Abstract:
A modem including a removable DSL filter cartridge is disclosed. The modem includes a location adapted to receive a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is designed to fit inside the location provided on the modem. The filter cartridge includes a first end that electrically connects the filter cartridge to the modem and a second end that faces outwards. The second end includes a telephone connector or port so that users can plug telephones directly into the port. The filter cartridge includes a DSL filter to help eliminate unwanted noise on the telephone line and the filter cartridge is designed to be easily removable.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to modems, and more particularly, to a DSL modem. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service provides customers with high speed access to the Internet and other computer networks. Customers who request DSL service often contact a DSL service provider who then either dispatches a technician to the customer&#39;s dwelling to install the equipment necessary to support DSL service, or sends a self-install kit to the customer with instructions that include the necessary installation procedures. 
   Regardless of exactly how the DSL service installation is performed, one required step of the DSL installation is to provide a filter for every modem and/or telephone in the dwelling. A filter is required to block unwanted noise generated by DSL signals from interfering with conventional voice telephones. 
   Generally, local telephone companies provide four wires for each dwelling. Two wires or leads are used for conventional POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), leaving two remaining wires. It has been observed that most customers place a conventional telephone near the point where DSL service is provided. For example, if DSL service is accessed from a computer placed in a home office, many customers will also have a conventional telephone in the home office as well, and often the conventional telephone will be placed near the computer that is used to access DSL services. 
   In those instances where a telephone is placed near the access point for DSL services, a splitter is required to split the conventional telephone wires from the DSL wires. The splitter is normally mounted on the wall where the DSL line enters the dwelling. The splitter is used to split the line and thus provide a DSL connection and a telephone connection. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a modem that provides DSL service and also provides a connection for a telephone. The modem includes a removable DSL filter cartridge. The modem includes a location or place that is designed to receive a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is designed to fit inside the location provided on the modem. The filter cartridge includes a first end that electrically connects the filter cartridge to the modem and a second end that faces outwards. The second end includes at least one telephone connection or port so that users can plug telephones or other suitable devices directly into the port. The filter cartridge includes a DSL filter to help eliminate unwanted noise on the telephone line. The filter cartridge assembly is designed to be easily removable. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure and steps particularly pointed out in the written description, the claims and the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a modem in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of an end of a preferred embodiment of a filter cartridge in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a filter cartridge in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a side view of preferred embodiment of a latch in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a top view of preferred embodiment of a latch in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of another embodiment of a telephone in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged isometric view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of a telephone in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a button in a rest position in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a button in a deployed position in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a button in a pressed position in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of a modem  102  in accordance with the present invention. Modem  102  includes a location  104  that is designed to receive a filter cartridge  106 . Location  104  can be placed in any desired part of modem  102 . Preferably, location  104  is placed at the rear of modem  102  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 6 , location  604  is placed on a side of modem  602 . Modem  102  can be connected to a wall jack  108  and a computer  110  or any device that uses DSL services. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , filter cartridge  106  includes a first end  120  that is designed to enter location  104  of modem  102 . Filter cartridge  106  also includes a second end  122  that faces in a different direction than first end  120 , and second end  122  is preferably exposed when filter cartridge  106  is installed in modem  102 . Preferably, the substantial remainder of filter cartridge  106  is received in location  104  and is not visible after being installed. 
   Second end  122  preferably includes several connectors, at least one input connector  112  and a first telephone connector  114 . In some embodiments, second end  122  also includes a second telephone connector  115 . This second telephone connector  115  is optional. Input connector  112  is adapted to receive a line  116  that places filter cartridge  106  in communication with wall jack  108 . In order to accommodate a variety of different installation situations, filter cartridge  106  can include more than one type of input connector  112 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , an RJ-11 connector  130  and an RJ-45 connector  132  are provided. Providing several different types of connectors can assist in easily placing filter cartridge  106  in communication with wall jack  108  regardless of the configuration of wall jack  108 . 
