Patent ID: 7715441

Claim:
A module for coupling a wired digital data signal to a wireless data unit, for use with an existing electrical CATV distribution infrastructure in a building, the infrastructure having a CATV coaxial cable carrying a CATV signal and a wall-mounted CATV outlet connected to the CATV coaxial cable, the CATV coaxial cable concurrently carrying a wired digital data signal and a CATV signal using frequency division multiplexing, wherein the wired digital data signal is carried over a high frequency band and the CATV signal is carried over a low frequency band, said module comprising: a coaxial cable connector that is electrically and mechanically connectable to the CATV outlet for connecting to the CATV coaxial cable; a high pass filter coupled to said coaxial cable connector for passing only the wired digital data signal; a CATV modem coupled to the high pass filter and operative for bi-directional packet-based digital data communication of the wired digital data signal over the CATV coaxial cable using a wired digital data protocol; a radio frequency modem operative for conducting standard-based bi-directional packet-based digital data communication of a wireless digital data signal using a wireless digital data protocol; a packet-based digital protocol adapter consisting of one of a bridge, a router and a gateway, coupled between said CATV modem and said radio-frequency modem for converting data between the wireless digital data protocol and the wired digital data protocol; and a single enclosure containing said coaxial cable connector, said high pass filter, said CATV modem, said radio frequency modem and said protocol adapter.