NON-INVASIVE POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20010052843A1
• Filed: 11/01/1996
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: WIESMAN, RICHARD M., MASON, TIMOTHY J., BASTARACHE, GARY R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/538.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

A non-invasive powerline communications system includes: means for generating communication signals at a first location for transmission on a powerline; means for reactively coupling the communication signals to the powerline; and means for receiving said communication signals at a second location.

Claims

1. A non-invasive powerline communications system, comprising:

means for generating communication signals at a first location for transmission on a powerline;

means for reactively coupling the communication signals to said powerline; and

means for receiving said communication signals at a second location.

2. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

in which said means for generating includes a first communications device.

3. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

in which said means for reactively coupling includes means for inductively coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

4. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 3

in which said means for inductively coupling includes a communications core element disposed about the powerline and a plurality of windings disposed about said communications core element for coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

5. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

in which said means for reactively coupling includes means for capacitively coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

6. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 5

in which said means for capacitively coupling includes a capacitor having inner and outer spaced plates located proximate said powerline and a dielectric disposed between said plates for capacitively coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

7. The communications system of

claim 6

in which said dielectric is air.

8. The communications system of

claim 6

in which said inner and outer spaced plates are coaxially disposed about said a.c. powerline.

9. The communications system of

claim 6

further including n additional plates electrically connected to said inner coaxial plate to reduce noise.

10. The communications system of

claim 9

in which said n additional plates each have a surface area approximately

11. The communications system of

claim 1

in which said means for reactively coupling includes an inductor.

12. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

in which said means for receiving includes means for reactively coupling said communication signals on said powerline at said second location.

13. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 12

in which said means for reactively coupling includes means for capacitively coupling said communication signals on said powerline.

14. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 13

in which said means for capacitively coupling includes a capacitor having inner and outer spaced plates located proximate said powerline and a dielectric disposed between said plates for capacitively coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

15. The communications system of

claim 14

in which said dielectric is air.

16. The communications system of

claim 14

in which said inner and outer spaced plates are coaxially disposed about said a.c. powerline.

17. The communications system of

claim 14

further including n additional plates electrically connected to said inner coaxial plate to reduce noise.

18. The communications system of

claim 17

in which said n additional plates each have a surface area approximately

19. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 12

in which said means for reactively coupling includes means for inductively coupling said signals to and from said powerline.

20. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 19

in which said means for inductively coupling includes a communications core element disposed about the said powerline and a plurality of windings disposed about said communications core element for coupling said communication signals to and from said powerline.

21. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

further including means for extracting from said powerline said communication signals transmitted from said second location.

22. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 21

in which said means for extracting includes means for reactively coupling from said powerline said communication signals transmitted from said second location.

23. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 22

in which said means for reactively coupling from said powerline said communication signals transmitted from said second location includes means for inductively coupling from said powerline said signals transmitted from said second location.

24. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 23

in which said means for inductively coupling includes a communications core element disposed about the powerline and a plurality of windings disposed about said communications core element.

25. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 22

in which said means for reactively coupling includes means for capacitively coupling from said powerline said communication signals transmitted from said second location.

26. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 25

in which said means for capacitively coupling includes a capacitor having inner and outer spaced plates located proximate said powerline and a dielectric disposed between said plates.

27. The communications system of

claim 26

in which said dielectric is air.

28. The communications system of

claim 26

in which said inner and outer spaced plates are coaxially disposed about said a.c. powerline.

29. The communications system of

claim 26

further including n additional plates electrically connected to said inner coaxial plate to reduce noise.

30. The communications system of

claim 29

in which said n additional plates each have a surface area approximately

31. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

further including means for encoding said communication signals.

32. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 4

in which said means for inductively coupling further includes driver means for providing low voltage, high current pulses of said communication signals to said plurality of windings to inductively couple said pulses to said powerline.

33. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 1

further including a storage device proximate said first location.

34. The non-invasive powerline communications system of

claim 33

further including means for transmitting said communications signals to said storage device.

35. A non-invasive powerline communications transmitter, comprising:

means for generating communication signals for transmission on a powerline; and

means for reactively coupling said communication signals to said powerline.

36. A non-invasive powerline communications receiver for receiving communication signals transmitted over a powerline, comprising:

means for receiving the communication signals transmitted over the powerline; and

means for reactively coupling the communication signals from the powerline to said receiver.

37. A non-invasive powerline communications system comprising:

a sensor for sensing a condition of a powerline;

a base station remote from the sensor;

means for reactively coupling a signal from the sensor onto the powerline for transmission to the remote base station;

means for reactively coupling said signal transmitted on the powerline from the powerline to the remote base station;

means for reactively coupling a signal generated by the base station onto the powerline; and

means for reactively coupling the signal on the powerline from the base station to the sensor.