Network interface unit with subscriber line daughter boards

Details Network interface unit with subscriber line daughter boards Network interface unit with subscriber line daughter boards

1999-09-30

2004-03-30

Tieu, Binh (Department: 2643)

Telephonic communications

Subscriber line or transmission line interface

Network interface device

C379S093070, C379S399010, C379S413040

Reexamination Certificate

active

06714647

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to improved distribution of data across telephone lines in communication architectures and systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Communication service providers are experiencing significant consumer demands to accommodate additional bandwidth and traffic capacity in existing and new communications systems. Additionally, service providers are experiencing increased consumer demands for multimedia, high speed data access, residential gateway functions, smart homes capabilities, and cable-related data traffic use on-site in the premises of a subscriber's home. To satisfy this increasing demand, service providers have decentralized the location of equipment, added additional components, and upgraded services using improved electronics and related devices. However, certain equipment such as Network Interface Devices (NIDs) and Network Interface Units (NIUs) either lack the ability to expand to meet these demands or are inadequate for the level of sophisticated features and/or functionality required.
NIDs typically house telephone line junctions and terminals, and provide separate panel accesses to subscribers and service providers. In order to add additional telephone lines to a NID, additional line modules or terminals are physically installed at the NID. The NID is typically limited to six (6) line terminals and therefore up to twelve (12) subscriber telephone numbers. NIDs, however, often lack the circuitry and/or functionality to permit increased line and data speeds, as well as the sharing and interaction of line services, as examples.
FIG. 1
depicts a typical network interface device
10
having a network interface module
50
, a testjack receptacle
52
, a first cover
32
and a second cover
12
, which is securably closeable by a male fastener
18
in cooperation with a female connection
45
. It is understood that variations of the NID are known and deployed in practice, wherein such variations are incorporated herein.
NIUs often house a fixed set of telephone lines with limited or no expansion capability. The NIU provides limited functional enhancements over the NID and usually has a fixed number of lines available. However the limited line expandability of the NIU as well as the lack of capability to provide for data sharing and access of multimedia data across existing on-premise telephone render the NIU inadequate to satisfy growing subscriber demands.
Unfortunately, present NID and NIU designs lack the features and functionality necessary for service providers to meet the customer demands for features stated previously. Often the capability of these devices to provide broad bandwidth transport functionality is unavailable, and consequently the ability to carry quality voice, video, and data transmissions simultaneously is not possible. Further the ability to share and distribute data across existing telephone lines, utilize cable-related data services, and utilize in-house wiring as an intra-local area network, is also not possible. Therefore, the ability to carry these desired service features in combination with high-speed and multimedia services, in addition to traditional subscriber control signals and telephone service, has proved desirable. Additionally, it is believed in the art, that a NID or NIU equipped with additional functional features, such as those discussed above, would be very expensive to build and that costs of repair would also be prohibitive. Options presented in the art typically are limited to the addition of new wiring or re-worked wiring at the premises. The modification or addition of wiring and/or devices to a premises often requires significant construction efforts and costs. These options do not address nor resolve the problems related to the needed functional service features (i.e. functional features) previously discussed, nor to the sharing and distribution of data in a manner to optimize existing lines on or at a subscriber's premises.
Accordingly, there exists a need to economically and simply provide a replaceable apparatus for installation within NIDs, NIUs and similar communication devices which provides for desired and expandable functional features including multimedia access, high speed data access, residential gateway functions, data distribution capabilities across existing telephone wiring at a residence, access to cable-related data traffic across these same lines, and analog to digital conversion.
There also exists the need to provide a solution which further enables the sharing of subscriber line resources to optimize the distribution of data to and throughout a subscriber's premises using existing wiring and resources.
There exists a further need to provide for a device incorporating a replaceable apparatus comprising electronic circuitry and having desired functional features previously discussed for use in new construction where a retrofit is not required.
There further exists a need for a solution which, as a device or as an apparatus in combination with an existing NID or NIU, substantially provides for local area network (LAN) interconnectivity within a premise using existing telephone wiring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an economical solution of an improved communications interface device and a functional module apparatus for existing interface devices. The invention is capable of providing the desired functional features of additional bandwidth, sharing of bandwidth, access to high-speed and multimedia data, distribution of data by residential gateways and/or across existing telephone wiring, access to cable-related data, analog to digital conversion of data, and power surge damage-protection such as from a lightning strike. These improvements to a NID or an NIU and the like can be made without modification to the physical characteristics of the existing interface device.
The invention further provides a solution for simple upgrading and replacement of damaged devices at minimal expense by utilizing electronic circuitry, such as motherboards and daughterboards, having at least one of the functional features previously discussed.
The invention further provides for simple upgrading of new or improved devices at minimal expense by interchangeably segregating functional features of the devices into core functional apparatus and secondary functional apparatus, wherein the core apparatus are often motherboards and the secondary apparatus are often daughterboards, each having at least one of the functional features previously discussed.
The invention also provides a solution for adding additional functional features at an existing or improved interface device junction by providing for adaptable connections on a secondary functional apparatus for electrically connecting with a core functional apparatus or the loop service provider line at an existing NID and the like, wherein the secondary functional apparatus comprises enhanced circuitry or daughterboards having upgraded capabilities and/or functional features.
The invention also provides a solution for providing LAN interconnectivity within a premises using existing wiring with either an improved communications device of the present invention, the device of the present invention positioned subsequent to an existing NID, or the apparatus of the present invention within an existing interface device, in which each is positioned along a subscriber line or combination thereof.
In general the invention provides for an improved communications interface device and a functional module apparatus for existing interface devices such as a NID, NIU or the like. The device comprises an interface housing and functional apparatus. The apparatus may be replaceably secured to an existing interface device or to the housing of the present invention. Both the device and the apparatus provide additional functional features at an interface connection point or to a NID, NIU and the like.
The functional apparatus comprise a motherboard and one or more daughterb

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