Local area network of serial intelligent cells
View Patent ↗A serial intelligent cell (SIC) and a connection topology for local area networks using Electrically-conducting media. A local area network can be configured from a plurality of SIC's interconnected so that all communications between two adjacent SIC's is both point-to-point and bidirectional. Each SIC can be connected to one or more other SIC's to allow redundant communication paths. Communications in different areas of a SIC network are independent of one another, so that, unlike current bus topology and star topology, there is no fundamental limit on the size or extent of a SIC network. Each SIC can optionally be connected to one or more data terminals, computers, telephones, sensors, actuators, etc., to facilitate interconnectivity among such devices. Networks according to the present invention can be configured for a variety of applications, including a local telephone system, remote computer bus extender, multiplexers, PABX/PBX functionality, security systems, and local broadcasting services. The network can use dedicated wiring, as well as existing wiring as the in-house telephone or electrical wiring.
1. A local area network (LAN) based PBX/PABX system in a building for carrying power and serial digital data, the system comprising:
first, second and third nodes interconnected by first and second distinct LAN wiring segments; and
external wiring at least in part extending outside the building for full-duplex serial digital data communication, the serial digital data including time-multiplexed first and second serial digitized telephony data, and
the first node being connected to said external wiring for coupling to said time-multiplexed first and second serial digitized telephony data, said first node being further connected to the first and second LAN wiring segments via first and second connectors for time multiplexing/de-multiplexing the first serial digitized telephony data on said first LAN wiring segment and the second serial digitized telephony data on the second LAN wiring segment, and
the first LAN wiring segment comprising at least one twisted wire pair at least in part in a wall of the building, wherein at least one end of the first LAN wiring segment is terminated in the first connector, and the first LAN wiring segment connects only said first and second nodes in a point-to-point connection using full-duplex communication of serial digital data over said first LAN wiring segment between said two connected nodes, and the serial digital data include the first serial digitized telephony data;
the second LAN wiring segment comprising at least one twisted wire pair and at least in part in a wall of a building, wherein at least one end of the wiring segment is terminated in the second connector, and wherein the second LAN wiring segment connects only said first and third nodes in a point-to-point connection using a full-duplex communication of serial digital data over said second LAN wiring segment between said two connected nodes, and wherein the serial digital data include the second serial digitized telephony data, and
the second node connected to said first LAN wiring segment and coupled to a first telephone set for coupling the first serial digitized telephony data to the first telephone set, and
the third node connected to said second LAN wiring segment and coupled to a second telephone set for coupling the second serial digitized telephony data to the second telephone set,
wherein said first, second and third nodes are each addressable in said system.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes has a manually assigned address.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes has an automatically assigned address.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes has an address assigned by a data unit coupled to said node.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said second node and the connected first telephone set are enclosed within a first single enclosure, and wherein said third node and the connected second telephone set are enclosed within the a second single enclosure.
6. The system according to claim 1 further operative to function as an intercom allowing the first and second telephone sets to communicate with each other.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes is at least in part housed within a wall-mounted enclosure that is constructed to have at least one of the following:
a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;
wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;
a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and
a form to substitute for a standard outlet.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the serial digital data communication over said external wiring is PCM highway based or DSL based.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes is either pluggable into an outlet or attachable to an outlet.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes is operative to provide a standard computer bus interface and further comprises a computer connector with associated mechanical means connectable and attachable to a computer plug-in unit, said computer connector being coupled to a wiring segment carrying the first or second digitized telephony data.
11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said standard computer bus interface is one of: an ISA interface, a PCMCIA interface, an IDE interface, and a SCSI interface.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein all of said nodes comprise firmware and a processor for executing said firmware and coupled to control and process the digitized telephony data.
13. The system according to claim 1 further operative to carry power over said first and second LAN wiring segments, wherein:
said first node is connected to a power source for powering said first nodes;
said first and second wiring segments each concurrently carry a respective first or second DC power signal derived from the power source;
said second node is coupled to be powered by the first DC power signal; and
said third node is coupled to be powered by the second DC power signal.
14. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least one of said nodes is further operative to power a device connected thereto.
15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second LAN wiring segments comprises four conductors and carries the DC power over dedicated conductors distinct from the data carrying conductors.
16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of said wiring segments carries power and data over the same conductors.
17. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first and second DC power signals are each current limited and said system is further operative to accommodate line reversal in any of said wiring segments with a diode-based bridge in order to provide power protection.
18. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first and second digitized telephony data are packet-based.
19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the telephone sets is an analog telephone set coupled to the respective node via a standard analog telephone connector, and wherein said respective node further comprises a converter between an analog telephony signal and digitized telephony data coupled to said standard analog telephone connector for coupling respective serial digitized telephony data to the analog telephone set.
20. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nodes further comprises a visual indicator for indicating a communication status.
