Abstract:
A module and unified network backplane interface for a local network, which includes a circuit board; a plurality of sockets on the circuit board for receiving plug-in network devices; power lines on the circuit board to one or more sockets for powering a plug-in network device in each socket; communication lines on the circuit board to each socket for communication between plug-in network devices; and a housing for the circuit board, power lines and communication lines, including openings for exposing said sockets. The backplane also have a central embedded platform-independent configuration utility accessible via a web browser to configure all plug-in devices in one session.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to network systems, and in particular to modular network apparatus.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    With the growing number of households and small businesses having more than one computer, small networks have evolved. General availability of broadband provides such small networks access to the Internet. However assembly of the various components in such a network is cumbersome, requiring skilled help. And, the assembled components include associated maze of cabling. Further, the assembled network components require configuration by professionals staff to perform desired functions such as e.g. modem/broadband access, firewall security protection, router, hub/switch, network-attached storage (NAS), printer server, etc.  
           [0003]    [0003]FIG. 1 shows an example of such network  10 , wherein a number of user computers  12  and devices such as wireless access devices  14  and corresponding wireless access point  15 , shared storage sever  16 , print server  18 , printer  19 , firewall  20 , modem  22 , are connected to a switch  24 , for communication therebetween. Each device is connected to the switch via communication cable  25 . Further each device includes a power cable  26  for powering that device. As such, each device has its own cabling, software, power cables, input/output for each device (such as network attached storage). The various communication and power cables  25 ,  26  form a maze of wires that are disorganized, and the various devices have to be scattered over a desktop or on the floor. And, each device must be separately configured by painstakingly calling up and executing the particular configuration software for that device.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention alleviates the above shortcomings. In one embodiment the present invention provides a module and unified network backplane interface for a local network, which includes a circuit board; a plurality of sockets on the circuit board for receiving plug-in network devices; power lines on the circuit board to one or more sockets for powering a plug-in network device in each socket; communication lines on the circuit board to each socket for communication between plug-in network devices; and a housing for the circuit board, power lines and communication lines, including openings for exposing said sockets. Further, embedded software on the backplane provides a common user interface to configure all plug-in devices.  
           [0005]    Preferably, the backplane provides compact dimensions for desk, floor or wall installation. It allows modular components plug ins for different network functions. The backplane is flexible wherein a user can add/remove plug-in components to suit additional users or new technology. It is simple to install and configure plug-ins, and essentially eliminates external cabling other than that to e.g. Internet connection (phone line or TV cable) and to user devices (e.g., PCs, printers, etc.) 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures where:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of conventional complex and unmanageable interconnection of network devices, wherein each device is connected to a multi-port switch by a communication cable, and to a power source by a power cable;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of an example network backplane according to the present invention with several components plugged therein;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2B shows another perspective view of an example network backplane according to the present invention with a plug-in component being inserted therein;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a network utilizing the backplane of FIG. 2, including the underlying electronics and interconnections;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4A shows example user interfaces according to an embodiment of embedded software in the backplane of FIG. 3;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4B shows an example flowchart of an embodiment of steps of configuration software embedded in the backplane of FIG. 3; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of another network utilizing the backplane of FIG. 3. 
     
    
       [0014]    In the drawings, like elements have like reference numbers.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2A, an example modular network backplane appliance  30  according to the present invention is shown. The backplane is  30  customizable and expandable (e.g., add features later), provides a unified network backplane and power connections (fewer cables and outlets), and provides a unified (single application) software configuration of all plug-in devices.  
         [0016]    The modular network backplane  30  appliance comprises a housing  32 , preferably no larger than an office telephone and small enough to comfortably fit on a desktop, or be mounted to a wall with mountings  34  near a communication service entrance (phone, cable, etc.) As shown in example FIG. 2B, the plug-in modules  38  can be compact, and in one example each within an envelope of about 4″×5″×1″. The modules  38  can be smaller based on packaging technology. Further, the in one example, the housing can be about 12″×6″×2″. Other dimensions for the housing  32  and modules  38  are possible.  
         [0017]    The housing  32  includes (keyed and optionally color-keyed) pluggable sockets  36  (e.g., Socket 1  through Socket 7 ) for various types of plug-in devices  38  to be plugged into the backplane  30  for local network connection. The shape and dimensions of sockets  36  and plug-in devices  38  are selected to mutually cooperate, as shown in FIGS.  2 A-B.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a backplane circuit  40  in the backplane  30  of FIG. 2 and a network utilizing the backplane  30 . FIG. 3 shows the underlying electronics and interconnections of the backplane circuit  40  and various plug-in and other devices  38  connected to the backplane circuit  40 .  
         [0019]    For example, as shown in FIG. 3, Socket 1  is dedicated to external network connectivity (e.g., analog modem, DSL modem, Cable modem), Socket 2  is dedicated as a bridge (e.g., either a router with firewall or a jumper for unprotected access such as dialup) between an external network (e.g., Internet) and the local network  42 . Additional sockets  36  are general purpose for other devices  38  such as e.g. print server, shared storage as well as hubs and/or switches to connect other devices such as user computers (e.g., personal computers), servers, to a switch  44  in the circuit  40 .  
