Power line communication rate limiting system and method

• US 20070002771A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William, Mollenkopf, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

A power line communications device that may provide rate limiting and quality of service control is provided. The device may include a first modem in communication with one or more user devices via a low voltage power line subnet and a second modem communicatively coupled to a second communications medium. The device also may include a controller in communication with the first and second modems and a computer readable medium encoded with instructions to control the operation of the controller. The controller may rate limit data to and/or from a destination and/or source based one or more parameters such as the destination address, the source address, the type of data, temporal parameters, and other criteria. In addition, the controller may implement QoS for data and transmit QoS parameters to power line modems to allow the power line modems to perform QoS.

Claims

1. A device for communicating data packets via an electric distribution network that includes a low voltage power line subnet, comprising:

a first modem configured to be communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line subnet;

a second modem configured to be communicatively coupled to a communications medium;

a processor in communication with said first modem and said second modem;

a computer readable medium encoded with executable instructions to cause said processor to determine a rate limit for a received data packet; and

said executable instructions cause said processor to cause transmission of the data packet in accordance with the rate limit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on the source of the data packet.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the rate limit is based on the destination of the data packet.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on the type of data in the data packet.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is temporal dependent.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on the size of the data packet.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications medium to which said second modem is configured to be communicatively coupled includes a medium voltage power line;

and

said computer readable medium is encoded with executable instructions to cause said processor to store rate limit information received by said second modem via the medium voltage power line.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said computer readable medium is encoded with executable instructions to cause said processor to determine quality of service information for a power line modem and to cause said first modem to transmit said quality of service information to the power line modem via the low voltage power line subnet.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said computer readable medium is encoded with executable instructions to cause said processor to prioritize transmission of received data packets.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to said processor and wherein said first modem is configured to communicate with first and second power line modems via the low voltage power line subnet and said memory includes first rate limit information associated with the first power line modem stored therein and second rate limit information associated with said second power line modem stored therein.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to said processor and wherein said first modem is configured to communicate with first and second power line modems via the low voltage power line subnet and said memory includes first rate limit information associated with the first power line modem stored therein and second rate limit information associated with said second power line modem stored therein.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on a request of a user.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on a subscription of a user.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said rate limit is based on the quantity of data packets transmitted by a power line modem.

15. A method of communicating data packets via an electric distribution network that includes a low voltage power line and a medium voltage power line, comprising:

receiving a first data packet from the low voltage power line;

determining a first rate limit for the first data packet; and

transmitting the first data packet via the medium voltage power line in accordance with the rate limit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is based on the source of the first data packet.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is based on the destination of the first data packet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is based on the type of data in the first data packet.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is temporal dependent.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is based on the size of the data packet.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the first rate limit via the medium voltage power line; and

storing information of the first the rate limit in a memory.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising

determining quality of service information for a power line modem;

and

transmitting the quality of service information to the power line modem via the low voltage power line.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second data packet; and

prioritizing transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second data packet from the medium voltage power line;

determining a second rate limit for the second data packet; and

transmitting the second data packet via the low voltage power line in accordance with the second rate limit.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein a memory includes the first rate limit information.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rate limit is based on a subscription of a user.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein said rate limit is based on the quantity of data packets transmitted by a power line modem.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein said rate limit is based on a request from a user.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising prioritizing transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet and said transmitting of the first and second data packets is performed in accordance with said prioritization.

29. A method of communicating data packets via an electric distribution network that includes a low voltage power line and a medium voltage power line, comprising:

receiving a first data packet from the low voltage power line from a first power line modem;

receiving a second data packet from the low voltage power line from a second power line modem;

determining a first rate limit for the first data packet;

determining a second rate limit for the second data packet;

transmitting the first data packet via the medium voltage power line in accordance with the first rate limit; and

transmitting the second data packet via the medium voltage power line in accordance with the second rate limit.

31. A method of communicating data packets via an electric distribution network that includes a low voltage power line and a medium voltage power line, comprising:

receiving a first data packet from the medium voltage power line addressed for a first user device;

receiving a second data packet from the medium voltage power line addressed for a second user device;

determining a first rate limit for the first data packet;

determining a second rate limit for the second data packet;

transmitting the first data packet via the low voltage power line in accordance with the first rate limit; and

transmitting the second data packet via the low voltage power line in accordance with the second rate limit.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising prioritizing transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet and said transmitting of the first and second data packets is performed in accordance with said prioritization.

33. A method of communicating data packets via an electric distribution network that includes a low voltage power line, comprising:

determining quality of service information for a power line modem coupled to the low voltage power line;

transmitting the quality of service information to the power line modem via the low voltage power line.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving a first data packet from the low voltage power line;

determining a first rate limit for the first data packet; and

transmitting the first data packet via a medium voltage power line in accordance with the rate limit.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving a first and second data packet; and

prioritizing transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet over a medium voltage power line.