Local area network of serial intelligent cells

A network for remotely coupling a computer plug-in card to a computer over a wiring, said network comprising:

• wiring carrying bidirectional serial digital data;
• a first device housed, in a first enclosure, connected to said wiring and connectable to a computer via an interface, said first device being operative for coupling the serial digital data to the computer;
• and
• a second device, housed in a second enclosure, connected to said wiring, said second device comprising a bus slot and being operative for mechanically and electrically interfacing a computer bus plug-in card and coupling serial digital data to the plug-in card.

A device for coupling a bidirectional digital data signal to a data terminal equipment unit and for coupling an analog telephone signal to a telephone unit using wiring in a building comprising of at least two wire pairs, by concurrently carrying the analog telephone signal and the bidirectional digital data signal over the same wires, said device comprising:

• a wiring connector for connecting to the wiring;
• a telephone connector connectable to the telephone unit;
• a data connector connectable to the data terminal equipment unit;
• a coupling unit having first, second and third ports, for passing only the digital data signal between said first and second ports, and for passing only the analog telephone signal between said first and third ports;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said telephone connector, said data connector and said coupling unit, wherein said first port is connected to said wiring connector, said second port is connected to said data connector, and said third port is connected to said telephone connector, and
• said device is mountable into a wall outlet cavity.

A point-to-point network for carrying an analog telephone signal and a bidirectional digital data signal, the network comprising:

• wiring in a building comprising at least two wire pairs and concurrently carrying the analog telephone signal the bidirectional digital data signal over the same wires, said wiring having only first and second end-points;
• a first device housed in a first enclosure and connected to said wiring first end-point, said first device being connectable to a first data terminal equipment unit via a data connector, said first device being operative for coupling the bidirectional serial digital data signal to the first data terminal equipment unit, and said first device being connectable to a source of the analog telephone signal and being operative for coupling the analog telephone signal to the analog telephone signal source;
• and
• a second device housed in a second enclosure and connected to said wiring second end-point, said second device being connectable to a second data terminal equipment unit via a data connector, said second device being operative for coupling the digital data signal to the second data terminal equipment unit, and said second device being connectable to an analog telephone unit and operative for coupling the analog telephone signal to the analog telephone unit, wherein said second device is mounted in an outlet cavity in a wall.

A device for coupling a bidirectional packet-based digitized telephony data signal to an analog telephone unit, for use with telephone wiring in a building, the wiring comprising a single wire pair and carrying a bidirectional packet-based digital data signal in a data signal frequency band, the bidirectional packet-based digital data signal comprising a bidirectional packet-based digitized telephony data signal, said device comprising:

• a wiring connector for connecting to the telephone wire pair;
• a high pass filter coupled to said wiring connector, for passing only the digital data signal;
• a telephone wiring modem coupled to said high pass filter for conducting the digital data signal over said telephone wire pair;
• a telephone connector connectable to an analog telephone unit;
• a converter coupled between said telephone wiring modem and said telephone connector for converting the digitized telephone signal to an analog telephone signal;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said high pass filter, said telephone wiring modem, said telephone connector and said converter.

A device for coupling a bidirectional packet-based digitized telephony data signal to an analog telephone unit for use with a coaxial cable in a building, the cable carrying a bidirectional packet-based digital data signal and the digitized telephony data signal, said device comprising:

• a coaxial connector for connecting to the coaxial cable;
• a filter coupled to said coaxial connector, for passing only the digital data signal;
• a coaxial cable modem coupled to said filter for conducting the digital data signal over the coaxial cable;
• a telephone connector connectable to the analog telephone unit;
• a converter coupled between said coaxial cable modem and said telephone connector for converting the digitized telephone signal to an analog telephone signal;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said coaxial connector, said filter, said coaxial cable modem, said telephone connector and said converter.

A device for coupling a bidirectional packet-based digitized telephony data signal to an analog telephone unit for use with AC power wiring in a building concurrently carrying a bidirectional packet-based digital data signal in a digital data signal frequency band, an AC power signal in a power signal frequency band using frequency division multiplexing and the digitized telephony data signal, wherein the digital data signal frequency band is distinct from, and higher than, the AC power signal frequency band, said device comprising:

• a wiring connector for connecting to the AC power wiring;
• a high pass filter coupled to said wiring connector for passing only the digital data signal;
• a power line modem coupled to said high pass filter for conducting the digital data signal over the AC power wiring;
• a telephone connector connectable to the analog telephone unit;
• a converter coupled between said power line modem and said telephone connector, for converting the digitized telephone data signal into an analog telephone signal;
• a power supply coupled to said wiring connector to be powered by the power signal;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said high pass filter, said power line modem, said telephone connector, said converter and said power supply, wherein the power line modem is coupled to said power supply to be powered from said power supply.

A device for coupling a bidirectional packet-based digitized telephony data signal to an analog telephone unit for use with a network wiring in a building concurrently carrying a bidirectional packet-based digital data signal and a power signal, the bidirectional packetbased digital data signal comprising a digitized telephony data signal, said device comprising:

• a network wiring connector for connecting to the network wiring;
• a transceiver coupled to the network wiring for conducting the digital data signal over the network wiring;
• a telephone connector connectable to an analog telephone unit;
• a converter coupled between said transceiver and said telephone connector for converting the digitized telephone signal into an analog telephone signal;
• a power supply coupled to said network wiring connector to be powered by the power signal;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said network wiring connector, said transceiver, said telephone connector, said converter and said power supply,
• wherein said transceiver is coupled to said power supply to be powered from said power supply.

