US 6,307,764 B1 · Power brick

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a power brick for use with a network adapter includes: a power supply and at least one signal transformer. The power supply and the signal transformer are physically remote from the network adapter and capable of being electronically coupled to the network adapter via a cable. Briefly, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a power brick for use with a network adapter includes: at least two signal transformers. The at least two signal transformers are physically remote from the network adapter and capable of being electronically coupled to the network adapter via a cable. Briefly, in accordance with on more embodiment of the invention, a method of using a power brick with a network adapter includes the following. A high voltage power supply including superpositioned high frequency communications signals is received via a power brick. The voltage of the received signal is reduced. The reduced voltage is transmitted to the network adapter via a cable.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A power brick for use with a network adapter comprising:

a power supply and
at least two signal transformers;
said power supply and the at least two signal transformers being physically remote from said network adapter and being capable of being electronically coupled to said network adapter via a cable;
wherein said brick is adapted to be coupled to conventional power lines and wherein said power supply is adapted to convert AC power to DC power;
said at least two signal transformers being coupled in a configuration to send and receive high frequency communication signals via said conventional power lines;
and
said network adapter includes circuitry to format digital signals for communication with a PC via a cable coupling to a parallel port of the PC.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power brick

Life of this patent

Power brick

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6