Method of communicating internet-based data

• US 10,581,487 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Logvinov, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US15/835,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/00 Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0009 AC switches, i.e. delivering AC power to a load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0036 Means reducing energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating an electronic system includes detecting an incoming transmission on a power line, and modifying a switching behavior of a switched-mode power supply coupled to the power line upon detecting the incoming transmission. Modifying reduces the level of interference produced by the switched-mode power supply.

Claims

1. A method of communicating Internet-based data, comprising:

detecting, via a transmission detector of a power line modem, a preamble of an Internet-based communication signal received on a 50 to 60 Hz alternating current (AC) power line; and

based on detecting the preamble, automatically directing a switched-mode power supply that receives power on the 50 to 60 Hz AC power line to modify an associated operating mode.

2. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein directing the switched-mode power supply to modify the associated operating mode includes directing the switched-mode power supply to set a switching behavior of the switched-mode power supply.

3. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein directing the switched-mode power supply to modify its operating mode includes synchronizing modification of the operating mode with a pattern detected in the Internet-based communication signal.

4. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein directing the switched-mode power supply to modify its operating mode includes directing a load coupled to a DC output of the switched-mode power supply to reduce power consumption.

5. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein directing the switched-mode power supply to modify its operating mode includes limiting current supplied to a load coupled to a DC output of the switched-mode power supply.

6. The method of communicating Internet-based data claim 1, wherein communicating the Internet-based data conforms to a HomePlug protocol.

7. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein modification of the associated operating mode reduces levels of communication interference caused by the switched-mode power supply.

8. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein the associated operating mode of the switched-mode power supply includes at least one operation to disable harmonic spreading of the switched-mode power supply, reduce a power output of the switched-mode power supply, or suspend frequency fluctuation of the switched-mode power supply.

9. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein automatically directing the switched-mode power supply includes omitting at least one frequency in a frequency hopping schedule.

10. The method of communicating Internet-based data of claim 1, wherein automatically directing the switched-mode power supply is in response to a pattern detected in data of the communication signal.