Power line communication system and method of operating the same

• US 20050001694A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,098,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

The present invention provides a power line communications system that may employ power lines and non-power communications mediums. In one embodiment, the system is comprised of a plurality of interface devices with each being in communication with one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power lines. Each interface device also may be in communication with an upstream communications device via a non-power line communications medium. The upstream communications device may communicate with a backhaul point via a backhaul link to provide access to a network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, each interface device provides an interface between one or more low voltage power lines and the non-power line communications medium, which may be a coaxial cable. The upstream communications device may provide routing for data communicated with the interface devices.

Claims

1. A power line communications system for providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power line subnets, the system comprising:

a first communications device comprising a first non-power line communications medium interface, and a backhaul link interface in communication with said first non-power line communications medium interface;

a second communications device comprising a second non-power line communications medium interface and a first low voltage (LV) power line interface in communications with said second non-power line communications medium interface;

wherein said second communications device is in communication with said first communications device via a non-power line communications medium communicatively coupled to said second non-power line communications medium interface of said second communications device and to said first non-power line communications medium interface of said first communications device; and

wherein said second communications device is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a first low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said first LV power line interface.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a third communications device comprising a third non-power line communications medium interface, and a second low voltage power line interface in communications with said third non-power line communications medium interface;

wherein said third communications device is in communication with said first communications device via a non-power line communications medium communicatively coupled to said third non-power line communications medium interface of said third communications device and to said first non-power line communications medium interface of said first communications device; and

wherein said third communications device is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a second low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said second LV power line interface.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a backhaul point comprising a downstream interface and wherein said first communications device is in communication with said backhaul point via a backhaul link communicatively coupled to said backhaul link interface and said downstream interface.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said backhaul link comprises a wireless communication link.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said backhaul link comprises a fiber optic link.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said backhaul link comprises a coaxial cable.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the non-power line communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said coaxial cable comprising said backhaul link also comprises the non-power line communications medium.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the coaxial cable comprising said backhaul link is coupled to said coaxial cable comprising said the non-power line communications medium via said first communications device.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein said backhaul link comprises a medium voltage power line.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the communications medium comprising said backhaul link also comprises the non-power line communications medium.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the communications medium comprising said backhaul link is coupled to the non-power line communications medium via said first communications device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communications device further comprises a first transceiver in communication with said non-power line communications medium interface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said first communications device further comprises a second transceiver in communication with said backhaul interface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first communications device further comprises a router in communication with said first transceiver and said second transceiver.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communications device comprises a first high pass filter communicatively coupled to said low voltage interface.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-power line communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

18. A method of providing communications, comprising:

at a first low voltage interface device;

receiving first data transmitted via a low voltage power line from a first user device;

transmitting said the data over a non-power line communications medium;

at a second device;

receiving the first data transmitted via the non-power line communications medium from the first low voltage interface device;

transmitting the first data over a backhaul link; and

at a backhaul point;

receiving the first data transmitted via the backhaul link from the second device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

at a second low voltage interface device;

receiving second data transmitted via a low voltage power line from a second user device;

transmitting the second data over a non-power line communications medium; and

at the second device;

receiving the second data transmitted via the non-power line communications medium from the second low voltage interface device; and

transmitting the second data over the backhaul link.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

at the second device;

receiving second data from a second user device;

prioritizing the first data and the second data;

transmitting the second data over the backhaul link; and

wherein said transmitting the first data and transmitting the second data are based on said prioritizing of the first data and the second data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first data comprises voice data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second data comprises Internet data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first data comprises video data.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first data and the second data comprise voice data.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second data is received via the non-power line communications medium and transmitted via a low voltage interface device.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link comprises a wireless communication link.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link comprises a fiber optic link.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link comprises a coaxial cable.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-power line communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-power line communications medium comprises a fiber optic link.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link comprises a medium voltage power line.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link is coupled to the non-power line communications medium via the first communications device.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link comprises the non-power line communications medium.

34. A power line communications system for providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power line subnets, the system comprising:

a plurality of first communications devices, each comprising a first non-power line communications medium interface, and a backhaul link interface in communication with said first non-power line communications medium interface;

a plurality of groups of second communications devices, each second communications device comprising a second non-power line communications medium interface and a first low voltage (LV) power line interface in communication with said second non-power line communications medium interface;

wherein each said second communications device is in communication with one of said plurality of said first communications device via a non-power line communications medium communicatively coupled to said second non-power line communications medium interface of said second communications device and to said first non-power line communications medium interface of said first communications device;

wherein said second communications device is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a first low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said first LV power line interface; and

wherein each said second communications device of each group is communicatively coupled at least one other second communications device in said same group via the non-power line communications medium.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein each said second communications device in each group is communicatively isolated from other second communications device in other groups.