Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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NETWORK ADAPTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a network adapter for
connecting an in-house network to subscriber-line
networks of service providers, comprising a first
external interface for receiving information signals from
coaxial cables from subscriber-line networks and at least
one internal interface for routing the information
signals onward to terminals of an in-house network via
coaxial cables.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A network adapter of this type i8 known, for
example, from an article by R.C. Hutchinson entitled
aArchitectural Framework for Standardizing Multimedia
Services on Fiber-Coax~ in the Proceedings of the 1st
International Workshop on Community Networking Integrated
Multimedia Services to the Home, (IEEE 1994), pages 213
to 217.
Recently, service providers have begun to offer
private and business users access to an increasing number
of subscriber-line networks, in addition to the
conventional public telephone network (~POT" = Plain Old
Telephone). These networks include ISDN for more
comfortable telephone service, but also, for example,
cable television networks (CATV), hybrid fiber coax
networks (HFC = Hybrid Fiber Coax), as well as wireless
transmitting telephone networks, for example, the network
D2 Net operated privately in Germany. It is expected
that in the coming years, a substantially larger number
of subscriber-line networks of this type will be
installed by service providers. Under construction or in
the planning stage are at this point, for example, ATM
(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network5, STM (Synchronous
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Transfer Mode, wireline) networks, ADSL (Asymmetric
Digital Subscriber Line), VHDSL (Very High Speed Digital
Subscriber Line), DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless
Telephone), and GSM (Global System Mobile) networks. By
the year 2000, there will be many more providers offering
subscriber line networks with corresponding services to
private or commercial end users.
On the other hand, end customers, in particular
private households, have presently in general a ~bell
wire~ network with symmetric twisted pair cables for
conventional telephone service and a coaxial cable
network for TV sets. Hereinafter, all signal line
networks of this type installed inside a building
including, for example, als~ signal links for intercoms,
computer networks, private branch exchanges (PBX) and the
like, shall be referred to as Uin-house networks". The
term ~terminal" shall refer to any device which can be
connected to such an in-house network, for example a
controller, an alarm system, a sensor and regulator, a
meter, a telecommunication device, a television set, a
computer and the like.
In the technical article by Hutchinson cited above,
there is proposed a framework for standardizing and
delivering multimedia services via fiber coaxial cables.
The described framework should enable the end user to
gain more or less unimpeded access to the subscriber-line
network of a service provider. However, this applies
only to the connection of services which are transmitted
to the end user via fiber coaxial cables, such as analog
or digital television, interactive TV, cable TV, or HFC
systems.
Another system for visual communication in apartment
buildings was proposed in an article by Masami Kato et
al, entitled ~Visual Communication System in an Apartment
House Using Only Twisted Pair Cable" in IEEE Transactions
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on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 40, No.3, August 1994,
pages 418 to 427, wherein the system consists of an in-
house bus and a network adapted for use in such an
apartment complex. The conventional system uses
exclusively a network of twisted bell wire cables and
offers a large number of services. However, other
subnetworks, for example coaxial cable networks, have not
been considered in this case.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a network adapter of the aforedescribed type
which is capable of distributing information signals from
a large number of possibly quite different service
providers via a network adapter to terminals of an in-
house network as well as in the reverse direction,
wherein the network cable system which is generally
already installed in the building, can be utilized
extensively, without the need to install numerous
accessory devices or make numerous changes.
This object is solved by the invention in that there
are provided additional external interfaces for
interactively exchanging information signals with other
types of subscriber-line networks, wherein at least one
external interface provides a connection to a subscriber
line network with symmetric twisted pair cables (~bell
wire"), and that there is provided a combined exchange
and control unit, in particular including a
microprocessor, for transferring the information signals
supplied by a certain service provider from the
respective external interface of the subscriber-line
networks to one or several internal interfaces of the in-
house network and vice-versa. The network adapter
accordihg to the invention enables an end user to
establish rather easily unidirectional and bi-directional
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data links with public and private service providers via
their respective subscriber-line networks, and to
communicate with the corresponding services and to
receive corresponding information signals via the
terminals which are connected to the in-house networks of
the user. The cabling already installed in the building
is hereby combined to form an in-house network which is
capable of contacting via the network adapter of the
invention, including the last branch circuit, all
subscriber-line networks, even those subscriber-line
networks which are of a completely different type.
