Wireless link for power line communications system

• US 20070002876A1
• 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, Yaney, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention may include of plurality of wireless hops that provide a multi-hop wireless link for facilitating the communication of voice, video, audio, and other data in a packet based network between a broadband power line communications network and a conventional telecommunications link (such as a fiber optic link), which may be connected to another network such as the Internet via a point-of-presence.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a first power line communications system (PLCS) subnet;

an upstream communications device in communication with a point-of-presence;

a multi-hop wireless link providing a communications path between said PLCS subnet and said upstream communication device;

wherein said multi-hop wireless link comprises a first and second wireless hop communicatively coupled to each other via a first wireless link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said PLCS subnet via a second wireless link.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a third wireless link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a second wireless link.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless hop does not demodulate data signals communicated via said communications path.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said wireless hop does not perform error detection on data communicated via said communications path.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said first and second wireless hops do not perform error detection on data communicated via said communications path.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless hops are configured to communicate with each other via an IEEE 802.11 protocol.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless link and said second wireless link are substantially orthogonal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless hop is coupled to said PLCS subnet via a wired connection and said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a second wireless link.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless link includes a third wireless hop communicatively coupled to said first wireless hop and said second wireless hop.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein aid first and second wireless hops are configured to communicate with each other via a Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless link includes a frequency band at about sixty gigahertz.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third wireless hop communicatively coupled to said second wireless hop via a second wireless link; and

wherein said third wireless hop is communicatively coupled to a second PLCS subnet.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between said first wireless hop and said second wireless hop is less than one thousand feet.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein

a first wireless hop is communicatively coupled to a second PLCS subnet and said first wireless hop includes a router.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

18. A system for providing communications over a portion of an electrical distribution network comprising a power line carrying a power signal, comprising:

a first medium voltage interface device (MVID) comprising a backhaul wireless transceiver and a first power line port in communication with said backhaul wireless transceiver and configured to communicate via the power line;

a first wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first MVID via a first wireless link; and

a second wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first wireless communications device via a second wireless link.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a third wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first wireless communications device via a third wireless link.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said second wireless communications device includes wired port for communications with a second MVID.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said second wireless communications device further comprises a router in communications with said wired port.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said first MVID further comprises a router in communication with said backhaul wireless transceiver.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise unlicensed orthogonal frequency bands.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said first wireless communications device does not demodulate data signals.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a third wireless communications device in wireless communication with said second wireless communications device via a third wireless link; and

wherein said second wireless communications device comprises a router.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said first wireless communications device includes a first radio configured to communicate via said first wireless link, a second radio configured to communicate via said second wireless link;

and a router in communication with said first radio and said second radio.

28. A method of providing communications over an electrical distribution network comprising at least one medium voltage (MV) power line and at least one low voltage power line, the method comprising:

receiving first data from the MV power line at a first device;

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the first device via a first wireless link;

wirelessly receiving the first data wirelessly at a second device;

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the second device via a second wireless link; and

wirelessly receiving the first data transmitted at a third device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the third device via a third wireless link;

and

wirelessly receiving the first data transmitted from the third device at a fourth device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said first and second wireless links are substantially orthogonal.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the second device does not perform error detection.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the third device does not perform error detection.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the fourth device does not perform error detection.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising routing the first data at the first device.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising routing the first data at the second device.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the time for data to be communicated from said second device to said fourth device is less than six milliseconds for ninety-nine percent of the data.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein said second communications device does not demodulate received data signals.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

39. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving second data wirelessly transmitted from a fourth device at the second device;

wirelessly transmitting the second data from the second device via the second wireless link; and

wirelessly receiving the second data transmitted from the second device at the third device

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising routing the first data and the second data at the second device.

41. A device for providing power line communications, comprising:

a power line modem configured to communicate via a power line;

a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem and configured to communicate via a wireless link; and

wherein the wireless link includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than two megahertz.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the wireless link includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than five megahertz.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein the wireless link includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than fifty seven megahertz.

44. The device of claim 41, further comprising a router in communication with said wireless transceiver and said modem.

45. A device for communicating power line signals over a power line, comprising:

a filter configured to be communicatively coupled to the power line and to filter incoming signals to provide the power line signals;

a first amplifier communicatively coupled to said filter and configured to amplify the power line signals;

a frequency converter communicatively coupled to said first amplifier and configured to frequency shift the amplified power line signals from a first frequency band to a second frequency band;

an antenna communicatively coupled to said frequency converter and configured to wirelessly transmit the frequency shifted signals; and

wherein the power line signals are received from the power line and wirelessly transmitted without demodulation of the power line signals.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein said antenna is communicatively coupled to said frequency converter via a second amplifier.

47. The device of claim 45, wherein the second frequency band comprises an IEEE 802.11 frequency band.

48. The device of claim 45, wherein the second frequency band includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than two megahertz.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the second frequency band includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than five megahertz.

50. The device of claim 45, wherein the second frequency band includes at least one frequency band having a carrier greater than fifty seven megahertz.