Method and System for Connector and/or Cable with Configurable Antenna for Ethernet and Wireless Applications

Abstract

A system for communication can include a configurable Ethernet connector. The connector can include a first multiple-medium interface. The first multiple-medium interface may include a wireless interface and a wired interface that may be configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and wired messages. The connector can also include a second multiple-medium interface communicatively coupled to the first multiple-medium interface. The second multiple-medium interface may include a wireless interface and an optical interface that may be configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and optical messages. The system can also include a circuit communicatively coupled to the first multiple-medium interface and the second multiple-medium interface. The circuit may be configurable to convert a medium of a message.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a configurable Ethernet connector that includes:   a first multiple-medium interface, wherein the first multiple-medium interface includes a wireless interface and a wired interface that are configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and wired messages; and   a second multiple-medium interface communicatively coupled to the first multiple-medium interface, wherein the second multiple-medium interface comprises a wireless interface and an optical interface that are configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and optical messages; and   a circuit communicatively coupled to the first multiple-medium interface and the second multiple-medium interface, the circuit configurable to convert a medium of a message.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit is configurable to convert messages concurrently. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an antenna. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes an antenna. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an Ethernet physical layer device. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an optical physical layer device. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes a power over Ethernet circuit. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a configurable Ethernet connector, a wireless, a wired, or an optical message, wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes a first wireless communications device, a second wireless communications device, a wired communications device, and an optical communications device, wherein the wired communications device is paired with the first wireless communications device and the optical communications device is paired with the second wireless communications device;   converting, by a circuit communicatively coupled to the communications devices, a wireless message to a wired message or an optical message, wherein the received message is a wireless message;   converting, by the circuit, a wired message to a wireless message or an optical message, wherein the received message is a wired message; and   converting, by the circuit, an optical message to a wireless message or a wired message, wherein the received message is an optical wireless message.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the received wireless, wired, or optical message is a first wireless, wired, or optical message, and wherein the method comprises:
 receiving, at the configurable Ethernet connector, a second wireless, wired, or optical message; and   converting, by the circuit, the first wireless, wired, or optical message and the second wireless, wired, or optical message, concurrently.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an antenna. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an Ethernet physical layer device. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an optical physical layer device. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , comprising providing power over Ethernet via the configurable Ethernet connector. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a message at a configurable Ethernet connector comprising a communications interface that includes a first multiple-medium interface and a second multiple-medium interface, wherein the first multiple-medium interface comprises a wireless interface and a wired interface that are configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and wired messages, and wherein the second multiple-medium interface comprises a wireless interface and an optical interface that are configurable to communicate corresponding wireless and optical messages;   converting the message to a wireless message or an optical message for communication by the second multiple-medium interface, if the message is a wired message that is received via the first multiple-medium interface;   converting the message to a wireless message or a wired message for communication by the first multiple-medium interface, if the message is an optical message that is received via the second multiple-medium interface;   communicating the message by the second multiple-medium interface or converting the message to an optical message for communication by the second multiple-medium interface, if the message is a wireless message that is received via the first multiple-medium interface; and   communicating the message by the first multiple-medium interface or converting the message to a wired message for communication by the first multiple-medium interface, if the message is a wireless message that is received via the second multiple-medium interface.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a conversion of the message received via the first multiple-medium interface and a conversion of the message received via the second multiple-medium interface occur concurrently. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a communication of a converted message by the first multiple-medium interface and a communication of a converted message by the second multiple-medium interface occur concurrently. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an antenna. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an Ethernet physical layer device. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the configurable Ethernet connector includes an optical physical layer device. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , comprising providing power over Ethernet via the configurable Ethernet connector.