Power line communications device and method

• US 20050169056A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William H., Mollenkopf, James Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,626,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/185.220
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/483 Installation of aerial type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

In one embodiment, a power line communication system network element is provided that provides communications to one or more user devices. The device may also receive data from one or more sensors, such as current sensors, a voltage sensor, a video camera, a temperature sensor, a barometer, a motion sensor, a level sensor, and/or a vibration sensor. The device may include a controller that receives commands that relate to the collection and transmission of the sensed data via a medium voltage power line.

Claims

1. A communications device for communicating over a medium voltage power line, comprising:

a coupler configured to be communicatively coupled to the power line;

a controller;

a first modem in communication with said controller and communicatively coupled to said coupler;

a sensor in communication with said controller;

wherein said controller is configured to receive sensor data from said sensor; and

wherein said controller is configured to cause said first modem to transmit said sensor data over the power line.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second modem in communication with said controller and configured to wirelessly transmit data to one or more user devices.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second modem in communication with said controller and configured to be communicatively coupled to a low voltage power line to transmit data to one or more user devices.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a voltage sensor and said sensor data includes voltage measurement data.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising an electric current sensor in communication with said controller and said sensor data further includes electric current measurement data.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein further comprising:

a plurality of electric current sensors;

wherein each of said plurality of electric current sensors is configured to be coupled to a different low voltage power line to thereby measure the current being supplied to a customer premises therethrough; and

said sensor data includes voltage measurement data and current sensor data.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a video camera.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes an audio input device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a motion sensor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a barometer.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a temperature sensor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said temperature sensor is configured to be coupled to distribution transformer to measure the temperature thereof.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a vibration sensor.

14. A method of using a power line communications device coupled to a medium voltage power line, comprising:

receiving user data via the medium voltage power line;

transmitting the user data to a user device;

receiving sensed data; and

transmitting the sensed data over the medium voltage power line.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting of the user data includes wireless transmitting the user data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting of the user data includes transmitting the user data via a low voltage power line.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes video data transmitted from a camera.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes low voltage measurement data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed data further includes current measurement data.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed data further includes current measurement data received from a plurality of electric current sensors;

and

wherein each of the plurality of current sensors is coupled to a different low voltage power line to thereby measure the current being supplied to a customer premises therethrough.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes audio data.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data indicating a detected motion.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes atmospheric pressure data.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes temperature data.

25. The device of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data representing a vibration.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data indicating whether a utility pole is perpendicular to the ground.

27. A communications device for communicating over a medium voltage power line and a low voltage power line, comprising:

a first port configured to be coupled to the medium voltage power line;

a second port configured to be coupled to the low voltage power line;

a controller communicatively coupled to said first port and said second port;

a sensor in communications with said controller;

wherein said controller is configured to receive sensor data from said sensor;

wherein said controller is configured to transmit said sensor data over the medium voltage power line; and

wherein said controller is configured to receive commands via the medium voltage power line.