Digital intercom network over DC-powered microphone cable

A master station for use in a digital intercom network, the master station comprising:

• a first connector which is connected to at least first, second and third conductive paths of at least one cable of the digital intercom network, the third conductive path is a ground path;
• a Direct Current (DC) power supply connected to the at least first, second and third conductive paths via the first connector, the DC power supply powers at least one user station which is connected to the at least one cable;
• a transceiver which provides bidirectional digital communications with the user stations in at least three channels via the at least first, second and third conductive paths, including transmitting digital signals concurrently via the at least first, second and third conductive paths, and receiving signals concurrently via the at least first, second and third conductive paths;
• and
• a router in communication with the transceiver, the router routes digital data packets in the at least three channels to provide digital point-to-point, digital point-to-multi-point, and digital party line communications among the user stations.

A user station in a digital intercom network provided over at least one cable, the user station comprising:

• an interface to the at least one cable, the at least one cable comprising at least first, second and third conductive paths, the third conductive path is a ground path;
• a power conversion unit associated with the interface for receiving Direct Current (DC) power from the at least first, second and third conductive paths;
• and
• a transceiver which provides bidirectional digital communications via the at least first, second and third conductive paths, including transmitting digital signals concurrently via the at least first, second and third conductive paths, and receiving signals concurrently via the at least first, second and third conductive paths, wherein the bidirectional digital communications are provided via at least one channel of at least three available channels which are provided over the at least first, second and third conductive paths.

A method for retrofitting an analog intercom network to provide a digital communication capability, the analog intercom network includes analog user stations, an analog master station and a cable network comprising at least one cable, the at least one cable has first, second and third conductive paths, the third conductive path is a ground path, the method comprising:

• disconnecting the analog user stations and the analog master station from the at least one cable;
• connecting digital user stations to the at least one cable in place of the analog user stations;
• and
• connecting a digital master station to the at least one cable in place of the analog master station, the digital master station:
• (a) provides Direct Current (DC) power to the at least first, second and third conductive paths, the DC power is sufficient to power the user stations, and (b) provides bidirectional digital communications in at least three channels via the first, second and third conductive paths, including transmitting digital signals concurrently via the first, second and third conductive paths, and receiving signals concurrently via the first, second and third conductive paths, where the providing bidirectional digital communications includes routing digital data packets at the digital master station in the at least three channels to provide digital point-to-point, digital point-to-multi-point, and digital party line communications among the user stations according to respective network addresses of the user stations.