Abstract:
The invention provides a module for use in a central service provider interface having access to security system and voice and data communications. The module is configured to allow the security system to seize the telephone line when necessary to indicate a security breached to the service provider by incorporating RJ31 functionality to allow the security panel to seize the primary line if activated. The module is also configured to connect a modem to an Internet service provider over PSTN twisted pair cable. Primary and secondary telephone lines are passed through the modem before the telephones to allow filtering of the data signals.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention is related to electronic devices and more particularly to an electronic module interface for connecting data and security services to the premises.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    With the advent of high-speed data communications comes ever-increasing communication capabilities and reduced costs. Due to the reduction in cost, more and more high-speed communication systems are being installed at subscriber premises. These high-speed communication systems include high-speed modems which utilize the public switched telephone network (PTSN), cable modem systems, digital subscriber line (DSL), Tl line, ISDN and many others. Some of the systems share the PSTN with other voice communications. In these instances, at each end of a given communication path, components are necessary to separate the voice communications from the data communications being sent over a single PSTN line.  
           [0003]    Some examples of such an arrangement are disclosed by related U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,857 and 5,781,617. These patents show a communications system having a number of subscribers coupled to a central office using twisted pair subscriber lines. The central office has a telephone switch that provides telephone services to the subscribers, and a communications server having a plurality of DSL modems to provide data service to the subscribers. At both the central office and the subscriber premises, a splitter is required to separate the voice communication from the data communication. The splitter serves to couple voice signals to a twisted pair phone line and data signals to a twisted pair data line. A DSL modem is connected to the twisted pair data line at each end and a telephone is connected to the twisted pair phone line at the subscriber premises.  
           [0004]    A problem exists with such systems in that the separate splitter is required at the subscriber premises for separating the data and voice signals. Additionally, is often desirable to incorporate such data and voice services into a structured wiring system. Such structured wiring systems are becoming more prevalent in homes and include a central service provider interface which receives services from multiple providers and a structured wiring system for distributing these multiple services to various locations/rooms within the home. For example, the central service provider interface may be configured to receive cable television services and integrated data services over RG6 coaxial cable, telephone, fax, or data services over PSTN twisted pair cable, television, audio, and integrated data services from direct satellite links over coaxial cable from a satellite dish receiver. These are just some examples of the services which are typically received into the central service provider interface. The central service provider interface may also serve as a distribution point for a local area network, wide area network, internally sourced video or audio signals. A security system for the premises including multiple sensors and electronics for signaling a breach of security over the PSTN may also be incorporated into the central service provider interface. Such a security system requires access to the telephone lines or voice portion of the PSTN for contacting the service provider when security has been breached. A further problem exists in that when the security system accesses the telephone line as necessary for signaling a breach, it may undesirably interfere with data communications being provided over the same PSTN line. Since many services and connections are provided at the central service provider interface, it is desirable to minimize the number of components necessary for such interface.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    It is therefore object of the present invention to provide a module for use in a central service provider interface having access to security system and voice and data communications. The module has an input, a modem output, a modem input, a security interface, and a premise output. The input receives a plurality of communication lines containing a plurality of services. The modem output and input pass selected ones of the communication lines to a modem. The security interface passes selected communication line to a security system and for receiving the selected communication line from the security system and the output is connected to premise outlets.  
           [0006]    The module is configured to allow the security system to seize the telephone line when necessary to indicate a security breach to the service provider by incorporating RJ31 functionality to allow the security panel to seize the primary line if activated. The primary and any other telephone/voice lines are passed through the modem before the telephones to allow filtering of the data signals.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures of which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a modular portion of a typical central service provider interface  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the security and communications module according to the current invention  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a front view of the receptacles of the security and communications module FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    Referring first to FIG. 1, a structured wiring system containing the security and communications module of the present invention will be described in general. This system includes an outside service module  10 , a communications module  30 , a modem  50 , a plurality of outlets  40 , datajacks  44 , and bridge modules  46 . These major components are connected to each other through a structured wiring network. The wiring network may comprise twisted pair cable such as category  5  cable, coaxial cable, or fiberoptic transmission media. The preferred cabling network is formed of category  5  or category  6  twisted pair cable but may also include other industry standard twisted pair cable. Interconnections at each module are preferably modular jack connectors. Services such as telephone, cable TV, cable modem, or digital satellite services (DSS) enter the premises at the outside service module  10 . Each of the services is distributed to the outlets  40  through the cabling network. In the case of telephone and data communications, the service is received through the outside service module  10  and then passes through the communications module  30  where the data communications are passed to the modem  50  and the voice communications are passed through bridge modules  46  and data jacks  44  to outlets  40 .  
         [0012]    Each of the major components will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. First, the outside service module  10  consists of a plurality of inputs (not shown) each for receiving a respective service. A plurality of outputs  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  19  are provided for distributing each service. The outside service module  10  is located within a customer premises at a service entrance and contains suitable electrical connectors for each of the outputs  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  19 . In the preferred embodiment, the voice/data output  12  is an RJ45 connector, while the cable TV and cable modem output  14 , and DSS outputs  16 ,  18  are F-type RG-6 cable connectors.  