   Modem  102  also preferably includes a DSL connector  134  that is configured to receive a DSL line  118  that places modem  102  in communication with a device adapted to receive DSL communications. A computer  110  is an example of a device that is adapted to receive DSL communications. Computer  110  would likely include a DSL modem or other device that would permit computer  110  to use or accept DSL communications. 
     FIG. 3  shows a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a filter cartridge  106 . As discussed above, input connector  112  communicates with wall jack  108  (see  FIG. 1 ). Generally, an inner pair  306  and an outer pair  308  of leads are available. While communications services can be provided on either the inner pair of leads  306  or the outer pair of leads  308 , communications services are usually provided on the inner pair  306  of leads. Inner  306  and outer  308  leads preferably placed in communication with a filter  310 . Intermediate leads  312  are in communication with filter  310  and extend downstream of filter  310 . Intermediate leads  312  are in communication with inner  306  and outer  308  leads and preferably carry the same signal as inner lead  306  and outer lead  308 . 
   In some embodiments, intermediate leads  312  are simply continuations of inner  306  and outer  308  leads and those leads are physically the same lead. In other embodiments, intermediate leads  312  are placed in communication with respective inner  306  and outer  308  leads. Regardless of the exact physical arrangement, intermediate leads  312  are intended to by-pass filter  310  so that the signal carried by intermediate leads  312  is unaffected by filter  310 . In other words, intermediate leads  312  carry the unfiltered signals traveling through inner  306  and outer  308  leads. 
   Intermediate leads  312  eventually reach a block  314  or junction. Block  314  merges or joins the intermediate leads  312  in a way that a first inner lead  320  is joined with a first outer lead  322  and a second inner lead  324  is joined with a second outer lead  326 . The output of the first inner lead  320  and the first outer lead  322  is sent to a first combined conductor  330  and the output of the second inner lead  324  and the second outer lead  326  is sent to a second combined conductor  332 . In this way, regardless of which set of leads is used, whether it be the inner or outer set of leads, first and second combined conductors  330  and  332  will be able to deliver whatever signal is received from input connector  112 . In some embodiments, filter  310  can be combined with block  314  into a unitary member so that the unitary member performs both the functions of the filter  310  and the block  314 . 
   First and second combined conductors  330  and  332  are preferably placed in communication with an electrical connector  334  that is designed to engage a corresponding electrical connector (not shown) disposed within location  104 . In other embodiments, the electrical connectors of the filter cartridge  106  could be located on any face or surface of the filter cartridge and provisions would be made in modem  102  to suitably engage those electrical connectors. For example, an electrical connector  336  could be disposed on a side of filter cartridge  106 . Electrical connector  336  could be used as an alternative to electrical conductor  334  or could be used in addition to electrical conductor  334 . Electrical connector  334  and/or  336  allow modem  102  (see  FIG. 1 ) to communicate with filter cartridge  106  and therefore, with wall jack  108 . 
   Filter  310  is preferably a standard DSL filter and can remove unwanted noise and signals. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a first pair of telephone conductors  318  can be placed in communication with the outer pair of leads  308 . Likewise, a second pair of telephone conductors  316  can be placed in communication with the inner pair of leads  306 . Preferably, the signal received by the first and second pairs of telephone conductors  318  and  316 , respectively, has been filtered affected by filter  310  in order to remove unwanted noise and extraneous signals. The first pair of telephone conductors  318  can be placed in communication with a first telephone jack  340  and the second pair of telephone conductors  316  can be placed in communication with a second telephone jack  342 . In some embodiments, the first and second telephone conductors  318  and  316  are combined into a single telephone jack. The first telephone jack  340  and the second telephone jack  342  are capable of receiving a telephone connector and placing any telephone or device in communication with input connector  112 . 
   After filter cartridge  106  has been installed in modem  102 , second end  122 , all of the various connectors shown in  FIG. 2  are visible and readily accessible. This arrangement provides a convenient system for providing telephone access. Users can plug telephones directly into modem  102  and do not have to search for inconvenient telephone connectors located in walls, behind furniture, and other hard to reach locations. 
