100BaseTX or 1000BaseT standards with a digital unit.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only digital data signals between said first and second connectors.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising at least two signal transformers connected for passing only digital data signals between said first and second connectors.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said connectors are connected for providing a DC path for passing DC signals between said first and third connectors.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second signal is an analog telephone (POTS) signal and wherein said connectors are connected for providing an analog telephone (POTS) path between said first and third connectors.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said third connector is an analog telephone connector.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said third connector is an RJ-11 type connector.

14. The device according to claim 10, further comprising two center tap transformers coupled between said first and third connectors, and wherein said third connector is connected to said center taps of said transformers.

15. The device according to claim 1, in combination with an outlet in which at least a part of said device is housed.

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

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. A device for use with a cable at least in part in walls of a building, the cable having at least first and second twisted wire pairs and being connectable in an outlet cavity or outlet opening and carrying at least first and second signals, said device comprising:

a first connector for connecting to the cable;

a second connector coupled to said first connector for passing the first signal;

a third connector coupled to said first connector for passing the second signal; and

a single enclosure housing said first, second and third connectors,

wherein the second signal is carried over a phantom channel formed between the first and second twisted wire pairs of said cable, and said device is pluggable into or attachable to an outlet, or mountable into an outlet opening or cavity.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only the first signal between said first and second connectors.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only the second signal between said third and first connectors.

22. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first signal is a digital data signal, said first connector is a digital data connector, and the cable is a Local Area Network (LAN)

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the first signal is a full-duplex packet-based digital data signal.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the first signal, said first connector and the cable are Ethernet-based substantially based on IEEE802.3 10BaseT or 100BaseTX standards, and wherein said first connector is an RJ-45 type connector.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein said second connector is an RJ-45 type connector connectable for communication of Ethernet-based substantially based IEEE802.3 10BaseT, 100BaseTX or 1000BaseT standards with a digital unit.

26. The device according to claim 19, wherein said connectors are connected for passing only digital data signals between said first and second connectors.

27. The device according to claim 26, further comprising at least two signal transformers connected for passing only digital data signals between said first and second connectors.

28. The device according to claim 19, wherein said connectors are connected for providing a DC path for passing DC signals between said first and second connectors.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein the second signal is an analog telephone (POTS) signal and wherein said connectors are connected for providing an analog telephone (POTS) path between said first and third connectors.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein said third connector is an analog telephone connector.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein said third connector is an RJ-11 type connector.

32. The device according to claim 28, further comprising two center tap transformers coupled between said first and third connectors, and wherein said third connector is connected to said center taps of said transformers.

33. The device according to claim 19, in combination with an outlet in which at least a part of said device is housed.

34. The device according to claim 19, wherein said single enclosure is wall mountable or structured to at least in part replace an existing outlet.

35. The device according to claim 19, 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.