In an advantageous embodiment of the network adapter
of the invention, there is provided an exchange for
selectively connecting a subscriber-line network adapted
for a specified service category, for example telephone
service, to a bell wire network which is part of the in-
house network. The exchange can, for example, be a part
of a conventional telephone system. Since nowadays a
telephone cable network is installed in almost every
household, such a network can form the starting point for
an intelligent network adapter with a corresponding
exchange.
In another preferred embodiment, the exchange can
process both narrow band and broadband uni and bi-
directional information signals. In this way, the
network adapter of the invention is able to connect a
large number of possibly rather diverse terminals with a
large number of other potentially also rather diverse
subscriber-line networks.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the
network adapter of the invention, one or more internal
interfaces are connected to an in-house bus system which
enables an exchange of information signals between the
combined exchange and control unit and any terminal in
the internal network. In this manner, cabling within the
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in-house networks can be arranged in a logical, orderly
and simple manner.
The following embodiments of the network adapter of
the invention are particularly advantageous, especially
in combination with the internal bus system described
above and/or with the exchange in the form of a
telecommunication system:
In one embodiment, the terminal can comprise a device for
activating a heating system. The temperature inside a
building can thereby be adjusted by activating the
heating system from either another terminal within the
in-house network or through appropriate software in the
exchange and control unit or also by remote control from
outside the building. The respective terminal preferably
comprises a temperature sensor for recording the
prevailing temperature and for subsequently transmitting
the recorded temperature, for example in the form of a
control variable, to a control loop.
In another embodiment, the terminal comprises a
device for activating a lighting system, preferably also
including a light intensity sensor. In this way, the
lighting conditions inside the building can be
automatically monitored, controlled, or regulated in the
same way as described above with reference to the heating
system.
In yet another embodiment, the terminal comprises a
device for activating a shutter and preferably also a
light intensity sensor. This allows a convenient
automatic control of the shutter; optionally, the shutter
can also be controlled manually by remote control.
In other most preferred embodiments of the network
adapter of the invention, the terminal comprises a
device, such as a smoke detector, a fire detector, a gas
detector, or a water detector, for monitoring physical
changes in the surrounding areas, wherein the combined
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exchange and control signal, upon receiving an
information signal from the terminal, transmits an alarm
signal to an alarm system for sounding an alarm. In this
way, all imaginable monitoring functions carried out in
the vicinity of an apartment building, an office or
government building, or a manufacturing plant can be
easily transmitted to a control system or at least to a
warning system.
In another most preferred embodiment, the terminal
is connected to one or more sensors of a burglary alarm
system, whereby an alarm signal can be automatically
transmitted via an external communication network to, for
example, a police station. Such alarm systems are often
already installed and can be easily integrated into an
in-house network through the network adapter of the
invention, wherein a connection to the outside can be
established automatically in the event of an alarm.
In still other embodiments of the invention, the
terminal comprises a usage monitor, for example, an
electricity meter, a gas meter, or a water meter, wherein
the combined exchange and control unit receives recorded
usage data in predetermined time intervals. With this
device, the reading of meter~ can be greatly simplified,
thereby providing savings for the end user.
In another advantageous embodiment, there can be
provided a memory unit for storing and recalling the
recorded usage data. The user is thereby made aware of
the recorded usage and, in particular, of the usage
trend.
