Apparatus and method for communication over power lines

• US 10,069,536 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Inventors: Krasowski, Michael J., Prokop, Norman F., Greer, III, Lawrence C., Nappier, Jennifer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/484,905
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/02 using a single network for simultaneous distribution of power at different frequencies; using a single network for simultaneous distribution of ac power and of dc power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for communicating over power lines. The apparatus includes a coupling modem that is situated between a power line and a device. The coupling modem is configured to demodulate a signal received from the power line into a sine signal and a cosine signal. The coupling modem is also configured to modulate a communicated bit stream received from the device into a transmitted signal in order to impose the transmitted signal onto the power line.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a modem situated between water and an underwater device, the modem configured to;

demodulate a signal received from the water into a first signal and a second signal

which are linearly and nonlinearly processed to create a bit stream for transmission to the device; and

modulate a bit stream received from the device into a transmitted signal in order to impose the transmitted signal through the water.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modem comprises a demodulator and a modulator.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the demodulator comprises a plurality of resistors and a switch, and the demodulator is configured to demodulate the received signal into the first signal and the second signal using a clock cycle at frequencies of interest.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of resistors are equal.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the modulator comprises a gate and an inverter at an input of the gate, and the modulator is configured to receive the communicated bit stream from the device and generate the transmitted signal by gating a clock frequency.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal averaging unit configured to receive the first and the second signals from the modem and calculate direct current values of the first and second signals;

an absolute value unit configured to receive the direct current values of the first and the second signals and determine absolute values of the first and second signals; and

a magnitude unit configured to receive the absolute values of the first and second signals and determine a magnitude of the first and second signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a discriminator and automatic gain control unit configured to receive the magnitude of the first and the second signals and create a bit stream of data to be transmitted to the device.

8. A method, comprising:

demodulating, by a modem, a signal received from an underwater device into a first signal and a second signal which are linearly and nonlinearly processed to create a bit stream for transmission to a device; and

modulating a bit stream received from the device into a transmitted signal in order to impose the transmitted signal through the flesh.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the demodulating of the received signal further comprises:

demodulating the received signal into the first signal and a second signal using a clock cycle at frequencies of interest.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the modulating further comprises:

receiving the bit stream from the device and generating the transmitted signal by gating a clock frequency.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at a signal averaging unit, the first and the second signals from the modem; and

calculating direct current values of the first and second signals.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, at an absolute value unit, the direct current values of the first and second signals; and

determining absolute values of the first and second signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, at a magnitude unit, the absolute values of the first and second signals; and

determining a magnitude of the first and second signals.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at a discriminator and automatic gain control unit, the magnitude of the first and the second signals; and

creating a bit stream of data to be transmitted to the device.