Methods, Systems, and Products for Providing Modem Functions

Abstract

A network interface device to an access network has a modulator-demodulator. The modulator-demodulator receives a modulated carrier signal from an input connection. A power circuit connected to the input connection receives electrical power from the access network and provides the electrical power to the modulator-demodulator.

1 . A network interface device, comprising:
 a modulator-demodulator housed within the network interface device, the modulator-demodulator having a connection to an access network, the modulator-demodulator receiving electrical power from the connection to the access network, and the modulator-demodulator extracting digital data using a modulated carrier signal received from the connection to the access network;   an Ethernet interface receiving the digital data extracted by the modulator-demodulator to produce Ethernet signals; and   a port dedicated to outputting the electrical power received from the connection to the access network.   
     
     
         2 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure housing the modulator-demodulator and the Ethernet interface. 
     
     
         3 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery supplying the electrical power. 
     
     
         4 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising a telephony interface. 
     
     
         5 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter separating analog voice frequencies from data frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface to a digital subscriber line. 
     
     
         7 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface to a fiber optic line. 
     
     
         8 . The network interface device of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface to a coaxial cable line. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a modulator-demodulator in a network interface device, a modulated carrier signal from an input connection to an access network;   receiving, by the modulator-demodulator in the network interface device, electrical power from the input connection to the access network;   demodulating, by the modulator-demodulator in the network interface device, the modulated carrier signal to extract digital data;   receiving, by an Ethernet interface in the network interface device, the digital data;   generating, by the Ethernet interface in the network interface device, Ethernet signals using the digital data extracted from the modulated carrier signal; and   outputting, by the modulator-demodulator, the electrical power received from the connection to a port.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising enclosing the modulator-demodulator in an enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising switching between the input connection and a battery to maintain the electrical power to the modulator-demodulator. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising separating analog voice signals from the modulated carrier signal received at the input connection. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising sending the analog voice signals to a telephony port. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising filtering analog voice frequencies from data frequencies received at the input connection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising interfacing with a digital subscriber line. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising interfacing with a fiber optic line. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising interfacing with a coaxial cable line. 
     
     
         18 . A network interface device, comprising:
 a modulator-demodulator having an input connection to an access network, the modulator-demodulator extracting digital data using a modulated carrier signal received from the input connection to the access network;   an Ethernet interface that receives the digital data extracted by the modulator-demodulator to produce Ethernet signals;   a port dedicated to outputting the Ethernet signals produced by the Ethernet interface; and   a power circuit having a first power connection and a second power connection, the first power connection receiving electrical power from the input connection to the access network, and the second power connection receiving the electrical power from the port.   
     
     
         19 . The network interface device of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one conducting pin in the port that separately receives the electrical power from a separate source. 
     
     
         20 . The network interface device of  claim 18 , further comprising a filter separating analog voice frequencies from data frequencies.