In yet another advantageous embodiment, the recorded
usage data can be transmitted automatically or upon
request via an external interface to an external
telecommunication network, and to a provider, for example
an energy provider and/or a water or gas utility. The
provider can offer automated reading of the used service
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at practically zero cost, thereby considerably lowering
the total cost of the service.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the
network adapter of the invention, the combined exchange
and control unit can receive remote activation signals
via one of the external interfaces and can transmit these
remote activation signals after checking an authorization
to a terminal connected to the in-house network. In this
manner, the owner of an appropriate authorization, for
example a password, has the ability to control in-house
terminals from outside the building, for example, via
telephone.
A remote activation system of this type has almost
limitless applications. For example, the temperature
inside the house can be queried during the cold season,
for example when returning from a trip and before
actually arriving at home, so that the heating system can
be activated enabling the temperature to reach a
comfortable level when arriving at home. This system,
however, is also capable of querying answering machines,
mailboxe6, or other types of data 6torage devices inside
the house while the homeowner is traveling. For example,
flap-like opening devices can also be activated by remote
control enabling a dog or a cat which are inside the
house, to leave or to return to the house at will during
an absence of the owner. Moreover, a potential intruder
is discouraged from entering the house. It is also
feasible to activate - in plenty of time before arriving
at home - a loading device for a microwave unit via the
aforedescribed remote control path, so that a warm meal
is ready upon arrival at home.
In another preferred embodiment of the network
adapter of the invention, there is provided a door
intercom comprising a terminal with a control unit for
remotely opening the door, further a microphone, a
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loudspeaker and possibly also a video camera. The door
intercom is connected to an interface of the network
adapter and transmits a doorbell ring at least to an
additional terminal which is connected to an internal
interface via the in-house network, or which can be
accessed via the network adapter by dialing in from the
outside.
Such an intercom can also be integrated into the in-
house network by connecting the system elements which are
located outside the building, to an external or an
internal interface of the network transfer device. Bell
wires are generally considered an in-house system and are
therefore connected to internal interfaces of the network
transfer device. It is also possible to operate devices
via remote control by using information transfer channels
via external interfaces of the network transfer device.
In another advantageous embodiment, the combined
exchange and control unit comprises a device for call
metering of telecommunication services. This is
particularly advantageous for a telecommunication system
of the type described above.
In still another advantageous embodiment of the network
adapter of the invention, the combined exchange and
control unit can identify and process external calls and
transfer incoming calls, depending on the configuration,
to an authorized point (subscriber) inside or outside the
building via one of the external interfaces. For example,
the external call can also originate from a door
intercom, with or without a video image.
In another advantageous embodiment of the network
adapter of the invention, the combined exchange and
control unit comprises a server for receiving,
temporarily storing, or recalling messages, for example
voice mail (telephone answering machine), data mail
and/or video mail. A server of this type is able to
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provide an arbitrary number of additional service
functions via the in-house network in addition to the
functions described above, as well as easy access via a
terminal of the in-house network.
In another advantageous embodiment, an additional
device is provided for decoding received signals.
In particular, the additional device can comprise a
set top box for decoding digital television programs. If
several TV sets are connected without requiring
simultaneous access to different digital programs, the
number of the decoders required in the home can be
significantly reduced.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the
network adapter of the invention, the combined exchange
and control unit is connected via the in-house network to
a personal computer (PC) for setting the system
configurations, the terminal authorizations and the
operational performance features of an exchange, for
monitoring call metering, and/or for communicating with
another terminal in the in-house network or with a
terminal in a subscriber line network. A PC of this type
can not only provide the functionality which has been
described above by way of example, but can also choose
specific information signal paths for selecting, for
example, the least expensive provider of certain
communication services.
