Patent ID: 7586750

Claim:
An article to transmit and receive signals through an electrical power distribution network, the article comprising: a first module comprising: a first housing comprising a first mechanical attachment mechanism; an electrical plug coupled to the housing and configured to electrically couple to an electrical power outlet receptacle of the electrical power distribution network; a first plurality of electrical components located within the first housing and coupled to the electrical plug; and a first signal connector coupled to the first housing and to the first plurality of electrical components; a second module comprising: a second housing comprising a second mechanical attachment mechanism; at least one first data port of a first type coupled to the second housing and configured to electrically couple to a digital data cable of the first type; a second plurality of electrical components located within the second housing and coupled to the at least one first data port; and a second signal connector coupled to the second housing and to the second plurality of electrical components, the second signal connector further configured to electrically couple to the first signal connector of the first module; wherein: the first plurality of electrical components are configured to bidirectionally transfer digital information between the first signal connector and the electrical plug; the second plurality of electrical components are configured to bidirectionally transfer the digital information between the at least one first data port and the second signal connector; and the first mechanical attachment mechanism and the second mechanical attachment mechanism are configured to couple to each other substantially rigidly to couple the first module and the second module.