Control system and power line network containing the same

• US 10,608,833 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wang, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US15/527,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20180331844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41855 by local area network [LAN], network structure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5462 Systems for power line communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A control system for controlling a power line network having a power line, at least one electric appliance and at least one controller includes a central control unit, configured to realize programmable controls over the appliance by the controller with signals transmitted through the power line. An on-site control unit includes at least one modulator and at least one demodulator coupled with the central control unit. Each modulator is configured, upon receiving a first control signal from the controller, to generate and transmit a second control signal to the central control unit that is configured, upon receiving the second control signal, to generate and transmit a third control signal to the demodulator. Each demodulator is configured, upon receiving the third control signal, to generate and transmit a fourth control signal to the appliance.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a power line network having a power line, at least one electric appliance and at least one controller, wherein the control system comprises a central control unit, wherein the central control unit is configured to manage the power line network such that:

controls over the at least one electric appliance by the at least one controller is programmable; and

signals for the controls are transmitted through the power line;

the control system further comprising an on-site control unit, wherein the on-site control unit comprises at least one modulator and at least one demodulator, each coupled with the central control unit, wherein;

each of the at least one modulator is coupled with the at least one controller and is configured, upon receiving a first control signal from the at least one controller, to generate and transmit a second control signal to the central control unit;

the central control unit is configured, upon receiving the second control signal, to generate a third control signal in correspondence with the second control signal, and to transmit the third control signal to the at least one demodulator;

each of the at least one demodulator is coupled to the at least one electric appliance, and is configured, upon receiving the third control signal, to generate a fourth control signal, and to transmit the fourth control signal to, and to thereby control, the at least one electric appliance;

the central control unit comprises a receiving module, an inquiry module, a storage module and a transmitting module;

the storage module is coupled with the receiving module, and is configured to store correspondence information between the second control signal and the third control signal;

the receiving module is coupled with the at least one modulator through the power line, and is configured to receive the second control signal from each of the at least one modulator, and to transmit the second control signal to the inquiry module;

the inquiry module is coupled with the storage module and the transmitting module, and is configured to query the correspondence information based on the second control signal, and to transmit the corresponding third control signal to the transmitting module; and

the transmitting module is coupled with the at least one demodulator through the power line and is configured to transmit the corresponding third control signal to the at least one demodulator.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the at least one controller is configured to emit the first control signal at a unique and different frequency;

the central control unit is configured to receive the second control signal at more than one frequency, and to generate and transmit the third control signal at more than one frequencies;

each of the at least one electric appliance is configured to be controlled by the fourth control signal at a unique and different frequency.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein:

the first control signal and the second control signal have a same frequency; and

the third control signal and the fourth control signal have a same frequency.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein:

the second control signal is one of a plurality of second control signals;

the third control signal is one of a plurality of third control signals; and

one of the plurality of second control signals corresponds to one or more of the plurality of third control signals;

or

one or more of the plurality of second control signals correspond to one of the plurality of third control signals.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the correspondence information between the plurality of second control signals and the plurality of third control signals in the storage module is stored in a mapping table.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein:

each of the at least one electric appliance has a mode selected from a single-state mode, a dual-state mode, or a multi-state mode, wherein each state of the mode is assigned with a first identification address, corresponding to the third control signal for the each of the at least one electric appliance;

each of the at least one controller is assigned with a second identification address, corresponding to the second control signal for the each of the at least one controller; and

in the mapping table one second identification address corresponds to one or more first identification addresses;

or one or more second identification addresses correspond to one first identification address.

7. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a terminal device, coupled with the central control unit, wherein:

the terminal device is configured to communicate with the central control unit to thereby program the controls over the at least one electric appliance by the at least one controller.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the terminal device is further configured to directly control the at least one electric appliance.

9. The control system of claim 7, wherein:

the central control unit comprises a communication module; and

the terminal device is configured to communicate with the central control unit via the communication module.

10. The control system of claim 7, wherein the terminal device is configured to communicate with the central control unit in a wireless manner.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the terminal device is configured to communicate with the central control unit via at least one of Bluetooth, WIFI, Zigbee or a cellular network.

12. The control system of claim 10, wherein the terminal device is capable of wireless communication, and is selected from a group consisting of a desktop, a laptop, a mobile phone, and a PAD.

13. A power line network comprising the control system according to claim 1, and further comprising:

the power line;

the at least one electric appliance, each connected to the power line; and

the at least one controller, each connected to the power line.

14. The power line network of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one controller is parallel-connected to the power line;

each of the at least one controller is series-connected to one modulator;

the at least one electric appliance is parallel-connected to the power line; and

each of the at least one electric appliance is series-connected to one demodulator.

15. The power line network of claim 13, wherein the central control unit is disposed at an initial end of the power line after entry of the power line from an external power grid into the power line network.

16. The power line network of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one of a switch or an outlet.

17. The power line network of claim 13, further comprising an isolating power source, disposed between the power line network and an external power grid and configured to guarantee a voltage and a frequency of the power line network.