AC PLC TO DC PLC TRANSCEIVER

• US 20060269001A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Ryuichi, Dawson, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A device that provides an interface between alternating current powerline communication signals and direct current powerline communication signals. In one embodiment alternating current powerline communication signals and direct current powerline communication signals are interfaced with a bridging device. In another embodiment, a router configuration allows dissimilar protocols to be interfaced to direct current using a router configuration. In yet another embodiment the alternating current powerline communication and direct current powerline communication signals are interfaced using a passive repeater configuration. In the bridge and router configurations, use of an internal computer allows for additional features, such as error checking, buffering, diagnostics, and virus checking.

Claims

1. A powerline pommunication interface, said powerline communication interface comprising:

a plurality of direct current powerline communication interfaces,

a plurality of first interfaces,

and a converter;

wherein a first data signal is received by the first interface and is converted to an output direct current powerline comunication signal; and

wherein an input direct current powerline communication signal is received by the direct current powerline communication interface and is converted to first data signal.

2. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the first interface is ethernet.

3. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the first interface is an alternating current powerline communication interface.

4. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 3, wherein the alternating current powerline communication interface further comprises:

a first transformer, an alternating current analog front end, an alternating current analog to digital converter, an alternating current digital to analog converter, an alternating current physical layer interface, a alternating current media access control interface;

and wherein the direct current power line communication interface further comprises;

a second transformer, a direct current Analog Front End, a direct current analog to digital converter, a direct current digital to analog converter, a direct current physical layer interface, a direct current media access control interface, and wherein the converter further comprises;

a read only memory, random access memory, a central processing unit, and stored programs and data located in said read only memory and random access memory;

wherein an signal is received by the first transformer, the alternating current transformer is connected to the alternating current analog front end, the alternating current analog front end is connected to the alternating current analog to digital converter, wherein the digital signals from the alternating current analog to digital converter are sent to the alternating current physical layer to form data packets, where the alternating current physical layer is connected to the alternating current media access control interface to route the data packets to the random access memory;

wherein data packets are retrieved from the random access memory and passed to the direct current media access control, the data packets are transferred to the direct current physical layer interface, where they are converted to analog signals using the direct current digital to analog converter, these analog signals are conditioned by the direct current analog front end, and passed to the second transformer, wherein the direct current signal is transmitted on a power line; and

wherein a direct current signal is received by the second transformer, the second transformer is connected to the direct current analog front end, the direct current analog front end is connected to the direct current analog to digital converter, wherein the analog signals from the direct current analog to digital converter are sent to direct current physical layer to form data packets, where the direct current physical layer is connected to the direct current media access control interface to route the data packets to the random access memory; and

wherein data packets are retrieved from the random access memory and passed to the alternating current media access control, the data packets are transferred to the alternating current physical layer interface, where they are converted to analog signals using the alternating current digital to analog converter, these analog signals are conditioned by the direct current analog front end, and passed to the first transformer, wherein the alternating current signal is transmitted on a power line; and

wherein the alternating current analog to digital converter, the alternating current digital to analog converter, the alternating current physical layer interface, the alternating current media access control interface, the direct current analog to digital converter, the direct current digital to analog converter, the direct current physical layer interface, and the direct current media access control interface are under programmatic control by the central processing unit using stored programs in the random access memory.

5. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 3, wherein said converter further comprises:

an first transformer, a second transformer, and an analog front end;

wherein an input alternating current powerline communication signal is received by the first transformer, the first transformer is connected to the analog front end and wherein an output direct current Signal is sent to the direct current coupler from the analog front end, and

wherein a input direct current signal is received by the second transformer, the second transformer is connected to the analog front end and wherein an output alternating current signal is sent to the first transformer from the analog front end.

6. A powerline communication interface as in claim 4 wherein said powerline communication interface further comprising,

an ethernet interface, said ethernet interface connected to the central processing unit and random access memory;

wherein the ethernet interface is under programmatic control by the central processing unit.

7. A powerline communication interface as in claim 1 wherein the number of first interfaces is one.

8. A powerline communication interface as in claim 1 wherein the number of direct current powerline communication interfaces is one.

9. A powerline communication interface as in claim 1 wherein said powerline communication interface further comprises:

a power supply and an enclosure;

wherein said power supply and powerline communication interface are proximally located in the enclosure.

10. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said converter further comprises a Central Processing unit.

11. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said central processing unit has diagnostic software to monitor the direct current powerline communication interface.

12. A powerline communication interface as recited in claim 10, wherein said central processing unit has computer virus checking software to monitor the direct current powerline communication interface.

13. The method of interfacing one type of data signals to direct current powerline communication data signals comprising:

receiving the data signals, converting the data signals to data packets, and converting the data packets a direct current powerline communication data format.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said one type of data signal is the alternating current power line signal.

15. The method of claim 14, said interfacing further comprises:

receiving an alternating current powerline communication signal from an alternating current powerline communication,

filtering the alternating current powerline communication signal;

converting the alternating current powerline communication signal into a direct current powerline communication signal;

conditioning the direct current powerline communication signal;

and transmitting the direct current powerline communication signal.

16. The method of claim 15, said direct current powerline communication to alternating current powerline communication conversion further comprising:

receiving a direct current powerline communication signal from a direct current power line,

filtering the direct current power line signal,

converting the direct current powerline communication signal into an alternating current powerline communication signal;

conditioning the alternating current powerline communication signal;

and transmitting the alternating current powerline communication signal.