Multi-Wideband Communications over Power Lines

• US 20070076666A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fouren, Nils, Riveiro, Juan, Hurwitz, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/536,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076666A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

Systems and methods for communicating over a power line are configured to substantially simultaneously communicate over a plurality of wide band frequency ranges. Signals may be communicated two or from a communication node at two different frequencies simultaneously. These signals may be exchanged with different nodes and/or include independent data. In some embodiments, some of the wide band frequency ranges are above 30 MHz.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a coupling configured to communicate data over a power line, a first part of the data being communicated using a first wide band frequency range and a second part of the data being communicated using a second wide band frequency range separate from the first wide band frequency range, the first part of the data being independent from the second part of the data;

first logic configured to process the first part of the data; and

second logic configured to process the second part of the data.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication is configured to communicate the first part of the data using a first communication standard and to communicate the second part of the data using a second communication standard.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first communication standard and the second communication standard are included in a set consisting of the Homeplug 1.0/1.1 standards, the Homeplug AV standard, the CEPCA standard and the Digital Home Standard..

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the first part of the data and the second part of the data simultaneously.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to simultaneously communicate the first part of the data and the second part of the data to a first destination and a second destination, respectively.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first wide band frequency range and the second wide band frequency range are each at least 5 MHz wide.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein at least part of the first wide band frequency range is below 30 MHz and at least part of the second wide band frequency range is above 30 MHz.

8. The communication device of claim 1, further including logic configured for automatically identifying which of the first wide band frequency range and the second wide band frequency range should be used for communicating with a particular network communication node.

9. The communication device of claim 1, further including logic configured for automatically identifying a communication standard used by a communication node on a network.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the coupling includes an analog frequency filter configured for separating signals in the first wide band frequency range from signals in the second wide band frequency range.

11. The communication device of claim 1, further including logic configured for using the first wide band frequency to send information received using the second wide band frequency.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first part of the data is independent of the second part of the data.

13. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first wide band frequency range does not overlap with the second wide band frequency range.

14. The communication device of claim 1, further including logic configured to distribute the first part of the data and the second part of the data to one or more data applications.

15. The communication device of claim 1, further including third logic configured to process a third part of the data, wherein the coupling is further configured to communicate the third part of the data using a third wide band frequency.

16. A communication network comprising:

a first communication node configured to communicate using a first wide band frequency range at least 10 MHz wide and a second wide band frequency range at least 5 MHz wide; and

a second communication node configured to communicate with the first communication node over a power line by simultaneously using both the first wide band frequency range and the second wide band frequency range.

17. The communication network of claim 16, wherein the first communication node is configured to use different communication standards for communicating using the first wide band frequency range and the second wide band frequency range, respectively.

18. The communication network of claim 16, wherein at least part of the first wide band frequency range is below 30 MHz and at least part of the second wide band frequency range is above 30 MHz.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a signal over a power line;

separating the received signal into a first signal component in a first wide band frequency range and a second signal component in a second wide band frequency range, each of the first wide band frequency range and the second wide band frequency range being at least 10 MHz wide;

separately processing the first signal component and the second signal component to extract digital data; and

providing the digital data to one or more applications.

20. A method comprising:

receiving digital data form one or more applications;

encoding a first part of the digital data into a first signal within a first wide band frequency range, at least part of the first wide band frequency range being less than 30 MHz;

encoding a second part of the digital data into a second signal within a second wide band frequency range, at least part of the second wide band frequency range being greater than 30 MHz;

combining the first signal and the second signal to generate a combined signal; and

sending the combined signal over a power line.

21. A method comprising:

receiving over a power line command and control signals in a first wide band frequency range, at least part of the first wide band frequency range being less than 30 MHz; and

using the received command and control signals to receive or process data signals transmitted over the power line in a second wide band frequency range, at least part of the second wide band frequency range being greater than 30 MHz.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second wide band frequency range is at least 10 MHz wide.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the data signals transmitted over the power line include audio or video signals.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first wide band frequency range is separate from the second wide band frequency range.