Local area network for distributing data communication, sensing and control signals

A device for use with first and second wiring segments each having two ends and each comprising only two conductors in a point-to-point connection for conducting half-duplex digital data communication of serial digital data, said device comprising:

• a first connector for connecting to the first wiring segment;
• a first driver coupled to said first connector for transmitting data to the first wiring segment;
• a first receiver coupled to said first connector for receiving data from the first wiring segment;
• a second connector for connecting to the second wiring segment;
• a second driver coupled to receive data from said first receiver and coupled to said second connector for transmitting the data received from said first receiver to the second wiring segment;
• a second receiver coupled to said second connector and said first driver for receiving data from the second wiring segment and for passing the data to said first driver;
• a component data port coupled to said first driver and to said first receiver for coupling data carried over said first wiring segment to a component;
• a control logic coupled to said first and second drivers and said first and second receivers for placing said device in a selected one of first and second states;
• a power connection for connecting to a power source;
• a power supply including a voltage converter and coupled to said power connection to be powered from the power source, said power supply being coupled to power said first and second drivers, said first and second receivers and said control logic;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said first and second connectors, said first and second drivers, said first and second receivers, said component data port, said control logic, said power connection, and said power supply, wherein:
• in the first state, data received from the first wiring segment via said first connector is repeated without format change to the second wiring segment via said second connector,
• in the second state, data received from the second wiring segment via said second connector is repeated without format change to the first wiring segment via said first connector, and
• each of said first and second connectors has only two connection points for connection to the two conductors of a respective wiring segment.

A device for coupling a data unit to a cable having exactly two ends and including two dedicated wires for carrying a power signal and a single twisted wire pair in a point-to-point connection for carrying half-duplex digital data communication of a serial digital data, the device comprising in a single enclosure:

• a wiring connector for connecting to the cable, said wiring connector having a cable connection side consisting of only a first pair of connection points for connection only to the two dedicated wires for carrying a power signal and a only a second pair of connection points for connection only to the single twisted wire pair;
• a first driver coupled to said wiring connector for transmitting data to the cable;
• a first receiver coupled to said wiring connector for receiving data from the cable;
• a data connector for connecting to a data unit for bi-directional standard-based digital data communication with the data unit, for coupling the data unit to said serial digital data;
• a second driver coupled to said data connector for transmitting data to the data unit, said second driver being coupled to pass digital data from said first receiver;
• and
• a second receiver coupled to said data connector for receiving data from the data unit, said second receiver being coupled to pass data to said first driver, wherein said drivers and receivers are coupled to said wiring connector to be powered from the power signal.

A device for coupling an analog unit to a cable having exactly two ends and including two dedicated wires for carrying a power signal, and a single twisted wire pair in a point-to-point connection for carrying half-duplex digital data communication of serial digital data, said device comprising:

• a wiring connector for connecting to the cable, said wiring connector having a cable connection side consisting of only a first pair of connection points for connection only to the two dedicated wires for carrying a power signal and a only a second pair of connection points for connection only to the single twisted wire pair;
• a driver coupled to said wiring connector for transmitting data to the cable;
• a receiver coupled to said wiring connector for receiving data from the cable;
• an analog connector for connecting to an analog unit;
• a converter for converting between analog and digital signals coupled between said analog connector, said receiver and said driver, for coupling the serial digital data to the analog unit;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said driver, said receiver, said analog connector and said converter,
• wherein said converter, said driver and said receiver are coupled to said wiring connector to be powered from the power signal.

A device for coupling to a power signal and a full-duplex serial digital data signal simultaneously carried over an Ethernet-based local area network (LAN) cable comprising at least one twisted-wire pair, said device comprising:

• a LAN wiring connector for connecting to the cable;
• a power/data splitter having first, second and third ports, said splitter being configured so that only the power signal is passed from said first port to said second port, and only the digital data signal is passed between said first and third ports, and wherein said first port is coupled to said LAN wiring connector;
• a LAN transceiver coupled to said third port of said power/data splitter for point-to-point communication of the full duplex serial digital data signal with a transceiver of the same type as said LAN transceiver over said LAN cable;
• a power supply for voltage conversion coupled to and powered from said second port of said power/data splitter, said power supply having a power source port connected to said LAN transceiver for powering said LAN transceiver from said power supply;
• a data port coupled to said LAN transceiver and connectable to a data unit for coupling the packet-based full-duplex serial digital data signal to the data unit;
• and
• a visual indicator powered by said power supply for indicating the device status,
• wherein said device is addressable in the LAN.

A control device for coupling a component to first and second wiring segments of a local area network (LAN), each segment having two ends and comprising a twisted-wire pair having two conductors arranged in a point-to-point connection for carrying unidirectional digital data communication of serial digital data, said device comprising:

• a first LAN connector for connecting to the first LAN wiring segment;
• a first signal transformer coupled to said first LAN connector for passing only data signals;
• a receiver coupled to said first signal transformer for receiving data signals passed by said first signal transformer and decoding data in the received signals;
• a second LAN connector for connecting to the second wiring segment;
• a second signal transformer coupled to said second LAN connector for passing only data signals;
• a driver coupled to said second signal transformer for encoding and transmitting data to said second signal transformer;
• a component data port coupled to said driver and to said receiver for coupling data carried over at least one of the wiring segments to a component;
• a power connection for connecting to a power source;
• a power supply including a voltage converter and coupled to said power connection to be powered from the power source, said power supply being coupled to power at least said driver and said receiver;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said first and second LAN connectors, said first and second signal transformers, said receiver, said driver, said component data port, said power connection and said power supply,
• wherein at least part of the data received from the first wiring segment via said first connector is repeated without format change to the second wiring segment via said second connector.