Communication device enclosure

Abstract

An enclosure for communication devices is described comprising a rear housing and a faceplate. Various faceplates may be provided for different communication devices. The rear housing mounts to existing phone backboards. The rear housing may remain mounted and the faceplate exchanged for a different faceplate with a different communication device. The enclosure provides a simple, ubiquitous, an inexpensive enclosure that can support various communication devices that provide a variety of communication services to users such as email, VOIP, video calls, or other advanced telecommunications.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 872,509 filed Oct. 1, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]Field[0003]This disclosure relates generally to an enclosure and mounting system for communication devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to a system for mounting communications devices in places previously occupied by conventional telephone systems.[0004]Background[0005]Telephones are mounted to walls by phone backboards. Phone backboards are mounting boards that allow conventional telephone systems (“plain old telephone service” or “POTS”) to be mounted to a wall or other mounting point such as a pedestal. Conventional telephone systems conventionally provided only analog voice communication capabilities. These conventional telephone systems also only require a single telephone cord connection because conventional analog telephones derived both power...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a simple, ubiquitous, and inexpensive enclosure that can support various communication devices that provide a variety of communication services to users. In an embodiment, a single enclosure is provided that can be adapted to a variety of purposes for different types of services such as email, VOIP, video calls, or other advanced telecommunications. In an embodiment, the enclosure comprises a universal rear housing and a faceplate. The universal rear housing reduces installation and service cost compared to conventional communication system deployment. When one communication device is retired, the rear housing can stay in place and accommodate a new communication device in the same faceplate or in a new faceplate, depending on device dimensions. As a result, equipment cost and installation cost are reduced. The unique, two component design allows for interchangeable faceplates without the need to change the rear housing. Thus, when a communication device becomes obsolete, broken, or otherwise reaches its end of life, the rear housing can remain while only the faceplate is replaced with new hardware. This further reduces hardware obsolescence and cost of replacement.

[0008]The enclosure according to some embodiments provides a compact, space saving way to provide a variety of communication services to a user using a minimum of wall space and infrastructure. In some embodiments, power-over-Ethernet equipment is housed by the rear housing to provide both power and network connectivity to the communication device, removing the need for 120VAC infrastructure at each installation point. This is important because the conventional telephones that some facilities were designed for did not require any external power because they received power from conventional POTS phone lines. With the migration away from POTS phone systems to internet, VOIP, video conferencing, and other IP-based communication methods, these facilities do not have the infrastructure to support 120VAC at each phone installation point. To address these situations, in an embodiment, the rear disclosure houses power-over-Ethernet equipment to provide both power and network connectivity to a communication device from a single Ethernet wire. This makes installation of advanced communication devices easier in facilities that lack the infrastructure to support separate power and network connectivity at every installation point.

[0009]Advantageously, some embodiments of the enclosure are designed to fit into installation points that were previously occupied by a conventional “POTS” phone system. These phone system were often installed on phone backboards. In some embodiments the rear housing is configured to attach to these existing phone backboards that are present where older phone systems have been removed. This is yet another way in which the enclosure of embodiments of the invention reduces infrastructure and maintenance cost.

[0010]In an embodiment, the enclosure is adapted for use in an institutional setting. Institutional settings include penal institutions, military institutions, hospitals, schools, and businesses. In a prison or other correctional facility, for example, the enclosure is made of high strength materials such as steel or aluminum to provide protection for sensitive communication devices such as tablet computers. Tablet computers by themselves are typically constructed of plastics and glass and are therefore susceptible to damage from misuse or abuse. An enclosure made of high strength materials provides protection against such misuse and abuse by at least partially enclosing the communication device. In order to further enhance device security, the faceplate can include an impact resistant transparent cover for protecting the screen portion of the device. Additionally, all ports of the device can be recessed within the faceplate to prevent damage. The user can then interface with the device through a traditional mouse and keyboard or other external interface. Some institutional environments are limited in infrastructure and budget to deploy advanced communications systems. Such institutions desire to provide the most services at the lowest overall cost. The enclosure described herein fills this need because it is a drop-in replacement for conventional phone systems that are often found in such institutions. The enclosure can therefore provide advanced communication services as well as voice services comparable to conventional telephone systems using the same infrastructure as a conventional phone system.

Problems solved by technology

With the migration away from POTS phone systems to internet, VOIP, video conferencing, and other IP-based communication methods, these facilities do not have the infrastructure to support 120VAC at each phone installation point.

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