An interface enables an RF signal, a DC power signal, and a data signal to
be conveyed between two devices over a single RF cable. In an exemplary
application of this invention, a steerable antenna system is coupled to a
wireless adapter for use in a wireless network. The steerable antenna
includes a plurality of panels that can be selectively activated in
response to the data signal, which also determines a direction in which
an RF signal is transmitted or received by a selected panel of the
antenna. Low pass filters in each device isolate the DC power supply and
the load from the other two signals. High pass filters isolate the radio
in the wireless adapter and the antenna array from the DC and data
signals. The data signal is preferably encoded into a Manchester format
that passes through a bandpass filter provided in each device.