Method and device for frequency translation in powerline communications
First Claim
1. A power line communications (PLC) modem capable of transmission of communication data in broadband communications using power lines as a communication 5 medium, said modem comprising:
- a modulator, responsive to communication data, for generating a modulated signal that is modulated by said communication data;
a first filter, responsive to the modulated signal, for providing a first filtered modulated signal;
a first multiplier, responsive to the first filtered modulated signal and to a first oscillator signal, for generating a first mixed signal based upon mixing the first filtered modulated signal and the first oscillator signal;
a second filter, responsive to the first mixed signal, for providing a filtered first mixed signal;
a second multiplier, operatively connected to the second filter and responsive to a second oscillator signal, for generating a second mixed signal based upon mixing the filtered first mixed signal and the second oscillator signal;
a radio-frequency filter, responsive to the second mixed signal, for providing a filtered RF output signal; and
means, operatively connected to the RF filter, for coupling the filtered RF output signal to at least one of the power lines.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving RF signals for broadband communications using power lines as communication medium. A super-heterodyne structure is used to translate the signals from one frequency to another so as to avoid interference sources, which may corrupt the communication signals. In the heterodyne structure, a plurality of local oscillators are used to mix the local oscillator signals with the communication signals for frequency translation. A plurality of frequency filters are used to filtered out unwanted signals. The communication signals are imparted onto or received from the power lines via couplers operatively connected to modems.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A power line communications (PLC) modem capable of transmission of communication data in broadband communications using power lines as a communication 5 medium, said modem comprising:
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a modulator, responsive to communication data, for generating a modulated signal that is modulated by said communication data;
a first filter, responsive to the modulated signal, for providing a first filtered modulated signal;
a first multiplier, responsive to the first filtered modulated signal and to a first oscillator signal, for generating a first mixed signal based upon mixing the first filtered modulated signal and the first oscillator signal;
a second filter, responsive to the first mixed signal, for providing a filtered first mixed signal;
a second multiplier, operatively connected to the second filter and responsive to a second oscillator signal, for generating a second mixed signal based upon mixing the filtered first mixed signal and the second oscillator signal;
a radio-frequency filter, responsive to the second mixed signal, for providing a filtered RF output signal; and
means, operatively connected to the RF filter, for coupling the filtered RF output signal to at least one of the power lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of broadband communications for transmitting communication data using power lines as communication medium, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating a modulated signal that is modulated by the communication data;
filtering the modulated signal for providing a first filtered modulated signal;
mixing the first filtered modulated signal and a first oscillator signal for providing a first mixed signal;
filtering the first mixed signal for providing a filtered first mixed signal;
mixing the filtered first mixed signal and a second oscillator signal for providing a second mixed signal; and
filtering the second mixed signal for providing a filtered RF output signal; and
coupling the filtered RF output signal to at least one of the power lines. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of broadband communications for receiving communication data using power lines as communication medium, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an RF input signal indicative of the communication data from at least one of the power lines via coupling;
filtering the received RF input signal for providing a filtered RF input signal;
mixing the filtered RF input signal with a first oscillator signal for providing a first mixed signal;
filtering the first mixed signal for providing a filtered first mixed signal;
mixing the filtered first mixed signal and a second oscillator signal for providing a second mixed signal;
filtering the second mixed signal for providing a filtered second mixed signal; and
obtaining the communication data based upon demodulating the filtered second mixed signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification