DIGITAL INTERCOM NETWORK OVER DC-POWERED MICROPHONE CABLE

摘要

A digital intercom system provides DC power and multi-channel bidirectional digital communications over existing cabling such as microphone cabling used in analog intercom networks. Three or more conductors in the cabling are used for both transmitting and receiving digital signals and carrying DC power. The digital intercom system includes digital user stations and a digital master station which can be used to retrofit an existing analog intercom network or deployed in a new network. User stations can be connected to the cabling via drop cables which do not use active electronic components. The master station routes digital audio and control data packets in three or more channels based on respective network addresses of the user stations to provide point-to-point, point-to-multi-point, and party line communications among the user stations. Sessions and groups can be configured which define talker and listener user stations.