         [0013]    The communications module  30  contains a four line input J 1  which is preferably an RJ45 connector for receiving the voice/data from the outside service module  10 . A modem output J 2  is preferably an RJ45 connector. Input from the modem is received at J 3 , which is also preferably an RJ45 connector. Alternatively, RJ14 or other suitable connectors may be utilized for J 2  or J 3 . When a modem  50  is not connected a jumper is connected between J 2  and J 3  therefore allowing communications signals to pass directly from J 2  to J 3  Alternatively, a switching connector can be utilized at J 2 . This alternative switching connector is configured to have an open switch between J 2  and J 3  when a modem is connected and a closed switch when the modem is disconnected. An output to the security system is provided at J 4 , which is preferably an RJ45 connector. Four line output J 5  and a spare output J 6  are also preferably RJ45 connectors. It should be understood that while the preferred embodiment utilizes RJ connectors, other suitable electrical connectors may be used for the communications module  30 .  
         [0014]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the communications module  30  will be described in greater detail. FIG. 2 shows the connections between each of the connectors in schematic form and FIG. 3 shows the connectors on the front face of the communications module  30 . Each output connector J 1 -J 5  has eight pins for connecting four twisted pair lines. According to industry standards, line  1  is connected to pins  4  and  5 , line  2  is connected to pins  3  and  6 , line  3  is connected to pins  1  and  2  and line  4  is connected to pins  7  and  8 . Pins  1 ,  2 ,  7  and  8  feed lines  3  and  4  directly from J 1  to corresponding pins on J 5 . Lines  3  and  4  are therefore fed directly from the outside service module  10  to the bridge module  46  over line  48 .  
         [0015]    Pins  4  and  5  (line  1 ) of J 1  are connected to pins  4  and  5  of J 2  for output to the modem  50 . After passing through the modem  50 , line  1  is returned to the communications module  30  at pins  4  and  5  of J 3 . If the modem  50  is removed from the system, line  1  is passed directly from J 2  to J 3 . This can be accomplished by either utilizing a switching receptacle connector such as an RJ11 which is configured to close a switch between J 2  and J 3  when the plug connected to the modem  50  is removed from J 2  or may be alternatively accomplished utilizing a jumper between J 2  and J 3  when the modem  50  is removed. Pins and  4  and  5  of J 3  are connected to pins  4  and  5  of J 4  to feed line  1  to a security system. Line  1  is returned to J 4  at pins  1  and  8  from the security system. Pins  1  and  8  of J 4  are then connected to pins  4  and  5  of J 5  for output to line  48 .  
         [0016]    Pins  3  and  6  (line  2 ) of J 1  are connected to pins  3  and  6  of J 2  for output to the modem  50 . After passing through the modem  50 , line  2  is returned to the communications module  30  at pins  3  and  6  of J 3 . Similarly, if the modem is removed from the system, line  2  is passed directly from J 2  to J 3 . This can be accomplished by either utilizing a switching receptacle connector such as an RJ11 which is configured to close a switch between J 2  and J 3  when the plug connected to the modem  50  is removed from J 2  or may be alternatively accomplished utilizing a jumper between J 2  and J 3  when the modem  50  is removed. Pins  3  and  6  of J 3  are connected to pins  3  and  6  of J 5  to bypass the security system and output line  2  directly to line  48 .  
         [0017]    Returning to FIG. 1, the modem  50  is connected to J 2  and J 3  of the communications module  30 . This modem is preferably a DSL modem however, it should be understood that other protocol modems may be utilized. The preferred DSL modem  50  has a built-in filter that eliminates the high frequency data component from the voice band. This filter eliminates the high frequency data component from the communications signals entering communications module at J 3 . Alternatively, a filter could be connected in line with the modem to filter the high frequency data component from J 3 .  
         [0018]    A bridge module  46  receives input from J 5  and subsequent bridge modules  46  are cascaded from the one connected to J 5 . Data jacks  44  are connected to respective outputs of the bridge modules  46 . These data jacks  44  connect outlets  40  located throughout the premises to the bridge modules  46 . Each outlet  40  is capable of receiving either data communications, voice communications, or both. Bridge modules  46  can be cascade as shown in FIG. 1 by connecting an output of one bridge modules  46  to the input of an adjacent bridge module  46 .  
         [0019]    In operation, the communications module  30  allows for data communications on lines  1  and  2  while simultaneously passing voice communications on lines  1 - 4 . Output to a security system is provided to allow notification of a security breach to the monitoring service over line  1 . The communications module is configured to pass lines  3  and  4  directly from the input at J 1  to the output at J 5 . Lines  1  and  2  pass from the input at J 1  through the modem  50  where the voice and data communications are separated and filtered. Line  1  is returned from the modem  50  and then passed through the security system (J 4 ) to the output at J 5  while line  2  is passed directly from the modem  50  to the output at J 5 . The module  30  incorporates RJ31 capability to allow the security system to seize line  1  if the security breach is detected. Upon seizure of line  1 , the security system dials out to a monitoring service to send notification of the breach. Although line  1  is seized by the security system, data communications through the modem  50  are not interrupted. Line  1  is only disconnected from J 5  (line output) while remaining connected to J 2  and J 3  (modem) upon line seizure. This allows data communications to flow while interrupting voice communications over line  1  to the outlets  40 .  
         [0020]    An advantage of the present invention is that it allows for a structured wiring system connection to the modem for data communications and a security system for monitoring purposes. The module is configured to connect a modem to an Internet service provider over PSTN twisted pair cable. Primary and secondary telephone lines are passed through the modem before the telephones to allow filtering of the data signals. This is accomplished without the need for a separate splitter, which is otherwise required to separate the voice and data communications.