21. A system in a building for coupling at least one analog telephone set in the building to a digital telephone service external to the building, the system further providing a life-line service, the system comprising:
a telephone wire pair, at least in part extending outside the building and at least in part in a wall of the building and connected to a telephone outlet, for carrying full-duplex serial digital data including serial digitized telephony data, the serial digital data is carried over a frequency band distinct from, and higher than, analog telephony band,
a first analog telephone set to be coupled to the wire pair via a standard analog telephone connector;
a single enclosure; and
a device housed in said single enclosure and comprising:
a first telephone connector connected for coupling the serial digitized telephony data to said telephone wire pair;
a high pass filter coupled to said first telephone connector for passing only the serial digital data;
a telephone modem coupled to said high pass filter for conducting the serial digital data over said telephone wire pair;
an analog/digital telephony converter coupled to said telephone modem for converting between the serial digitized telephony data and an analog telephone signal; and
a second telephone connector connected to said first analog telephone set for coupling the analog telephone signal to said first analog telephone set wherein:
said telephone wire pair is connected to concurrently carry a second analog telephone signal over an analog telephone band, and said device further comprises:
a low pass filter coupled to said first telephone connector for passing only the second analog telephone signal; and
a third telephone connector connected to said low pass filter and connectable to a second analog telephone set, for coupling the second analog telephone signal to the second analog telephone set.
22. A system in a building for coupling at least one analog telephone set in the building to a digital telephone service external to the building, the system further providing a life-line service, the system comprising:
a telephone wire pair, at least in part extending outside the building and at least in part in a wall of the building and connected to a telephone outlet, for carrying full-duplex serial digital data including serial digitized telephony data, the serial digital data is carried over a frequency band distinct from, and higher than, analog telephony band,
a first analog telephone set to be coupled to the wire pair via a standard analog telephone connector;
a single enclosure; and
a device housed in said single enclosure and comprising:
a first telephone connector connected for coupling the serial digitized telephony data to said telephone wire pair;
a high pass filter coupled to said first telephone connector for passing only the serial digital data;
a telephone modem coupled to said high pass filter for conducting the serial digital data over said telephone wire pair;
an analog/digital telephony converter coupled to said telephone modem for converting between the serial digitized telephony data and an analog telephone signal; and
a second telephone connector connected to said first analog telephone set for coupling the analog telephone signal to said first analog telephone set wherein:
said telephone wire pair is connected to concurrently carry a second analog telephone signal over an analog telephone band, and said device further comprises:
a low pass filter coupled to said first telephone connector for passing only the second analog telephone signal, and
a switch coupled to said low pass filter, said converter and to said second telephone connector, said switch being switchable between a first state for connecting said second telephone connector to said converter and a second state for connecting second telephone connector is connected to said low pass filter.
23. The system according to claim 22 wherein said switch comprises a relay and is operative to shift from the first state to the second state upon sensing a loss of telephone service.
24. The system according to claim 22 wherein said device is addressable in said system.
25. The system according to claim 24 , wherein said device has a manually assigned address.
26. The system according to claim 24 , wherein said device has an automatically assigned address.
27. The system according to claim 24 , wherein said device has an address assigned by a data unit coupled to said device.
28. A device for coupling power and digital data in a network, for use with first, second and third point-to-point network wiring segments each comprising at least one twisted-wire pair, the device comprising:
a first transceiver configured to convey first full-duplex serial digital data, to be multiplexed with a first DC power signal, to and from the first wiring segment;
a second transceiver configured to convey second full-duplex serial digital data, to be multiplexed with a second DC power signal, to and from the second wiring segment; and
a third transceiver coupled to the first and second transceivers and being configured to couple one of the first full duplex serial digital data and the second full-duplex serial digital data to the third wiring segment,
wherein the first and second full-duplex serial digital data are packet-based data, and the device is addressable.
29. The device according to claim 28 , further comprising a power connector for coupling to a power outlet.
30. The device according to claim 29 , further comprising a first connector for connecting to the first wiring segment and a second connector for connecting to the second wiring segment.
31. The device according to claim 30 , further comprising first and second current limiting circuits respectively coupled between said power connector and the first and second connectors for respective current limiting of the first and second DC power signals.
32. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the first and second full-duplex serial digital data are independent from each other.
33. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the device has a manually assigned address.
34. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the device has an automatically assigned address.
35. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the device has an address assigned by a data unit coupled to the device.
36. A local area network comprising the device as claimed in claim 28 .
37. The local area network accordinq to claim 36 , wherein the device has a manually assigned address.
38. The local area network according to claim 36 , wherein the device has an automatically assigned address.
39. The local area network according to claim 36 , wherein the device has an address assigned by a data unit coupled to the device.
40. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the device is adapted to be mounted on a wall.
41. The device according to claim 28 , wherein the device is configured to function as a multiplexer.
42. The device according to claim 28 , further comprising first and second power/data combiners, the first power/data combiner being configured to multiplex the first full-duplex serial digital data with the first DC power signal, and the second power/data combiner being configured to multiplex the second full-duplex serial digital data with the second DC power signal.