Method and apparatus for enabling the transmission of multiple wide bandwidth electrical signals

A method of transmitting three balanced mode signals using two pairs of conductors, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a first one of said three balanced mode signals on a first pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• transmitting a second one of said three balanced mode signals on a second pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• transmitting a third one of said three balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• using first, second and third virtual ground planes created by said three balanced mode signals on said first, second and third pairs of conductors, respectively, to electrically isolate said three balanced mode signals from one another.

A method of transmitting three balanced mode signals using two pairs of conductors, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a first one of said three balanced mode signals on a first pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• transmitting a second one of said three balanced mode signals on a second pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• and
• transmitting a third one of said three balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• said three balanced mode signals on said first, second and third pairs of conductors generating first, second and third virtual ground planes, respectively;
• said first, second and third pairs of conductors arranged such that said first, second and third pairs of conductors are electrically isolated from one another by said first, second and third virtual ground planes.

A method of transmitting three balanced mode signals using two pairs of conductors, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first one of said three balanced mode signals on a first pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• transmitting a second one of said three balanced mode signals on a second pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• transmitting a third one of said three balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• and
• piggybacking additional low bandwidth signals on one or more of said three balanced mode signals for transmission therewith.

A system for using four-conductor cable to transmit three balanced mode signals, the system comprising:

• an encode matrix coupled to first and second pairs of conductors of said four-conductor cable, said encode matrix transmitting a first balanced mode signal via said first pair of conductors of said four-conductor cable, a second balanced mode signal via said second pair of conductors of said cable, and a third balanced mode signal via a third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• and
• a decode matrix coupled to said first and second pairs of conductors of said cable and connected to said encode matrix via said first and second pairs of conductors of said cable, said decode matrix comprising a plurality of resistors, said plurality of resistors of said decode matrix recovering said first, second and third balanced mode signals from said cable;
• wherein one of said plurality of resistors comprises a load resistor for said third signal.

A method of transmitting a first number of balanced mode signals using a second number of conductors, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. transmitting a first one of said first number of balanced mode signals using a first pair of said second number of conductors;
• b. transmitting a second one of said first number of balanced mode signals using a second pair of said second number of conductors;
• c. synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• d. transmitting a third one of said first number of balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• e. said first one of said first number of balanced mode signals, said second one of said first number of balanced mode signals and said third one of said first number of balanced mode signals on said first pair of said second number of conductors, said second pair of said second number of conductors and said third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pairs of conductors, respectively, generating first, second and third virtual ground planes, respectively;
• f. said first pair of said second number of conductors, said second pair of said second number of conductors and said third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pairs of conductors arranged such that said first pair of said second number of conductors, said second pair of said second number of conductors and said third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pairs of conductors are electrically isolated from one another by said first, second and third virtual ground planes;
• and
• g. repeating steps a-f for the remainder of said first number of balanced mode signals and said second number of conductors.

A method of transmitting a first number of balanced mode signals using a second number of conductors, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. transmitting a first one of said first number of balanced mode signals using a first pair of said second number of conductors;
• b. transmitting a second one of said first number of balanced mode signals using a second pair of said second number of conductors;
• c. synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• d. transmitting a third one of said first number of balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• e. using a first virtual ground plane created by said first one of said first number of balanced mode signals using said first pair of said second number of conductors, a second virtual ground plane created by said second one of said first number of balanced mode signals using said second pair of said second number of conductors and a third virtual ground plane created by said third one of said first number of balanced mode signals using said third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pair of conductors to electrically isolate said first number of balanced mode signals from one another;
• f. repeating steps a-d for the remainder of said first number of balanced mode signals and said second number of conductors.

Apparatus for transmitting three balanced mode signals using two pairs of conductors, the apparatus comprising:

• means for transmitting a first one of said three balanced mode signals on a first pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• means for transmitting a second one of said three balanced mode signals on a second pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• means for synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• means for transmitting a third one of said three balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• and
• means for electrically isolating said first, second and third ones of said three balanced mode signals from one another using first, second and third virtual ground planes created by said first, second and third ones of said three balanced mode signals on said first, second and third pairs of conductors, respectively.

Apparatus for transmitting three balanced mode signals using two pairs of conductors, the apparatus comprising:

• means for transmitting a first one of said three balanced mode signals on a first pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• means for transmitting a second one of said three balanced mode signals on a second pair of said two pairs of conductors;
• means for synthesizing a third pair of conductors from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• and
• means for transmitting a third one of said three balanced mode signals using said synthesized third pair of conductors;
• wherein additional low bandwidth signals are piggybacked on one or more of said three balanced mode signals for transmission therewith.

A system for using four-conductor cable to transmit three balanced mode signals, the system comprising:

• an encode matrix coupled to first and second pairs of conductors of said fourconductor cable, said encode matrix transmitting a first balanced mode signal via first and second conductors of said four-conductor cable, a second balanced mode signal via third and fourth conductors of said four-conductor cable, and a third balanced mode signal via a third pair of conductors synthesized from said first, second, third and fourth conductors of said four-conductor cable;
• and
• a decode matrix coupled to said first, second, third and fourth conductors of said four-conductor cable and connected to said encode matrix via said first, second, third and fourth conductors of said four-conductor cable, said decode matrix recovering said first, second and third balanced mode signals from said fourconductor cable;
• wherein:
• first and second components of said first balanced mode signal are transmitted over said first and second conductors, respectively;
• first and second components of said second balanced mode signal are transmitted over said third and fourth conductors, respectively;
• a first component of said third balanced mode signal is transmitted over each of said first and fourth conductors;
• and
• a second component of said third balanced mode signal is transmitted over each of said second and third conductors.

A system for using four-conductor cable to transmit three balanced mode signals, the system comprising:

• an encode matrix coupled to first and second pairs of conductors of said four-conductor cable, said encode matrix comprising eight equal resistors for creating summing nodes at each of said first and second pairs of conductors of said four-conductor cable, said encode matrix transmitting a first balanced mode signal via said first pair of conductors of said four-conductor cable, a second balanced mode signal via said second pair of conductors of said four-conductor cable, and a third balanced mode signal via a third pair of conductors synthesized from said first and second pairs of conductors;
• and
• a decode matrix coupled to said first and second pairs of conductors of said four-conductor cable and connected to said encode matrix via said first and second pairs of conductors of said four-conductor cable, said decode matrix recovering said first, second and third balanced mode signals from said four-conductor cable;
• wherein each of said resistors has a resistance which is equal to two times an impedance associated with said four-conductor cable.