Customer premise equipment interface

In customer premise equipment (CPE), a method for enabling connection to one of a plurality of network interfaces including an ISDN U interface, an ISDN T interface or an analog line interface where the network interfaces each include a plurality of conductors for transmitting power and signals to the CPE, comprising the steps of:

• engaging a CPE interface with the network interface to create an electrical pathway between said plurality of conductors and conductors in the CPE interface to deliver power and signals between the network interface and the CPE interface;
• detecting for the presence of power on selected ones of said plurality of conductors and comparing the detected presence of power with a desired presence of power;
• blocking the delivery of power to the CPE if the detected presence of power does not correspond to the desired presence of power;
• if the desired presence of power is detected, detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals delivered to the CPE interface including examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• and
• in response to the predetermined characteristics, switching the signals to appropriate connections corresponding to one of the network interfaces, said connections delivering said signals and power to circuitry controlling operation of the CPE.

A method of operating customer premise equipment (CPE) enabling connection to any one of a plurality of different types of network interfaces where each of said types of network interfaces includes a plurality of conductors for transmitting power and signals to the CPE, comprising the steps of:

• connecting a CPE interface to one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces to create an electrical pathway between said plurality of conductors and conductors in the CPE interface to deliver power and signals between the network interface and the CPE interface;
• detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals, said predetermined characteristics identifying the type of network interface;
• and
• switching said signals to either a first connection or a second connection, said first connection delivering the signals and power to circuitry for controlling the CPE if a first type of network interface is identified and said second connection delivering the signals and power to circuitry for controlling the CPE if a second type of network interface is identified and switching said signals to an analog circuit if a third type of interface is identified to provide analog service from said CPE.

In customer premise equipment (CPE), a method for enabling connection to one of a plurality of network interfaces including an ISDN U interface, and ISDN T interface or an analog line interface where each interface includes a plurality of conductors for transmitting power and signals to the CPE, comprising the steps of:

• engaging a CPE interface with said one of a plurality of network interfaces to create an electrical connection between said plurality of conductors and conductors in the CPE interface to deliver power and signals to the CPE;
• detecting for the presence of power on selected ones of said plurality of conductors and comparing the detected presence of power with a desired presence of power;
• detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals delivered to the CPE interface on at least one of said plurality of corresponding conductors including examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• and
• switching the signals to appropriate circuitry to allow the CPE to be used either with an analog line interface or an ISDN interface based on the characteristics of the signals.

Customer premise equipment (CPE) for connection to one of a plurality of network interfaces including an ISDN U interface, an ISDN T interface or an analog line interface where the network interfaces each include a plurality of conductors for transmitting power and signals to the CPE, comprising:

• means for engaging a CPE interface with one of said network interfaces to create an electrical pathway between said plurality of conductors and conductors in the CPE interface to deliver power and signals between the network interface and the CPE interface;
• means for detecting for the presence of power on selected ones of said plurality of conductors;
• means for comparing the detected presence of power with a desired presence of power;
• means for blocking the delivery of power to the CPE if the detected presence of power does not correspond to the desired presence of power;
• means for detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals delivered to the CPE interface including means for examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• and
• means for switching the signals to appropriate connections where each of said connections corresponds to one of the network interfaces, said connections delivering said signals and power to circuitry means for processing the signals to control operation of the CPE in response to the predetermined characteristics.

Customer premise equipment (CPE) for connection to any one of a plurality of different types of network interfaces where each of said types of network interface includes a plurality of conductors for transmitting power and signals to the CPE, comprising:

• means for connecting the CPE interface to one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces to create an electrical pathway between said plurality of conductors and conductors in the CPE interface to deliver power and signals between the network interface and the CPE interface;
• means for detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals, said predetermined characteristics identifying the type of network interface including means for examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• and
• means for switching said signals to a first connection or a second connection based on the predetermined characteristics, said first connection delivering the signals and power to circuitry for controlling the CPE if a first type of network interface is identified said second connection delivering the signals and power to circuitry for controlling the CPE if a second type of network interface is identified.

An apparatus for allowing customer premise equipment (CPE) to connect to any one of a plurality of different types of network interfaces, said network interfaces each including a plurality of conductors for transmitting signals and power, comprising:

• an interface unit for connection to one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces such that an electrical pathway is created between said plurality of conductors of the network interface and corresponding conductors of said interface unit;
• means for detecting for the presence of power on selected ones of said corresponding conductors;
• means for comparing the detected presence of power with a desired presence of power;
• means for blocking the delivery of power, if the detected presence of power does not correspond to the desired presence of power;
• means for detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals including means for examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• means for switching the signals to appropriate connections corresponding to said one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces, said connections delivering said signals and power to circuitry for processing the signals and power;
• and
• means for connecting said circuitry to a CPE.

An apparatus for allowing customer premise equipment (CPE) to connect to any one of a plurality of different types of network interfaces, said network interfaces each including a plurality of conductors for transmitting signals and power, comprising:

• an interface unit for connection to one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces to create an electrical pathway between said plurality of conductors of the network interface and corresponding conductors of said interface unit;
• means for detecting predetermined characteristics of the signals on at least one of said plurality of corresponding conductors including means for examining the frequency spectrum of the signals;
• in response to the detected predetermined characteristics, means for switching the signals to appropriate connections corresponding to said one of said plurality of different types of network interfaces, said connections delivering said signals and power to circuitry;
• and
• means for connecting the circuitry to a CPE;
• whereby the CPE can operate with said plurality of different types of network interfaces.