Patent ID: 7843799

Claim:
A device for coupling digital data signals and a DC signal to first and second Local Area Network (LAN) cables, each cable having at least first and second twisted wire pairs connected for carrying full-duplex packet-based digital data over the wire pairs and a signal over a phantom channel formed between the twisted wire pairs, said device comprising a single enclosure and, in said single enclosure: a digital data packet-based component having first and second ports; a first LAN connector for connecting to the first LAN cable; a first signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said first port and said first LAN connector for passing only digital data signals between said first port and the first twisted wire pair of the first LAN cable; a second signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said first port and said first LAN connector for passing only digital data signals between said first port and the second twisted wire pair of the first LAN cable; a second LAN connector for connecting to the second LAN cable; a third signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said second port and said second LAN connector for passing only digital data signals between said second port and the first twisted wire pair of the second LAN cable; a fourth signal transformer having a center tap and coupled between said second port and said second LAN connector for passing only digital data signals between said second port and the second twisted wire pair of the second LAN cable; and a third connector connected for receiving a DC signals, wherein said third connector is coupled to the center taps of said first and second signal transformers, for passing the DC signal onto a phantom channel over the first cable; and said third connector is coupled to the center taps of said third and fourth signal transformers, for passing the DC signal onto a phantom channel over the second cable.