         [0020]    In one version, the underlying circuit  40  includes a multiple100baseT Ethernet connector  46  for connecting the local network  42  to an external network. Socket 1  and half of Socket 2  are an isolated segment (i.e., open to external network such as Internet, unprotected), whereas the other half of Socket 2  connects to the integral switch  44  supporting all the additional sockets  36 . The electrical/mechanical connection for each socket  36  can be proprietary to restrict the user to selecting a brand of device modules/components to plug into the back plane circuit  40 , or e.g. a standard RJ-45 modular plug/socket to allow use of existing hardware, as desired. Use of existing hardware, however, may preclude use of the central configuration software for that module.  
         [0021]    The backplane circuit  40  can provide functionality of e.g. a multi-port Ethernet switch  44 , integrated onto a circuit board  48  with pluggable components. Rather than running cables between each of the devices  38  and power supplies for each device/component  38 , the backplane  48  provides power circuit  50  supply power from a power supply  51 , a configuration bus  52 , networking for bridging all of the components though switches  44 ,  46  and trace lines  54 .  
         [0022]    Connection between the backplane  40  and user components such as personal computers can be e.g. out of either hub or switch module  38  that plugs into the backplane  40 . Such connection can utilize e.g. standard Ethernet cabling, or a module that uses phone lines, or a plug in for wireless networking (i.e., a home connection for the users). One of the modules is the switch or hub that is connected to hardwired users, and a different plug in module provides wireless connection to any mobile users within the area.  
         [0023]    The backplane circuit  40  further includes a configuration processor  58  and memory  60  for configuration software  55  for user configuration of the devices  38  connected to backplane circuit  40 . The configuration software can reside in the memory  60  and be executed by the configuration processor  58 . Additional embedded code can be resident on the backplane processor  58  for management of the backplane switch  44 . Likewise, each device  38  can include its own local processor and memory to handle the tasks specific to that device  38 .  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 4A, the configuration software  55  provides platform independent user interface  62  (e.g., Web browser pages  62   a ,  62   b ,  62   c ) that allow user configuration of the components connected to the backplane  40 . Preferably, the configuration software  55  provides a common user interface (e.g., Web browser screen)  62  to configure each component  38  individually from that user interface  62 . For example, as shown in example user interface pages  62   a ,  62   b ,  62   c  in FIG. 5, similar steps can configure each component  38  in one session, whereby it is unnecessary to call up and execute a separate configuration software for each component  38  to configure that component  38 . For example, the user interface page  62   a  shows user-selectable options for basic configuration of the backplane circuit  40 , the user interface page  62   b  shows user-selectable options for configuration of a storage server device  38  connected to the backplane circuit  40 , and the user interface page  62   c  shows user-selectable options for configuration of a printer server  38  connected to the backplane circuit  40 .  
         [0025]    The configuration software  55  and user interface  62  can be platform and operating system independent, utilizing e.g. TCP/IP as the communication protocol between the devices  38  plugged into the backplane  40 . The configuration software  55  can be designed to require minimal knowledge of networking from user and be simple to set up. The configuration software  55  provides additional, advanced configuration for users with networking knowledge, and can be password protected. A “reset to default configuration” option allows restoration of the system if settings are corrupted.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4B shows an example flowchart of an embodiment of steps of configuration software  55 , providing the example user interface  62  of FIG. 4A. The configuration software  55  can be embedded in nonvolatile memory in memory  60  on the backplane  40  for components  38  supported for plug-in and/or connection to the backplane  40 , so that when a component  38  (e.g., printer server) is detected by the configuration software  55  or accessed by a user device over the local network  42  (step  100 ), the component  38  identifies itself (step  102 ), if configuration instructions (program code/information) is available in e.g. the memory  60  (i.e., the component  38  is supported by the backplane  40 ) (step  103 ), then the user interface  62  is generated based on the component information, and displayed (step  104 ) such that the user can provide configuration commands/selections for that component  38  via the common user interface  62  (step  106 ), wherein the configuration configures the component  38  based on one the user configuration commands and received/stored configuration information (step  108 ). The backplane memory  60  includes a driver program for each component  38  supported, (e.g. shared driver that can be used for each component).  
         [0027]    Components  38  that are not supported by the backplane  40  in terms of configuration software, include drivers that can be obtained added to the existing drivers in the backplane memory  60  (step  110 ), when such components are connected (e.g., the added component includes software that communicates with to the configuration software  55  on the backplane or network PC, to configure itself, and the backplane memory  60  includes driver space to store the driver of that component). As such, if a connected component  38  is not recognized by the backplane configuration software  55 , then the driver for that component is provided to the backplane configuration software  55  e.g., from a floppy disk (plug and play standard). Further, the components can include local processor/memory/embedded code to perform the device-specific functions. Updates to that code can be downloaded to the non-volatile memory  60  e.g. FLASH RAM via the web browser  62  to provide new drivers or new backplane functionality.  
         [0028]    As shown by example FIG. 5, a module network back plane  30  according to the present invention provides compact dimensions for desk, floor or wall installation. It allows connection of components  38  (e.g., connection of plug-in devices  38 , and connection of other devices such as hardwired PCs  70  and wireless devices  72 , via switches and wireless access plug-ins  38 , respectively) for different network functions. The backplane  30  is functionally flexible wherein a user can add/remove components  38  (plug-ins and other devices  70 ,  72 ) to suit additional users or new technology. It is simple to install and configure plug-ins  38 , and essentially eliminates external cabling other than that to e.g. Internet connection (phone line or TV cable) and to user devices (PCs, printers, etc.) With a 100batseT (100 Mbits/sec) Ethernet switch as the underlying fabric of the backplane  30 , network speeds are comparable to large corporate installations.  
         [0029]    The present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof; however, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.