Transmitting device, receiving device, and receiving method

• US 20010008391A1
• Filed: 12/26/2000
• Published: 07/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yuasa, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 6,396,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/207 with an audio or audio/video bus for signal distribution H04B1/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0005 Time-frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• 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

In a power line transmission/reception system, when a receiving device receives data via a power line transmission network which transmits the same data with the same timing in parallel via a plurality of communication channels by means of superposition on AC power, the reception of the data is performed using a communication channel selected on the basis of the mean channel usage periods measured for the respective communication channels, thereby assuring high-quality communication. Transmission data is generated by converting Input data into packets and outputting each same packet repeatedly a plurality of times. The transmission data is transmitted via the plurality of communication channels at the same time by means of superposition on AC power thereby assuring high-quality data communication.

Claims

1. A receiving device for receiving data via a power line transmission network which transmits the same data with the same timing in parallel via a plurality of communication channels by means of superposition on AC power, said receiving device comprising:

receiving means for extracting data superimposed on AC power from a particular channel of said network thereby receiving said data;

timer means for measuring a channel usage period during which a communication channel is used by said receiving means to receive data;

storage means for storing the channel usage period measured by said timer means, for each communication channel;

calculation means for calculating the mean channel usage period of each communication channel from the channel usage periods stored in said storage means; and

control means which controls said storage means so as to store the channel usage period measured by said timer means for each communication channel, and which controls said receiving means so as to select a communication channel used to receive data on the basis of the mean channel usage periods of the respective communication channels calculated by said calculation means and so as to receive said data using the selected channel.

2. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein said selection of the communication channel is performed when a communication failure occurs in a communication channel being used.

3. A receiving device according to

claim 2

, wherein it is determined that said communication failure occurs when an error rate is detected as being equal to or greater than a predetermined level.

4. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the transmission of said data via the network is performed in such a manner that said data is first converted into packets each having a predetermined amount of data, and then each same packet is transmitted a plurality of times; and

said receiving device selects one packet from each succession of the same packets and uses the selected packets.

5. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, further comprising storage control means for controlling said storage means so as to store the mean channel usage period measured by said calculation means for each communication channel.

6. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein said selection of the communication channel is performed such that the mean channel usage periods stored in said storage means are evaluated and a communication channel having a greatest mean channel usage period is selected.

7. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said data transmitted via the network is compressed data;

said receiving device further comprises decoding mean for decompressing said compressed data; and

said receiving device decompresses, using said decoding means, the compressed data received by said receiving means.

8. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein before starting the reception of data via the network, said receiving device measures the channel usage period from a time at which a communication channel is selected to a time at which a communication failure occurs for each communication channel, and said receiving device selects a communication channel having a greatest measured channel usage period.

9. A receiving device according to

claim 1

, wherein said data transmitted via the network is continuous in terms of time.

10. A transmitting device for transmitting input data via a power line transmission network which has a plurality of communication channels and which transmits data by means of superimposing data upon AC power, said transmitting device comprising:

compression means for compressing said input data;

packet conversion means for converting the data compressed by said compression means into packets each having a predetermined length of data; and

transmitting means for transmitting the data converted into packets by said packet conversion means via the plurality of communication channels at the same time.

11. A transmitting device according to

claim 10

, wherein said packet conversion means outputs each same packet repeatedly a plurality of times to said transmitting means such that said transmitting means receives a succession of a plurality of packets having the same content.

12. A transmitting device according to

claim 10

, wherein said plurality of packets having the same content are transmitted successively from said transmitting means.

13. A transmitting device according to

claim 11

, wherein the number of times that each same packet is output repeatedly is determined on the basis of the compression ratio of the data compressed by said compression means.

14. A transmitting device according to

claim 10

, wherein said plurality of communication channels transmit data using different carrier frequencies.

15. A receiving method for receiving data via a power line transmission network which transmits the same data with the same timing in parallel via a plurality of communication channels by means of superposition on AC power, said receiving method comprising the steps of:

extracting data superimposed on AC power from a particular channel of said network thereby receiving said data, and measuring a channel usage period during which a communication channel is used to receive said data;

when a communication failure is detected during the reception of said data, calculating the mean channel usage period of said particular channel from the channel usage period measured during the current receiving operation and from the channel usage periods of said particular channel measured in the past; and

selecting a communication channel to be used, on the basis of the calculated mean channel usage period and the mean channel usage periods calculated for the other respective communication channels.

16. A receiving method according to

claim 15

, wherein it is determined that said communication failure occurs when an error rate is detected as being equal to or greater than a predetermined level.

17. A receiving method according to

claim 15

, wherein the transmission of said data via the network is performed in such a manner that said data is first converted into packets each having a predetermined amount of data, and then each packet is transmitted a plurality of times;

said receiving method further comprising the step of selecting one packet from each succession of the same packets.

18. A receiving method according to

claim 15

, wherein in said communication channel selection step, a communication channel having a greatest calculated mean channel usage period is selected.

19. A receiving method according to

claim 15

, further comprising the steps of:

before starting the reception of data via the network, measuring the channel usage period from a time at which a communication channel is selected to a time at which a communication failure occurs for each communication channel; and

selecting a communication channel having a greatest channel usage period of the channel usage periods measured for the respective communication channels.