Patent ID: 8576928

Claim:
A communication system, comprising: a first transceiver having a first and second port coupled to a communication medium, wherein the first port is coupled to a first line of the communication medium and the second port is coupled to a second line of the communication medium; a second transceiver having a third and fourth port each AC coupled to the communication medium, wherein the third port is coupled to the first line of the communication medium and the fourth port is coupled to the second line of the communication medium, wherein a second transceiver having a third and fourth port AC coupled to the communication medium includes: a first AC coupling capacitor in series with a first resistive element coupling the third port to the first line of the communications medium; and a second AC coupling capacitor in series with a second resistive element coupling the fourth port to the second line of the communications medium; a first capacitor coupled to the first port and ground; a second capacitor coupled to the second port and ground; a third capacitor coupled to the third port and ground; and a fourth capacitor coupled to the second port and ground; wherein the first and third capacitors are configured to form a first voltage divider with the first AC coupling capacitor, and the second and fourth capacitors are configured to form a second voltage divider with the second AC coupling capacitor, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth capacitors have values that are at least 30% of the values of the first and second AC coupling capacitors such that the first and second voltage dividers provide protection against transients.