Wi-Fi/BPL dual mode repeaters for power line networks

• US 10,193,777 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Au, Alan K., Barzegar, Farhad, Dolan, Edward J., Gerszberg, Irwin, Okoro, Jeremiah A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Prenell
• Application Number:
  US15/157,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/74 for increasing reliability, e.g. using redundant or spare channels or apparatus replacing by standby devices for amplifiers H03F1/52, H03F1/542
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A method and apparatus for maintaining network connectivity over power lines is disclosed. Such network connectivity is maintained even if various customers are covered by different power line networks or if one or more power lines in a network are unavailable to transmit data. More particularly, in order to bridge a gap in a power line network, one or more messages are extracted from a first node in a power line network and are then transmitted to a second node via free space transmission, illustratively wireless radio frequency (RF) transmission conforming to one or more of the 802.11a, b or g standards. When those messages are received at the second node, the message is injected back into the power line on the other side of a gap in power line coverage. This method of transmission backup will continue until power line connectivity is restore upon which the preferred method will be selected and used.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information, comprising:

receiving a message, at a node of a power line network, from a first power line segment of the power line network;

detecting, at the node, an interruption in the power line network;

in response to detecting the interruption in the power line network, comparing, using a processor at the node, a transmission characteristic of a wireless transmission of the message and a transmission characteristic of a wired transmission of the message; and

transmitting the message, from the node, via one of the wireless transmission or the wired transmission, to a second power line segment of the power line network, based on the comparing of the transmission characteristic of the wireless transmission of the message and the transmission characteristic of the wired transmission of the message.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein comparing the transmission characteristic of the wireless transmission of the message and the transmission characteristic of the wired transmission of the message comprises:

determining whether the wireless transmission of the message or the wired transmission of the message provides higher data throughput.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein comparing the transmission characteristic of the wireless transmission of the message and the transmission characteristic of the wired transmission of the message comprises:

comparing data transmission errors via the wireless transmission of the message and data transmission errors via the wired transmission of the message.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interruption in the power line network comprises:

an unavailability of a portion of the power line network.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the unavailability of the portion of the power line network comprises:

a break in a power line in the portion of the power line network.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitting the message comprises:

transmitting the message via the wireless transmission to the second power line segment using a wireless device based on the comparing.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitting the message comprises:

transmitting the message via the wired transmission to the second power line segment based on the comparing.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first power line segment comprises a first radio transceiver and the second power line segment comprises a second radio transceiver.

9. A node in a power line network, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a message from a first power line segment of the power line network;

detecting an interruption in the power line network;

in response to detecting the interruption in the power line network, comparing a transmission characteristic of a wireless transmission of the message and a transmission characteristic of a wired transmission of the message; and

transmitting the message via one of the wireless transmission or the wired transmission, to a second power line segment of the power line network, based on the comparing of the transmission characteristic of the wireless transmission of the message and the transmission characteristic of the wired transmission of the message.

10. The node of the power line network as recited in claim 9, wherein the transmission characteristic is data throughput.

11. The node of the power line network as recited in claim 9, wherein the transmission characteristic is data transmission errors.

12. The node of the power line network as recited in claim 9, wherein the interruption in the power line network comprises:

an unavailability of a portion of the power line network.

13. The node of the power line network as recited in claim 12, wherein the unavailability of the portion of the power line network comprises:

a break in a power line in the portion of the power line network.

14. The node of the power line network as recited in claim 9, wherein transmitting the message comprises:

transmitting the message via the wireless transmission to the second power line segment based on the comparing.

15. A computer readable storage device storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor of a node of a power line network, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a message from a first power line segment of the power line network;

detecting an interruption in the power line network;

in response to detecting the interruption in the power line network, comparing a transmission characteristic of a wireless transmission of the message and a transmission characteristic of a wired transmission of the message; and

transmitting the message via one of the wireless transmission or the wired transmission, to a second power line segment of the power line network, based on the comparing of the transmission characteristic of the wireless transmission of the message and the transmission characteristic of the wired transmission of the message.

16. The computer readable storage device as recited in claim 15, wherein the transmission characteristic is data throughput.

17. The computer readable storage device as recited in claim 15, wherein the transmission characteristic is data transmission errors.

18. The computer readable storage device as recited in claim 15, wherein the interruption in the power line network comprises:

an unavailability of a portion of the power line network.

19. The computer readable storage device as recited in claim 18, wherein the unavailability of the portion of the power line network comprises:

a break in a power line in the portion of the power line network.

20. The computer readable storage device as recited in claim 15, wherein transmitting the message comprises:

transmitting the message via the wired transmission to the second power line segment based on the comparing.