Systems and methods for implementing application profiles and device classes in power line communication (PLC) environments

• US 10,277,276 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Il Han, Dabak, Anand G., Varadarajan, Badri N
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US15/793,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20180048354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/78 Architectures of resource allocation

Abstract

Systems and methods for application profiles and device classes in power line communications (PLCs) are described. In some embodiments, a PLC device has the device class defined by a PHY layer and may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may be configured to store program instructions, which may be executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to communicate with a higher-level PLC apparatus over a power line using a frequency band. The frequency band may be selected based upon an application profile and/or a device class associated with the PLC device. In some implementations, the higher-level PLC apparatus may include a PLC gateway or a data concentrator, and the PLC device may include a PLC modem or the like. Examples of application profiles include access communications, in-premises connectivity, AC charging, and/or DC charging. Device classes may represent a minimum communication data rate and/or an operating frequency band restriction of the PLC device.

Claims

1. A power line communication (PLC) device comprising:

a physical (PHY) layer defining a device class of the PLC device, the device class having defined region specific attributes for the PHY or MAC layers of a PLC specification;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory is configured to store program instructions, and the program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to communicate with a higher-level PLC apparatus over a power line using a given frequency band, the given frequency band selected based, at least in part, upon an application profile and the device class of the PLC device, the program instructions are also executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to;

monitor one or more PLC communications between two or more other PLC devices over the power line;

identify a frequency band unused by the two or more other PLC devices; and

select the given frequency band as at least a portion of the unused frequency band.

2. The PLC device of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system-on-chip (SoC) circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a microprocessor, or a microcontroller.

3. The PLC device of claim 1, wherein the device class is defined with varying transmitter and receiver data rate capabilities at the PHY layer.

4. The PLC device of claim 1, wherein the device class is defined depending on MAC capabilities.

5. A power line communication (PLC) device comprising:

a physical (PHY) layer defining a device class of the PLC device, the device class having defined region specific attributes for the PHY or MAC layers of a PLC specification;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory is configured to store program instructions, the program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to communicate with a higher-level PLC apparatus over a power line using a given frequency band, the given frequency band selected based, at least in part, upon an application profile and the device class of the PLC device, and the program instructions are also executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to;

transmit a request to the higher-level PLC apparatus for an indication of availability of frequency bands, the higher-level PLC apparatus configured to maintain a record of frequency use by one or more other PLC devices configured to communicate over the power line;

receive instructions from the higher-level PLC apparatus indicating the availability or unavailability of one or more frequency bands; and

select the given frequency band based, at least in part, upon the received instructions.

6. A power line communication (PLC) device comprising:

a physical (PHY) layer defining a device class of the PLC device, the device class having defined region specific attributes for the PHY or MAC layers of a PLC specification;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory is configured to store program instructions, the program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to communicate with a higher-level PLC apparatus over a power line using a given frequency band, the given frequency band selected based, at least in part, upon an application profile and the device class of the PLC device, and the program instructions are also executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to;

transmit a request to the higher-level PLC apparatus to communicate over the power line, the request including an indication of the application profile and device class of the PLC apparatus, the higher-level PLC apparatus configured to allocate the given frequency band to the PLC device based, at least in part, upon an analysis of the request; and

receive instructions from the higher-level PLC apparatus allocating the given frequency band to the PLC device.

7. A method comprising:

performing, by a power line communication (PLC) apparatus, assigning a first frequency band to a first PLC device configured to communicate over a power line, the first frequency band selected based, at least in part, upon a first application profile and a first device class assigned to the first PLC device, the device class having defined region specific attributes for the PHY or MAC layers of a PLC specification;

receiving a request from the first PLC device to communicate over the power line;

determining a frequency band unused by one or more other PLC devices communicating over the power line; and

transmitting an instruction to the first PLC device assigning the first frequency band as at least a portion of the unused frequency band.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the PLC apparatus includes at least one of a PLC gateway or a data concentrator, and wherein the first PLC device includes a PLC modem.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

performing, by the PLC apparatus,

identifying a conflict between the first frequency band and a second frequency band in use by a second PLC device coupled to the power line, the second PLC device including a second application profile and a second device class; and

resolving the conflict based, at least in part, upon a comparison between at least one of;

(a) the first and second application profiles, or (b) the first and second device classes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein resolving the conflict includes limiting a data rate of the second PLC device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein resolving the conflict includes modifying the second frequency band of the second PLC device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the device class are assigned with varying transmitter and receiver data rate capabilities at the PHY layer.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the device class are assigned depending on MAC capabilities.