MODULAR POWERLINE ADAPTERS AND METHODS OF USE

1 . An article to transmit and receive signals through an electrical power distribution network, the article comprising:

a first module comprising an electrical plug configured to electrically couple to an electrical power outlet receptacle of the electrical power distribution network, and the first module comprising a first signal connector, the first module further comprising:

a first housing and a first plurality of electrical components located within the first housing;

wherein:

the first plurality of electrical components are configured to transmit digital information through the electrical power distribution network received by the first plurality of electrical components through the first signal connector; and

wherein:

the first plurality of electrical components are further, configured to transmit digital information through the first signal connector received by the first plurality of electrical components through the electrical power distribution network; and

the first housing comprises a first mechanical attachment mechanism;

a second module comprising at least one first data port of a first type configured to electrically couple to a digital data cable of a first type, the second module comprising a second signal connector configured to electrically couple to the first signal connector of the first module, the second module further comprising:

second housing and a second plurality of electrical components located within the second housing;

wherein:

the second plurality of electrical components are configured to transmit the digital information through the first data port received by the second plurality of electrical components through the second signal connector; and

wherein:

the second plurality of electrical components are further configured to transmit digital information through the second signal connector received by the second plurality of electrical components through the first data port; and

the second housing comprises a second mechanical attachment mechanism, and

the first mechanical attachment mechanism and the second mechanical attachment mechanism are configured to couple to each other substantially rigidly to couple the first module and the second module.

2 . The article of claim 1 further comprising:

a third module comprising:

at least one second data port of a second type configured to electrically couple to a digital data cable of a second type, a second signal connector configured to electrically couple to the first signal connector of the first module, the third module further comprising:

a third housing and a third plurality of electrical components located within the third housing;

wherein:

 the third plurality of electrical components are configured to transmit the digital information through the second data port received by the third plurality of electrical components through the second signal connector; and

wherein:

 the third plurality of electrical components are further configured to transmit digital information through the second signal connector received by the third plurality of electrical components through the second data port; and

the third housing comprises a second mechanical attachment mechanism; and

the first mechanical attachment mechanism and the second mechanical attachment mechanism are configured to couple to each other substantially rigidly to couple the first module and the third module.

3 . The article of claim 2 , wherein the at least one second housing and the third housing comprise substantially the same shape and dimensions except for the data ports.

4 . The article of claim 1 , 2 , or 3 , wherein the first module further comprises:

a release button, wherein the second housing releases from the first housing when the release button is pressed.

5 . The article of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first module further comprises a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug.

6 . The article of any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first data port of the first type comprises a RJ45 data port.

7 . The article of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the first data port of the first type comprises a USB data port.

8 . The article of any of the preceding claims, wherein:

the first module further comprises a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug;

the first module comprising an electrical plug electrically coupled to the electrical power outlet receptacle of the electrical power distribution network further comprises the electrical power outlet receptacle comprising a non-U.S. standard electrical power outlet receptacle configuration; and

the power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug further comprises a non-U.S. standard power outlet receptacle configuration.

9 . The article of any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one status indicator.

10 . The article of claim 9 , wherein the status indicator comprises at least one of a data transfer indicator, a power indicator, and a network detection indicator.

11 . The article of any of the preceding claims, wherein the second module further comprises multiple data ports of the first type.

12 . The article of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , or 10 , wherein the second module further comprises the first data port of the first type and a second data port of a second type.

13 . The article of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , or 12 , wherein:

the first module further comprises a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug; and

the first module further comprises an electrical noise filter to filter electrical noise from a component plugged into the power outlet receptacle.

14 . A method of adapting power distribution networks for use as communication systems using different data cable connections, the method comprising in any order at least the acts of:

obtaining or providing a plurality of modular powerline adapters, each comprising a housing configured to mechanically and electrically couple to at least one at a time of a plurality of outlet extensions;

obtaining or providing a plurality of first outlet extensions configured to mechanically and electrically couple to the modular powerline adapters, each first outlet extension comprising at least one first communication port of a first type; and

obtaining or providing a plurality of second outlet extensions configured to mechanically and electrically couple to the modular powerline adapters, each second outlet extension comprising at least one second communication port of a second type.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the act of obtaining or providing a plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises:

obtaining or providing a plurality of modular powerline adapters that each comprise an electrical plug to electrically couple to a electrical power outlet receptacle of an electrical power distribution network; and

wherein:

the electrical plug when coupled to the power outlet receptacle supports the modular powerline adapters; and

wherein:

either of the first and second outlet extensions mechanically couples directly to the modular powerline adapter of the first and second outlet extensions.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

obtaining or providing the plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises providing a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug of each of the modular powerline adapters.

17 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , or 16 , wherein the act of obtaining or providing a plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises providing a release button on each of a plurality of the modular powerline adapters;

wherein:

the modular powerline adapters release from the outlet extension when the release button is pressed.

18 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 16 , or 17 , further comprising;

providing a housing of the first outlet extension and providing a housing of the second outlet extension to each comprise substantially the same shape and dimensions except for the communication ports.

19 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , or 18 , wherein the at least one first communication port of a first type comprises a RJ45 communication port.

20 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , or 19 , wherein the at least one second communication port of a second type comprises a USB communication port.

21 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , or 20 , wherein:

obtaining or providing the plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises providing a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug of each of the modular powerline adapters;

the plurality of modular powerline adapters comprising an electrical plug to electrically couple to the electrical power outlet receptacle of the electrical power distribution network further comprises the electrical power outlet receptacle to comprise a non-U.S. standard electrical power outlet receptacle configuration; and

the power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug further comprises a non-U.S. standard power outlet receptacle configuration.

22 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , or 21 , wherein the act of obtaining or providing the plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises providing or obtaining at least one status indicator.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the status indicator comprises at least one of a data transfer indicator, a power indicator, and a network detection indicator.

24 . The method of claim 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 22 , or 23 , wherein:

obtaining or providing the plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises providing a power outlet receptacle electrically coupled to the electrical plug of each of the modular powerline adapters; and

the plurality of modular powerline adapters further comprises an electrical noise filter to filter electrical noise from a component plugged into the power outlet receptacle.