The use of structured cabling within a building has become the standard way of disseminating data around a building. A structured cabling installation typically comprises one or more patch panels located in a communications cabinet or room, each of the patch panels having a plurality of jacks mounted thereon. Each jack is connected to one end of a data cable. The other end of each data cable is terminated onto a single jack at a convenient location. By means of such structured cabling systems data can readily be transmitted around a building. However, problems exist if additional outlets are required subsequentto the original installation. In general, laying additional data cables to new outlets is time consuming and expensive.

It is generally known to those skilled in the art that structured cabling installations normally utilize data cable having four twisted pairs of conductors. The most usual data protocols (Cat 5,5E and Cat 6) make use of only two of these twisted pairs. Accordingly, if an installation has been wired for Cat 5, Cat 5E or Cat 6 it is theoretically possible to make use of the unused twisted pairs to allow more products to make use of the existing cabling arrangements. However, heretofore the arrangements for making use ofthese"unused"pairs have been considerably less than satisfactory. Typically, at the patch panel end it is necessary to re-terminate the cable from a single jack to a pair of adjacent jacks, possibly on a different patch panel. At the room outlet end it has been necessary to replace an existing single outlet with a double outlet appropriately wired. Even if modifications of this type are made it is difficult if not impossible for re-wiredj acks to conform with the demanding standards typically required for data cabling installations. This is particularly true in the case of Cat 5E or Cat 6 standards.

Plug-in splitters have been proposed which obviate the need for re-wiring. However, existing plug-in splitters have not addressed the problem of maintaining compliance with system specifications.

The present invention provides sharing devices which enable the inherent redundancy of typical data cables to be utilized whilst maintaining system standards.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a sharing device comprises a first and a second RJ45 jack mounted on a common body ; means for connecting a first group of pins of the first jack to a corresponding group of pins of the second jade, and means for connecting a second group of pins of the first jack to pins of a third jack which is also mounted on the common body.

In general, the connection between the first group of pins of the Srstjack and the corresponding group of the pins of the second jack will be configured to meet Cat 5 or Cat 5E standards for data transmission. Accordingly, if the first jack is connected to the structured cabling system by a patch lead, the second jack may be used to connect a product, for example a computer, to the structured cabling in accordance with Cat 5 or Cat SE standards. The connection between the second group of pins of the first jack and the third jack will be configured in accordance with the intended use of the third jack. If the third jack is required for data transmission then the group of pins of the third jack to which connections are made will be the standard data transmission pairs in accordance with Cat 5 or Cat SE standards. If the third jack is required for some other purpose, for example voice, the pins of the third jack used for connection will be selected accordingly.

When a sharing device in accordance with the present invention is used at the outlet end of a data cable some means must be provided at the patch panel end of the structured cabling to provide corresponding splitting of the cable pairs. In one preferred embodiment of the invention a sharing device identical to the first sharing device is used for this purpose. Bearing in mind the various splitting permutations available it is preferred that each sharing device is appropriately marked, for example by colour coding, to identify the particular arrangements for connections it provides.

By this means, the necessary adaption at the patchpanel end can be achieved by using a sharing device of the same colour as that at the remote end of the cable.

In an alternative arrangement, the standard patch panel may be replaced by a second patch panel in which the data cables are terminated in a manner to provide two jacks connected to each data cable in accordance with whatever convention is required. The second patch panel may be provided with one IDC connection set for each data cable with the necessary splitting of the conductors being effected within the patch panel by appropriate connections between each set of IDC connectors and two or more jack outlets. Alternatively, each jack outlet of the second patch panel may have associated with it an individual set of IDC connectors so that the conductors of the data cable are split and connected to respective sets of IDC connectors, each IDC connector being connected directly to an associated jack.

In a further and particularly preferred arrangement the standard patch panel which would have been provided at the time ofthe structure cabling installation is left in place and a further patch panel is provided at some convenient point. The further patch panel has, on its rear surface, jacks which may be connected by patch leads to an existing standard patch panel. Each of the jacks on the further patch panel is connected to two or more jacks on the front of the further patch panel to provide the necessary splitting of the single input into multiple outputs in accordance with the wiring convention to be employed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the sharing devices have a total of four jacks. In general, the connection between the first jack and the second jack will be in accordance with Cat 5 or Cat SE standards in order to allow the second jack to be used for data transmission. The third and fourth jacks may be used for any desired purpose, for example data, fax or digital or analogue voice signals. In all cases, the arrangement is such that the required integrity of system performance is facilitated by the arrangement of the jacks.

Preferably, all the jacks of any one splitting device are mounted on a common printed circuit board which provides the connection between the required pins.

Preferably, the track layout on the printed circuit board is chosen to provide the required standard compliance.

Preferably an appropriate connector, for example an IDC connector, is mounted on the printed circuit board to allow a data cable to be connected to the tracks in parallel to the connections provided to the first jack. With such an arrangement, the sharing device may be used to provide multiple outlets from a single data cable.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention viewed from one end ; Figure 2 shows a perspective view ofthe embodiment ofFigure 1, viewed from the other end, and Figure 3 is an exploded view of the components of Figures 1 and 2.

