THERMAL MANAGEMENT METHOD AND DEVICE FOR POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20080165463A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QUAD Powerline Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Asoka USA Corporation (Asoka)
• Inventors: Chan, Tat Keung
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

A plug in power line module apparatus, e.g., removable to be for plug and play. The apparatus has a removable housing member, which has an outer region and an inner region. In a preferred embodiment, the housing member has a width, a length, and a depth. The apparatus has a first prong and a second prong extending from the removable housing member. The first prong and the second prong are adapted to couple into a power line outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the first prong and the second prong can be physically inserted into one or more different power outlets, e.g., U.S. standard, China standard, European standard, Japan standard. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus has a communication port coupled to the first prong and the second prong, the communication port. In a preferred embodiment, the communication port is for an Ethernet (i.e., CAT 5) connector, VoIP connector, or other communication devices. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus has a spatial volume provided by the width, length, and depth of the housing member.

Claims

1. A plug in power line module apparatus comprising:

a removable housing member, the removable housing member including an outer region and an inner region, the housing member having a width, a length, and a depth;

a first prong and a second prong extending from the removable housing member, the first prong and the second prong being adapted to couple into a power line outlet;

a communication port coupled to the first prong and the second prong, the communication port;

a spatial volume provided by the width, length, and depth of the housing member;

an electronic module having a planar region disposed within the inner region, the planar region being characterized by module width and a module length, the planar region, the planar region being substantially parallel to a surface region defined by the width and the length of the removable housing member, the electronic module comprising at least;

a power line device adapted to process a data signal from a first format to a second format;

a first set of air inlets and air outlets provided to allow thermal energy to traverse through the inner region and along the planar region of the electronic module while the first prong and the second prong are provided in a first power line outlet in a first direction; and

a second set of air inlets and air outlets provided to allow thermal energy to traverse through the inner region and along the planar region of the electronic module while the first prong and the second prong are provided in a second power line outlet in a second direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication port comprises an Ethernet port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication port comprises a VoIP port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a noise cancellation filter coupled to the first prong and the second prong.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a noise cancellation filter coupled to the first prong and the second prong, the noise cancellation filter being adapted to remove high frequency noise ranging from about 1 Mega-Hertz to about 20 Mega-Hertz, the high frequency noise being derived through one or more AC outlets.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein first prong and the second prong are provided on a detachable member coupled to the removable housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the removable housing is made of a rigid plastic material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the removable housing member comprises a first side coupled to the second side, the electronic module being mounted between the first side and the second side.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first format is an OFDM format.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data signal are characterized by a bit rate of 200 Mbps and greater.

11. A method of manufacturing a plug in power line module, the method comprising:

providing a removable housing member, the removable housing member including an outer region and an inner region, the removable housing member being characterized by a width, a length, and a depth, the removable housing member including a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being disengageably coupled;

providing a plurality of modular connectors, each of the plurality of modular connectors being associated with a connector type;

determining a first connector type;

selecting a first modular connector based on the first connector type, the first modular connector including a first prong and a second prong, the first prong and the second prong being shaped and positioned according to a first configuration;

providing a processor module, the processor module being adapted to process data for power line communication;

coupling the processor module inside the removable housing member;

securing the first modular connector to the removable housing member, the first modular connector being coupled to the first side;

coupling the first modular connector to the processor module;

coupling the first side and the second side; and

testing said plug in power line module.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the processor module includes a planar region disposed within the inner region, the planar region being characterized by module width and a module length, the planar region being substantially parallel to a surface region defined by the width and the length of the removable housing member.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the processor module comprises at least a power line device adapted to process a data signal from a first format to a second format.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first prong and the second prong are configured comply with one or more country or regional standards.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first prong and said second prong is coupled to a communication port.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the communication port comprises an Ethernet port.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said communication port comprises a data port.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein a noise-cancellation filter is coupled to said first prong and said second prong, the noise cancellation filter being adapted to remove high frequency noise ranging from about 1 Mega-Hertz to about 20 Mega-Hertz, the high frequency noise being derived through one or more AC outlets.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the first format comprises an OFDM format.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising coupling the first and second housing with clipping mechanisms.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the processor is configured to provide a data rate of at least 200 Mbps.