1 An apparatus comprising:
a first communication interface that communicatively couples to a telephone network to receive a phone call;
a second communication interface that communicatively couples to a communication network to communicate with a device; and
control logic communicatively coupled to the first and second communication interfaces, the control logic operable to:
transmit a first message over the communication network, the first message identifying a communication service offered by the apparatus;
receive a reply message to the first message from the device, the reply message requesting the communication service from the apparatus;
process the phone call to extract caller identification information;
generate a second message based on the caller identification information; and
transmit the second message to the device, wherein the device processes the second message to output the caller identification information to a user.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a local area network and wherein the device comprises a communication device operable to receive data from an external network.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication device comprises a television receiver.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface communicates with the device using an Ethernet protocol.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second communication interface comprises a wired Ethernet connection.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control logic communicates with the device using a universal plug and play communication protocol.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control logic comprises:
a caller identification decoder operable to extract the caller identification information; and
a microcontroller operable to control communication with the device.
8. A router comprising:
a first communication interface that communicatively couples to a telephone network to receive a phone call;
a second communication interface that communicatively couples to first and second communication devices;
control logic communicatively coupled to the first and second communication devices, the control logic operable to:
route traffic to the first and second communication devices;
identify whether the first communication device is configured to output caller identification information;
process the phone call to extract the caller identification information;
generate a first message based on the caller identification information if the first communication device is configured to output the caller identification information; and
transmit the first message to the first device, wherein the first device processes the first message to output the caller identification information to a user.
9. The router of claim 8, further comprising a wide area network interface operable to communicatively couple at least one of the first and second communication devices to the external network.
10. The router of claim 8, wherein the control logic is further operable to:
transmit a second message to the first and second communication devices, the second message identifying a communication service offered by the apparatus, and
receive a reply message to the second message from the first device, the reply message requesting the communication service from the router, the control logic operating to generate the first message responsive to the phone call based on the reply message.
11. The router of claim 8, wherein the first device comprises a television receiver.
12. The router of claim 11, wherein the television receiver comprises a satellite television receiver.
13. The router of claim 8, wherein the second communication interface is communicatively coupled to the first device through a wired connection.
14. The router of claim 8, wherein the second communication interface is communicatively coupled to the first device through a wireless connection.
15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control logic comprises:
a caller identification decoder operable to extract the caller identification information; and
a processor operable to control communication with the first and second devices.
16. A system comprising:
a television receiver including:
a first communication interface operable to receive television programming;
a second communication interface communicatively coupled to a local area network; and
first control logic communicatively coupled to the first and second communication interfaces and a presentation device, the first control logic operable to output the television programming to the presentation device; and an apparatus comprising:
a third communication interface that communicatively couples to a telephone network to receive a phone call;
a fourth communication interface that communicatively couples to the television receiver through the local area network;
second control logic communicatively coupled to the third and fourth communication interfaces, the control logic operable to:
transmit a first message to the television receiver, the first message identifying a communication service offered by the apparatus;
receive a reply message to the first message from the television receiver, the reply message requesting the communication service from the apparatus;
process the phone call to extract caller identification information;
generate a second message based on the caller identification information; and
transmit the second message to the television receiver;
the second communication interface operable to receive the second message and the first control logic operable to output the caller identification information for presentation by the presentation device responsive to the second message.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a router operable to communicatively couple the television receiver and the apparatus.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the apparatus comprises a router, the router including a wide area network interface operable to communicatively couple the television receiver to an external network.
19. The router of claim 16, wherein the television receiver comprises a satellite television receiver.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second control logic comprises:
a caller identification decoder operable to extract the caller identification information; and
a microcontroller operable to control communication with the first and second devices.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An antenna for generating radiation corresponding to a signal from a radio frequency communications device having a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal, the antenna comprising:
a. a substantially cylindrical conductor;
b. a first spiral-wound flat inductor, having a first interior end and a first exterior end, the first exterior end electrically coupled to the first signal terminal of the radio frequency communications device, the first spiral-wound flat inductor being substantially coaxial with the cylindrical conductor;
c. a second spiral-wound flat inductor, having a second interior end and a second exterior end, the second spiral-wound flat inductor being spaced apart from the first spiral-wound flat inductor and substantially coaxial therewith, the first interior end electrically coupled to the second interior end, the second exterior end electrically coupled to the second signal terminal of the radio frequency communications device, the second spiral-wound flat inductor being substantially coaxial with the cylindrical conductor; and
d. a reactive element electrically coupled to one of the first exterior end and the second exterior end,
the first spiral-wound flat inductor wound in relation to the second spiral-wound flat inductor so that when a current flows from the first signal terminal to the second signal terminal, a first magnetic field is generated from the first spiral-wound flat inductor and a second magnetic field is generated from the second spiral-wound flat inductor, the first magnetic field in an opposite direction from the second magnetic field, the substantially cylindrical conductor disposed so as to intersect the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field.
2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical conductor comprise a conductive rod that is surrounded by the first spiral-wound flat inductor and the second spiral-wound flat inductor.
3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the substantially cylindrical conductor comprise a conductive cylinder that surrounds the first spiral-wound flat inductor and the second spiral-wound flat inductor.
4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the reactive element comprises a capacitor, having a first lead and a second lead.
5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the capacitor comprises a variable capacitor.
6. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the first lead of the capacitor is electrically coupled to the first exterior end and wherein the second lead of the capacitor is electrically coupled to the second exterior end, so as to form a parallel resonant circuit with the antenna.
7. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the first lead of the capacitor is electrically coupled to the first exterior end and the second lead of the capacitor is electrically coupled to the first signal terminal, so as to form a series resonant circuit with the antenna.
8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency communications device comprises a transmitter.
9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency communications device comprises a receiver.
10. The antenna of claim 1, farther comprising a non-ferrous metal enclosure that surrounds substantially all of the antenna.