Additional advantages of the invention can be found
in the description and in the drawings. The
aforementioned features and the features listed below can
be applied individually or in various combinations. The
embodiments which have been illustrated and described
above, are not to be viewed as limiting the invention,
but are merely intended to describe the invention.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention is illustrated in the drawings and
will be described with reference to an embodiment. In
the drawings is shown in
Figure 1, schematically, a system overview over the
possibilities for connecting the network adapter of the
invention; and
Figure 2, schematically, the global structure of a
network adapter of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the schematic illustration of Fig. 1, there is
depicted a network adapter 1 comprising a combined
exchange and control unit 8 which includes several
modules. More particularly, the combined exchange on
control unit 8 includes a computer which can be
implemented in the form of a microprocessor 9. One of
the modules of the combined exchange and control unit 8
is also a storage device 10.
The network adapter 10 is connected via interfaces
which will subsequently be referred to as "external"
interfaces 4, 4', 4'', 4''', . . ., and which include
various subscriber access ports, networks, such as for
example POT, ISDN, DECT, power mains, GSM, CATV, ATM,
etc,. The aggregate of all subscriber lines networks is
indicated in Figure 1 with the reference numeral 3. The
subscriber line networks can be composed of very
different types of networks, for example, of coaxial
cable networks (cable TV, etc.), of bell wire networks
(conventional telephone network POT, ISDN, etc.) or of
wireless networks (DETC, GSM, etc.). Transmission of
information via a power line to which practically each
household and each commercial business is connected, is
also feasible.
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The network adapter 1 is connected on the other side
with an in-house network 2 via "internal" interfaces 5,
5'', 5''', wherein the in-house network 2 can comprise a
number of subnetworks and individual connections,
respectively. A subnetwork of this type is the bell wire
network 7 which generally exists in every household and
to which conventional telephone sets (POT), ISDN
telephones, but also fax machines, PC's, TV sets and the
like can be connected as terminals. Another network
which is installed in almost all households, is a coaxial
cable network 6 to which ordinarily radio and television
sets are connected. In addition, digital telephone sets,
(Multi-Media) (MM) terminals, PC's and a numerous other
devices for in-house surveillance, for regulating and
controlling devices can also be connected. These devices
can include, for example, heating systems, lighting
systems, shutter systems and the like.
Finally, an additional embodiment shown in Figure 1
is an alarm system wherein both in-house terminals and
devices located outside of the house, such as sensors,
door opening devices, video surveillance cameras, bell
ringers and the like, can be connected to the network
adapter 1 via an internal interface 5''. In this way,
the incoming and outgoing signals can also be connected
to other terminals in the in-house network 2, for example
PC's, video monitors and the like. Moreover, an alarm
can cause, for example, a message to be sent via the
external interface~ 4, 4', etc., and via a subscriber-
line network, such as the telephone network, to an
external point, for example, a police or fire station.
In addition, the usage of, for example, gas, water,
electricity and the like, by devices in the building can
be automatically recorded and then transmitted to the
exchange and control units 8 to be either stored in the
memory unit 10 and/or to be transmitted automatically to,
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for example, a gas or water utility or an energy
provider.
Conversely, house internal terminals can also be
remotely accessed, for example via the telephone network,
a radio telecommunications network and the like, by
entering a respective authorization password or code.
Examples for such remote operations have already been
described above. These possibilities can be enhanced
substantially with appropriate software, in particular
when computer terminals are employed in the in-house
network 2.
Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown
schematically the coarse structure of the system of the
invention. A network adapter 21 includes a network
access module 24 for accessing the most diverse
subscriber line networks 23 via appropriately equipped
interfaces. The network access module 24 transmits the
information signals via an exchange and control unit 29
to a processor 28 connected to or integrated with memory
devices, servers and the like. In particular, the
processor 28 is controlled by suitable software. The
other side of the processor 28 is adapted to communicate
with an in-house network 22 via an in-home access module
25 which is also equipped with appropriate interfaces,
wherein the in-house network 22 can comprise different
cable networks, in particular an in-house bus system 26,
to which various terminals such as TV, videophone,
telephone, PC's, radio sets, and control devices for
other systems in the home are connected. This system has
the significant advantage that not only already existing
instaIlations, but also installations which will be
developed at a later time, can be readily connected via
the appropriate interfaces.