A device for coupling bidirectional digital data signals to a data unit for use with multiple service wirings in walls in a building, each wiring concurrently carrying a bidirectional digital data signal in a digital data signal frequency band and an analog service signal in an analog service signal frequency band using frequency division multiplexing, the digital data signal frequency band beings distinct from the analog service signal frequency band, said device comprising:

• a first wiring connector connectable to a first service wiring and operative to connect to one of a coaxial cable, telephone wiring, and power line wiring, for coupling to a first bidirectional digital data signal and a first analog service signal carried in the first service wiring;
• a first data filter coupled to said first wiring connector for passing only the first bidirectional digital data signal;
• a first modem coupled to said first data filter for conducting the first bidirectional digital data signal over the first service wiring;
• a first service filter coupled to said first wiring connector for passing only the first analog service signal;
• a second wiring connector for connectable to a second service wiring for coupling to a second bidirectional digital data signal and a second analog service signal carried in the second service wiring;
• a second data filter coupled to said second wiring connector for passing only the second bidirectional digital data signal;
• a second modem coupled to said second data filter for conducting the second bidirectional digital data signal over said second service wiring;
• a second service filter coupled to said second wiring connector for passing only the second analog service signal;
• a data connector connectable to a data unit;
• an analog service connector connectable to a third analog service signal;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said first and second wiring connectors, said first and second data filters, said first and second modems, said first and second service filters, said data connector and said analog service connector,
• wherein:
• said first and second modems are coupled to said data connector;
• the first bidirectional digital data signal is at least at certain times distinct from the second bidirectional digital data signal;
• and
• said first and second wiring connectors are coupled to said analog service connector for coupling the third analog service signal to the first and second service wirings.

A device for coupling first and second bidirectional digital data signals to a data unit the for use with first and second network wiring segments in walls in a building, each segment concurrently carrying one of the bidirectional digital data signal and a respective power signal, said device comprising:

• a power connector couplable to an AC power signal;
• a data connector connectable to the data unit;
• a first transceiver coupled to said data connector for conducting the first bidirectional digital data signal over the first network wiring segment;
• a first wiring connector connectable to the first network wiring segment and connectable to one of:
• a twisted-wire pair;
• a coaxial cable;
• telephone wiring;
• and power line wiring, for coupling to the first bidirectional digital data signal and the power signal carried in the first network wiring segment;
• a first power/data coupling unit having first, second and third ports, for passing only a digital data signal between said first and second ports and for passing only a power signal between said first and third ports, said first port being coupled to said first wiring connector, said second port being coupled to said power connector and said third port being coupled to said first transceiver,
• a second transceiver coupled to said data connector for conducting the first bidirectional digital data signal over the second network wiring segment;
• a second wiring connector connectable to the second network wiring segment and connectable to one of:
• a twisted-wire pair;
• a coaxial cable;
• telephone wiring;
• and power line wiring, for coupling to the second bidirectional digital data signal and the power signal carried in the second network wiring segment;
• a second power/data coupling unit having first, second and third ports, for passing only digital data signal between said first and second ports and passing only a power signal between said first and third ports, said first port being coupled to said second wiring connector, said second port being coupled to said power connector and said third port being coupled to said second transceiver;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said power connector, said data connector, said first and second transceivers, said first and second wiring connectors and said first and second power/data coupling units,
• wherein the first bidirectional digital data signal is distinct from the second bidirectional digital data signal at least at certain times.

A local area network for distributing digital data and power signals, the network comprising:

• a first wiring segment at least in part in a wall in a building and having first and second ends, said first wiring segment comprising two conductors for concurrently carrying a first bidirectional digital data signal and a first power signal, said first wiring segment being one of:
• a twisted-wire pair;
• a coaxial cable;
• telephone wiring;
• and power line wiring;
• a first outlet attached to a wall in the building and connected to said first end of said first wiring segment, said first outlet comprising a first connector connectable to a first data unit, for coupling both the first bidirectional digital data signal and the first power signal to the first data unit;
• a second wiring segment at least in part in a wall in the building and having first and second ends, said second wiring segment comprising two conductors and concurrently carrying a second bidirectional digital data signal and a second power signal, said second wiring segment being one of:
• a twisted- wire pair;
• a coaxial cable;
• telephone wiring;
• and power line wiring;
• a second outlet attached to a wall in the building and connected to said first end of said second wiring segment, said second outlet comprising a second data connector connectable to a second data unit, for coupling both said second bidirectional digital data signal and said second power signal to the second data unit;
• and
• a device connected to said second end of said first wiring segment and to said second end of said second wiring segment, said device being connectable to a third data unit and to a power source for coupling to a third power signal from the power source, the device being further operative to couple the first and second bidirectional digital data signals to the third data unit and to couple the third power signal to the first and second power signals,
• wherein the first bidirectional digital data signal is distinct from the second bidirectional digital data signal at least at certain times.