The outlet sharing device 1 shown in the drawings comprises a body 2 formed by an upper body portion 3 and a lower body portion 4 which, in use, are connected together by suitable means, for example a screw 5. Within the body 2 is mounted a printed circuit board 6 and mounted on the printed circuit board is a first jack 7, a second jack 8, athirdjack 9 and a fourlhjaclc 10. As illustrated, the jacks are all of the RJ45 type. In general, the first jack and the second jack will be of the RJ45 type. The third and fourth jacks may be of other types depending on the exact nature of the equipment to be used with the sharing device.

As will be understood by those skilled inthe art eachjack includes a plurality of contact strips which are electrically connected to pins which extend from the base of each jack. When the jacks are mounted on the PCB tracks on the PCB provide connections between various of the pins of the jacks. In general, tracks on the PCB will connect pins 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the RJ45 jack 7 to the corresponding pins ofthe RJ45 jack 8. The connections provided by the printed circuit board will be arranged so that the connector formed by the jacks 7 and 8 and the PCB meet the requirements of one of the recognized data transmission standards, for example Cat SE. Accordingly, so far as appliances connected to the jacks 7 and 8 and making use only of the standard Cat 5E pairs are concerned, the device 1 will appear as a simple connector. In the circumstances, the jack 7 may be connected to a wall or floor outlet of a structured cable system by means of a suitable patch lead and an appliance, for example a computer, may be connected to the jack 8 by a suitable patch lead. The computer will operate as if it was connected to a wall or floor outlet.

Tracks on the PCB connect pins 1 and 2 and 7 and 8 of the jack 7 to some pins of one or both of the jacks 9 and 10. The exact connection arrangements will depend upon the intended use of the sharing device. If, for example, the sharing device is intended to provide an analogue voice line and an analogue fax line, both of which require only one pair of conductors, pins 1 and 2 of the jack 7 will be connected to an appropriate pair of pins of the jack 9, and pins 7 and 8 of the jack 7 will be connected to an appropriate pair of pins of the jack 10. If, however, the sharing device is intended to allow two Cat 5 or Cat 5E appliances to share a single structured cabling outlet pins 1 and 2 and 7 and 8 of the jack 7 will be connected to pins 3,4, 5, and 6 of one of the jacks 9, 10, and the remaining jack will be surplus to requirements. Under these circumstances, the arrangement of the jacks on the printed circuit board will ensure that the connection between the jack 7 and the jack 9 or 10 meet Cat 5 or Cat 5E standards, as required.

An IDC connector 11 is also mounted on the PCB 6. As illustrated, the IDC connector is suitable for terminating four twisted pairs. The connection of the IDC connector to the PCB is such that the connections provided by the IDC connector are parallel to the connections provided to the pins of the jack 7. Accordingly, if desired a suitable data cable may be secured directly to the IDC connector 11 to provide an alternative input/output to that provided by the jack 7.

It is envisaged that outlet sharing devices in accordance with the present invention will be manufactured to provide several possible combinations of cable splitting. In order to utilize any one such device, a second device having the same splitting arrangement will be utilized at the end of the data cable remote from the first device. In other words, the devices will be utilized in pairs to provide the necessary combining function at one end of the existing cable and splitting function at the other end of the data cable. To facilitate identifying which splitters constitute a pair the splitters are preferably colour coded, for example by making one or both of the body parts 3,4 of a colour distinctive of the connections provided by the particular sharing device. Additionally or alternatively one of the body components may be provided with indicia as to the type of connection provided by the device.

As an alternative to using the devices in pairs, a conventional RJ45 patch panel located at one end of a group of data cables may be replaced by a special purpose dual patch panel. This will require re-termination of the data cables to the new patch panel, but if a suitable format is selected, a suitable termination of each cable onto an IDC connector will provide, via a PCB, suitable connections to two or more jacks on the new patch panel. This arrangement will be particularly suitable if it is intended that two Cat 5 or Cat SE standard devices will share a common data cable. The use of a purpose built double patch panel will facilitate, in a very neat and compact manner, doubling of the cable capacity of a whole group of data cables, An alternative form of patch panel for use and implementing the present invention as illustrated in Figure 4. The patch panel 15 is of conventional rack mounted design and includes on the front face thereof a plurality of j acks. A plurality ofjacks 16 are provided on the rear surface of the patchpanel. Each ofthejacks 16 on the rear surface is connected to two jacks on the front surface with the connections being arranged so that the necessary splitting ofthe pairs is achieved within the body 17 of the patch panel 15. To utilize the patch panel 15 it is secured at a convenient position adjacent an existing standard patch panel. The standard patch panel is then patched into each of the jacks 16. The jacks on the front of the patch panel 15 will then provide two jacks corresponding to each single j ack of the standard patch panel.

With this arrangement it is not necessary to disturb the original termination ofthe data cables to the IDC connectors of the originally fitted patch panel.