Multimedia faceplates having ethernet conversion circuitry
A multimedia faceplate includes a frame having a front face and a rear face and at least one connector mounting aperture therein, a non-Ethernet connector mounted in the connector mounting aperture, an Ethernet conversion unit that is electrically connected to the non-Ethernet connector and a plurality of wire connection contacts that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit. The Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from either an AC to DC power conversion unit or from a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the wire connection contacts.
1. A multimedia system comprising:
a frame having a front face and a rear face;
a plurality of non-Ethernet connectors mounted to the frame;
at least one Ethernet connector mounted to the frame;
an Ethernet conversion unit in communication with at least one of the plurality of non-Ethernet connectors and the Ethernet connector;
a plurality of wire connection terminals that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit; and
an Ethernet cable connected to the plurality of wire connection terminals, wherein the Ethernet cable is configured to transmit signals received at the at least one of the plurality of non-Ethernet connectors,
wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the Ethernet connector.
2. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is electrically connected to the non-Ethernet connector.
3. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet cable that is connected to the plurality of wire connection terminals is routed to a network switch.
4. The multimedia system of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is mounted on the printed circuit board.
5. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to convert a video signal or an audio/video signal into a signal having a packet-based video-over-Ethernet protocol.
6. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to convert an audio signal into a signal having a packet-based audio-over-Ethernet protocol.
7. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is further configured to convert a packet-based video-over-Ethernet protocol into a video signal or an audio/video signal.
8. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to convert a packet-based video-over-Ethernet protocol that is received from the Ethernet cable into signals associated with the non-Ethernet connectors.
9. The multimedia system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit includes a connector termination and an integrated circuit chip, and wherein the connector termination is mounted on a first side of a printed circuit board and wire connection contacts are mounted on an opposite side of the printed circuit board, wherein the wire connection contacts are in electrical communication with the Ethernet connector.
10. A multimedia faceplate, comprising:
a frame having a front face and a rear face and at least one connector mounting aperture therein;
a non-Ethernet connector mounted in the at least one connector mounting aperture;
an Ethernet conversion unit that is mounted on at least one of the frame or the non-Ethernet connector, the Ethernet conversion unit electrically connected to the non-Ethernet connector;
a plurality of wire connection contacts that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit; and
a plurality of wire connection terminals that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit, wherein the Ethernet conversion unit transmits signals received at the plurality of non-Ethernet connectors to the plurality of wire connection terminals;
wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from at least one of an AC-to-DC power conversion unit and a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the plurality of wire connection contacts.
11. The multimedia faceplate of claim 10 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to convert a multimedia signal into a signal that can be routed by an Ethernet switch.
12. The multimedia faceplate of claim 10 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is further configured to convert a packet-based video-over-Ethernet protocol into at least one of a video signal and an audio/video signal.
13. The multimedia faceplate of claim 10 , wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is further configured to convert a packet-based audio-over-Ethernet protocol into at least one of a video signal and an audio/video signal.
14. A multimedia system comprising:
a first faceplate including:
a frame having a front face and a rear face;
at least one of a non-Ethernet connector mounted to the frame;
an Ethernet conversion unit that is mounted on at least one of the frame or the at least one non-Ethernet connector, the Ethernet conversion unit electrically connected to the at least one non-Ethernet connector;
a plurality of wire connection contacts that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit; and
a plurality of wire connection terminals that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit, wherein the Ethernet conversion unit transmits signals received at the at least one non-Ethernet connector to the plurality of wire connection terminals;
wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from at least one of an AC-to-DC power conversion unit and a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the plurality of wire connection contacts;
a second faceplate including:
a frame having a front face and a rear face;
at least one of a non-Ethernet connector mounted to the frame;
an Ethernet conversion unit that is mounted on at least one of the frame or the at least one non-Ethernet connector, the Ethernet conversion unit electrically connected to the at least one non-Ethernet connector;
a plurality of wire connection contacts that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit; and
a plurality of wire connection terminals that are electrically connected to the Ethernet conversion unit, wherein the Ethernet conversion unit transmits signals received at the at least one non-Ethernet connector to the plurality of wire connection terminals;
wherein the Ethernet conversion unit is configured to draw an electrical power signal from at least one of an AC-to-DC power conversion unit and a Power-over-Ethernet power signal received from an Ethernet cable that is connected to the plurality of wire connection contacts;
wherein the wire connection terminals of the first faceplate and the second faceplate are in communication with one another via an Ethernet connection, and wherein the Ethernet connection is configured to transmit signals between the at least one non-Ethernet connectors of the first and second faceplates.
15. The multimedia system of claim 14 , wherein the Ethernet connection includes a network switch.
16. The multimedia system of claim 14 , wherein the Ethernet conversion units of the first and second faceplates are configured to convert a video signal or an audio/video signal into a signal having a packet-based video-over-Ethernet protocol.