Power Line Communication System Using Hybrid-Fiber Coaxial and Communication Device Used in the System

• US 20080317472A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LS Cable Limited (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LS Cable Limited (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Kwan Hee, Park, Dong Young, Choi, Hyung Suk, Moon, Sung Wook, Lee, Wan Yoon
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/272 Star-type networks or tree-type networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

A communication equipment which is utilized in a power line communication (PLC) system utilizing a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) which includes a PLC optical network unit, a PLC trunk bridge amplifier, a PLC distribution amplifier, and a PLC coupling device. In this instance, the PLC optical network unit does not require a PLC protocol conversion of an Ethernet signal by a cable modem and a PLC modem in each subscriber location, and enables a PLC communication between the each subscriber location and a communication terminal utilizing a PLC Ethernet signal as is, by receiving an optical signal from an optical transmitter via an optical fiber, converting the optical signal into the PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol, and transmitting the PLC Ethernet signal to at least one subscriber location via a coaxial cable.

Claims

1. A power line communication (PLC) optical network unit of a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) communication system, the PLC optical network unit comprising:

a first communication port unit connecting with a predetermined optical fiber, and receiving a predetermined optical Ethernet signal from a predetermined optical Ethernet device via the optical fiber;

a second communication port unit connecting with at least one coaxial cable;

a medium converter converting the received optical Ethernet signal into an Ethernet signal;

a PLC converter converting the Ethernet signal into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a transmission control unit controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to a subscriber location via the at least one coaxial cable that connects with the second communication port unit.

2. The PLC optical network unit of claim 1, wherein the PLC converter converts the Ethernet signal into the PLC Ethernet signal which is in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 42 MHz, or in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 85 MHz.

3. The PLC optical network unit of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission control unit couples at least one PLC Ethernet signal, which is received via the second communication port unit, to be a single PLC Ethernet signal,

the PLC converter converts the PLC Ethernet signal into an Ethernet signal, and

the medium converter converts the Ethernet signal into an optical Ethernet signal and transmits the optical Ethernet signal to an optical transmitter via the first communication port unit and the optical fiber.

4. The PLC optical network unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a downlink module converting a cable television (CATV) optical signal, which is received from a predetermined optical transmitter via the first communication port unit, into a CATV signal, amplifying or equalizing the CATV signal, and controlling the converted CATV signal to be transmitted to the subscriber location via the coaxial cable that connects with the second communication port unit; and

a monitoring control unit controlling the amplification of the CATV signal of the downlink module by detecting an amplification level or an attenuation level of the CATV signal,

wherein the monitoring control unit controls the amplification level or the attenuation level of the PLC Ethernet signal which is converted via the PLC converter, and the CATV signal is in a frequency band between 54 MHz and 870 MHz or in a frequency band between 100 MHz and 870 MHz.

5. The PLC optical network unit of claim 1, wherein the PLC converter comprises:

a Media Access Control (MAC) address converter converting a MAC address of the Ethernet signal into a MAC address corresponding to the PLC protocol; and

a physical layer converter modulating the Ethernet signal into a PLC Ethernet signal that has a physical layer corresponding to the PLC protocol, the Ethernet signal including the converted MAC address.

6. A PLC trunk bridge amplifier of a hybrid fiber coaxial communication system, the PLC trunk bridge amplifier comprising:

a first communication port unit connecting with a predetermined optical network unit or an optical Ethernet device via an optical fiber, and receiving a predetermined optical Ethernet signal from the optical network unit or the optical Ethernet device;

a second communication port unit connecting with at least one coaxial cable;

a medium converter converting the received optical Ethernet signal into an Ethernet signal;

a PLC converter converting the Ethernet signal into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a transmission control unit controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to a subscriber location via the at least one coaxial cable that connects with the second communication port unit.

7. The PLC trunk bridge amplifier of claim 6, wherein the PLC converter converts the Ethernet signal into the PLC Ethernet signal which is in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 42 MHz or in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 85 MHz.

8. The PLC trunk bridge amplifier of claim 6, further comprising:

a downlink module amplifying or equalizing a predetermined CATV signal which is received from the optical communication unit, and transmitting the CATV signal to the subscriber location via the second communication port unit; and

a monitoring control unit controlling the amplification of the CATV signal of the downlink module by detecting an amplification level or an attenuation level of the CATV signal,

wherein the monitoring control unit controls the amplification level or the attenuation level of the PLC Ethernet signal which is converted via the PLC converter, and the CATV signal is in a frequency band between 54 MHZ and 870 MHz or in a frequency band between 100 MHz and 870 MHz.

