Device and method for designing power line communication system networks

• US 20070093995A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Mollenkopf, James, Huebner, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

A method of designing a power line communication system networks is provided. One embodiment of the present invention may include identifying a position of a backhaul point on a medium voltage power line, identifying positions for a plurality of bypass devices on the medium voltage line that are configured to communicate with the backhaul point, determining an anticipated attenuation for a communication link associated with each of the bypass devices, and comparing the anticipated attenuations with a link budget value. If the anticipated attenuation of any of the communication links is greater than the link budget, the method may include further improving the network by changing the coupling conductor or employing lower through loss couplers for select devices.

Claims

1. A method of designing a power line communication system, comprising:

identifying a position of a first communications device on a medium voltage (MV) power line;

identifying positions for a plurality of second communications devices on the medium voltage line that are configured to communicate with the first communications device;

determining an anticipated attenuation for a communication link associated with at least some of the plurality of second communications devices; and

comparing the anticipated attenuation with a link budget value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising improving the network layout.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein improving comprises changing the conductor coupling of one of the second communications devices.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein improving comprises coupling a first of the second communications devices to first adjacent phase conductor and coupling a second of the second communications devices to a second adjacent phase conductor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein improving comprises modeling one the plurality of second communications devices with a coupler having a lower through loss than other of the second communications devices.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein improving comprises changing the conductor coupling of one of the second communications devices and modeling a second of the second communications devices with a coupler having a lower through loss than at least some of the other of the plurality of the second communications devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the second communications devices having a link with an anticipated attenuation that is less than the link budget with the backhaul point.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising associating the second communications devices having a link with an anticipated attenuation that is less than the link budget with the backhaul point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated attenuation comprises determining a power line attenuation of the link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated attenuation comprises determining attenuation due to equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated attenuation comprises determining attenuation due to power line features.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated attenuation comprises determining the attenuation due to power line attenuation and equipment attenuation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated attenuation comprises determining the attenuation due to power line attenuation, equipment attenuation, and power line feature attenuation.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if additional backhaul points need to be placed.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a position of a repeater on the medium voltage power line after comparing the signal attenuation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the position identified for the first communications device is a tentative position.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising identifying a second position for the second communications device if the anticipated attenuation of at least of the communication links is greater than the link budget value.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a position of a repeater on the MV power line if the anticipated attenuation of at least one of the communication links is greater than the link budget value

19. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a position of a first communications device, identifying positions for a plurality of second communications devices, determining anticipated attenuations of links associated with at least some of the second communications devices, and comparing the anticipated attenuations with a link budget value are repeated.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the positions identified for the second communications devices are at distribution transformers within a predetermined distance of the position identified for the first communications device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance is based upon the attenuation characteristics of the MV power line and the link budget.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the position of the first communications device comprises determining the position based on cost of installing the device at the position on the power line.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cost of installing the device includes the cost to provide backhaul media the identified position.

24. A method of designing a power line communication system, comprising:

identifying a position of a first communications device on a medium voltage power line segment;

identifying a position for a second communications devices on the medium voltage line segment for communications with the first communications device;

estimating an attenuation for a first communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device; and

determining whether the attenuation of the first communication link permits communications over the first communication link.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

estimating an attenuation for a second communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device; and

wherein the first communication link and the second communications link include at least one different power line phase conductor.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

comparing the estimated attenuation of the first link with the estimated attenuation; and

coupling the first communications device and the second communications device to phase conductors according the first or second communications link having the lowest estimated attenuation.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein determining comprises comparing the estimated attenuation with a link budget value.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein identifying a position of a first communications device comprises determining the position based on cost of installing the first communications device at the position on the power line.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the cost of installing the device includes the cost to provide backhaul media the position.

30. A method of using a computer to design a power line communication system, comprising:

displaying a map of an area;

displaying the location of distribution transformers on the map;

positioning bypass devices on the map corresponding to distribution transformers,

displaying an icon on the map for each bypass device positioned;

positioning a backhaul point on the medium voltage line;

displaying an icon on the map corresponding the position of the backhaul point;

determining an attenuation for a link associated with each bypass device for communications with the backhaul point;

comparing each attenuation to a link budget value; and

providing a visual indication on the display to indicate bypass devices having an associated link with an attenuation that is less than the link budget value.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein positioning bypass devices on the map is based on a user input.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising displaying medium voltage power lines on the map.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein determining the attenuation includes determining power line attenuation.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein determining the attenuation includes determining equipment attenuation.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein determining the attenuation includes determining power line feature attenuation.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing a visual indication on the display to indicate bypass devices having an associated link attenuation that is greater than the link budget value.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising modifying the network layout.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein modifying comprises modeling changing the conductor coupling of one of the bypass devices.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein modifying changing the position of the backhaul point.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein determining the attenuation comprises determining the attenuation due to power line attenuation, equipment attenuation, and power line feature attenuation.

41. The method of claim 30, further comprising changing the position for the backhaul point if the attenuation of a link is greater than the link budget value.

42. The method of claim 30, further comprising positioning a repeater on the map if the attenuation of a links is greater than the link budget value

43. The method of claim 30, wherein the determining the position of the backhaul point comprises determining the position based on cost of installing the backhaul point at the position on the power line.

44. The method of 43, wherein the cost of installing the backhaul point includes the cost to provide backhaul media the position.