   Preferably, filter cartridge  106  is designed in a way that makes it easy to remove the filter cartridge  106  from modem  102 . Many different options and possibilities could be utilized. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show a preferred embodiment of one possible arrangement that can be used to provide easy installation and removal of filter cartridge  106 . Filter cartridge  106  includes a latch  402  that includes a first end  406  and a second end  404 . Preferably, second end  404  of latch  402  is associated with an upper surface  410  of filter cartridge  106 . In an exemplary embodiment, the second end  404  is fixedly attached to upper surface  410 . The first end  406  is disposed opposite second end  404  and preferably extends axially beyond leading edge  412  of the second end  122  of filter cartridge  106 . 
   Preferably, latch  402  is biased in a direction away from upper surface  410  and latch  402  includes at least one shoulder  408 . Preferably, the bias is achieved by elastic deformation of latch  402 . Preferably, a matching shoulder and void (not shown) is provided in location  104  (see  FIG. 1 ) where the void accommodates first end  406  and where the matching shoulder opposes shoulder  408 . When filter cartridge  106  is inserted into location  104  (see  FIG. 1 ), latch  402  is initially pressed towards upper surface  410  until latch  402  returns to its biased, raised position when first end  406  enters the void. In this position, shoulder  408  engages a mating shoulder disposed in location  104  and securely retains filter cartridge  106  in position. 
   To remove filter cartridge  106 , a user presses first end of latch  406  towards upper surface  410  until shoulder  408  clears the mating shoulder disposed in location  104 . Preferably, first end  406  extends beyond the leading edge  412  of second end  122  to facilitate operation of latch  402 . When this occurs, filter cartridge  106  is free and can be easily removed from location  104 . 
     FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of a modem  602 . Modem  602  includes a location  604  that is designed to receive a filter cartridge  606 . In this embodiment, location  604  is placed on a side of modem  602  that is different than the side shown in  FIG. 1 . Location  604  is also placed on a side different than DSL connector  134 . Filter cartridge  606  includes a standard DSL filter. In a preferred embodiment, a first end  608  of filter cartridge  606  includes an electrical connector that is designed to engage a corresponding electrical connector (not shown) disposed within location  604 . In other embodiments, the electrical connectors of the filter cartridge  606  could be located on any face or surface of the filter cartridge and provisions would be made in modem  602  to suitably engage those electrical connectors. 
   Filter cartridge  606  also has a second end  610 . Second end  610  is designed to be accessible after filter cartridge  606  has been installed in modem  602 . Second end  610  includes at least one electrical connector. Preferably, second end  610  includes a telephone connector, and in an exemplary embodiment, second end  610  includes a female telephone connector  612 . 
   After filter cartridge  606  has been installed in modem  602 , second end  610 , which includes a telephone connector, is visible and readily accessible. This arrangement provides a convenient system for providing both DSL access and telephone access. Users can plug DSL devices directly into modem  602 , connect telephones directly into telephone connector  612  and do not have to search for inconvenient DSL connectors or telephone connectors located in walls, behind furniture, and other hard to reach locations. 
   Preferably, filter cartridge  606  is designed in a way that makes it easy to remove the filter cartridge  606  from modem  602 . Preferably, an ejection system similar to one used for a PCMCIA slot is utilized. Referring to  FIGS. 7–10 , the ejection system includes a three position button  702 . Button  702  has a rest position (see  FIG. 8 ). From the rest position, when button  702  is pressed, button  702  extends outwards to a deploy position, as shown in  FIG. 9 . When button  702  is pressed from the deploy position, as shown in  FIG. 10 , filter cartridge  606  is ejected from modem  602 . 
   The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents. 
   Further, in describing representative embodiments of the present invention, the specification may have presented the method and/or process of the present invention as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of the present invention should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.