Power line communications system with differentiated data services

• US 20070053352A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Corcoran, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/31 by tagging of packets, e.g. using discard eligibility [DE] bits

Abstract

A power line communications system that facilitates the provision of differentiated data services is provided. One embodiment of the present invention may include tagging downstream data at an ingress point, such as a point of presence or aggregation point. The tagging of data packets may allow the power line communication network elements such as backhaul points, bypass devices, and repeaters to determine the data type and class of service of each data packet and may allow the network elements to prioritize, queue and transmit the data packets accordingly. Such queuing may employ the use of multiple queues with some queues having different sizes and different weight factors from other queues.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data packets over power lines wherein a first medium voltage (MV) access device is coupled to a medium voltage power line and provides communication services to one or more user devices at one or more customer premises, comprising:

at the one or more user devices;

tagging the data packets with tag information; and

transmitting the data packets to the MV access device; and

at the first MV access device;

receiving the data packets;

prioritizing transmission of the data packets based, at least in part, on the tag information of each of the data packets; and

transmitting the data packets over the MV power line according to said prioritizing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said prioritizing comprises classifying the data packets based on the tag information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said prioritizing further comprises:

placing each of the data packets in one of a plurality of queues; and

selecting a data packet for transmission from one of the plurality of data packet queues.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising rate limiting the data packets after said classifying.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rate limiting is performed in accordance with subscriber information.

6. The method of claim 5, where said subscriber information is received at the first MV access device via the MV power line.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein placing the data packets is based upon a priority value associated with each of the data packets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the data packets to the first MV access device comprises transmitting the data packets over a communication link that includes a low voltage power line.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said prioritizing comprises:

placing each of the data packets in one of a plurality of data packet queues; and

selecting a data packet for transmission from one of the plurality of data packet queues.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the plurality of queues are different in size.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting is performed in accordance with a weight factor associated with at least some of the plurality of queues.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the data packets to the first MV access device comprises transmitting the data packets over a link that includes a wireless link.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping a first priority according to a first communication protocol associated with the data packets to a second priority associated with a second communication protocol.

14. A method of communicating data packets over power lines wherein a first medium voltage (MV) access device is coupled to a medium voltage power line and provides communication services to one or more user devices at one or more customer premises, comprising:

receiving the data packets;

determining a data type for the data packets;

tagging the data packets with priority information based on the data type;

prioritizing transmission of the data packets based, at least in part, on the data type the data packets; and

transmitting the data packets over the MV power line according to said prioritizing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said determining the data type is based on an address of the data packets.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said prioritizing further comprises:

placing each of the data packets in one of a plurality of queues; and

selecting a data packet for transmission from one of the plurality of data packet queues.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising rate limiting at least some of the data packets.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rate limiting is based on the data type of the data packets.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said rate limiting is based, at least in part, on subscriber information.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein placing the data packets is based upon a priority value associated with the data packet.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the data packets comprises receiving the data packets over a communication link that includes a low voltage power line.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein at least some of the plurality of queues are different in size.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the data packets comprises receiving the data packets over a link that includes a wireless link.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising mapping a first priority according to a first communication protocol associated with the data packets to a second priority associated with a second communication protocol.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein a first data type comprises voice data packets, the method further comprising rate limiting the voice data packets.

26. A method of using power line communications device, comprising:

receiving the data packets from a power line;

determining a data type for the data packets;

placing each of the data packets in one of a plurality of queues based, at least in part, on the data type;

selecting a data packet for transmission from one of the plurality of data packet queues; and

transmitting the data packets according to said prioritizing.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining a class of service of the data type.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said placing each of the data packets in one of a plurality of queues is based, at least in part, on the class of service of the data packet.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the power line is a medium voltage power line.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising adding a destination address to the packet.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the power line is a low voltage power line.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein at least some of the plurality of queues are different in size.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting is performed in accordance with a weight factor associated with at least some of the plurality of queues.

34. A method of providing communications in a power line communications system, comprising:

at a downstream device;

determining a data type for upstream data packets;

tagging the upstream data packets with first priority information based, at least in part, on the data type;

prioritizing transmission of the upstream data packets based, at least in part, on the first priority information of the data packets; and

transmitting the upstream data packets according to said prioritizing; and

at an upstream device;

determining a data type for downstream data packets;

tagging the downstream data packets with second priority information based, at least in part, on the data type;

prioritizing transmission of the downstream data packets based, at least in part, on the second priority information of the data packets; and

transmitting the downstream data packets according to said prioritizing.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

at an intermediate device disposed in a communication path between said downstream device and said upstream device;

receiving upstream data packets;

prioritizing upstream data packets based, at least in part, on the first priority information of the upstream data packets;

transmitting the upstream data packets according to said prioritizing by the intermediate device;

receiving downstream data packets;

prioritizing the downstream data packets based, at least in part, on the second priority information of the downstream data packets; and

transmitting the downstream data packets according to said prioritizing by the intermediate device.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the upstream device comprises an aggregation point.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the downstream device comprises a medium voltage access device.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein prioritizing by the downstream device comprises:

placing each of the upstream data packets in one of a plurality of queues based, at least in part, on the data type; and

selecting a data packet for transmission from one of the plurality of data packet queues.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the upstream device comprises point of presence.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein determining a data type for upstream data packets comprises determining an address of the upstream data packets and determining a data type associated with the addresses.