9. The PLC trunk bridge amplifier of claim 6, wherein the PLC converter comprises:

a MAC address converter converting a MAC address of the Ethernet signal into a MAC address corresponding to the PLC protocol; and

a physical layer converter modulating the Ethernet signal, into a PLC Ethernet signal that has a physical layer corresponding to the PLC protocol, the Ethernet signal including the converted MAC address.

10. A trunk bridge amplifier of a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) communication system, the trunk bridge amplifier comprising:

a first communication port unit connecting with a predetermined optical network unit via a coaxial cable and splitting a PLC Ethernet signal, which is transmitted from the optical network unit, into a high band PLC Ethernet signal and a low band PLC Ethernet signal;

a second communication port unit connecting with a subscriber location via at least one coaxial cable and splitting a PLC Ethernet signal, which is transmitted from the subscriber location, into a high band PLC Ethernet signal and a low band PLC Ethernet signal;

an amplification unit amplifying the high band PLC Ethernet signal, which is split via the first communication port unit, and transmitting the amplified high band PLC Ethernet signal to the subscriber location via the second communication port unit; and

a low pass filter unit controlling the low band PLC Ethernet signal, which is split via the first communication port unit or the second communication port unit, to be transmitted to the optical network unit or to the subscriber location.

11. The trunk bridge amplifier of claim 10, wherein the low band PLC Ethernet signal is in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 42 MHz or in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 85 MHz, and the high band PLC Ethernet signal is in a frequency band between 54 MHz and 870 MHz or in a frequency band between 100 MHz and 870 MHz.

12. A PLC distribution amplifier of a hybrid fiber coaxial communication system, the PLC distribution amplifier comprising:

a first communication port unit connecting with a predetermined optical network unit, a trunk bridge amplifier, or an optical Ethernet device via an optical fiber, and receiving a predetermined optical Ethernet signal from the optical network unit, the trunk bridge amplifier, or the optical Ethernet device;

a second communication port unit connecting with at least one coaxial cable;

a medium converter converting the received optical Ethernet signal into an Ethernet signal;

a PLC converter converting the Ethernet signal into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a transmission control unit controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to a subscriber location via the at least one coaxial cable that connects with the second communication port unit.

13. The PLC distribution amplifier of claim 12, wherein the PLC converter converts the Ethernet signal into the PLC Ethernet signal which is in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 42 MHz, or in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 85 MHz.

14. The PLC distribution amplifier of claim 12, further comprising:

a downlink module amplifying or equalizing a predetermined CATV signal which is received from the optical network unit or the trunk bridge amplifier, and transmitting the CATV signal to the subscriber location via the second communication port unit; and

a monitoring control unit controlling the amplification of the CATV signal of the downlink module by detecting an amplification level or an attenuation level of the CATV signal,

wherein the monitoring control unit controls the amplification level or the attenuation level of the PLC Ethernet signal which is converted via the PLC converter, and the CATV signal is in a frequency band between 54 MHz and 870 MHz or in a frequency band between 100 MHz and 870 MHz.

15. The PLC distribution amplifier of claim 12, wherein the PLC converter comprises:

a MAC address converter converting a MAC address of the Ethernet signal into a MAC address corresponding to the PLC protocol; and

a physical layer converter modulating the Ethernet signal into a PLC Ethernet signal having a physical layer corresponding to the PLC protocol, the Ethernet signal including the converted MAC address.

16. A distribution amplifier of a hybrid fiber coaxial communication system, the distribution amplifier comprising:

a first communication port unit connecting with a predetermined optical network unit or a trunk bridge amplifier via a coaxial cable and splitting a PLC Ethernet signal, which is transmitted from the optical network unit or the trunk bridge amplifier, into a high band PLC Ethernet signal and a low band PLC Ethernet signal;

a second communication port unit connecting with a subscriber location via at least one coaxial cable and splitting a PLC Ethernet signal, which is transmitted from the subscriber location, into a high band PLC Ethernet signal and a low band PLC Ethernet signal;

an amplification unit amplifying the high band PLC Ethernet signal, which is split via the first communication port unit, and transmitting the amplified high band PLC Ethernet signal to the subscriber location via the second communication port unit; and

a low pass filter unit controlling the low band PLC Ethernet signal, which is split via the first communication port unit or the second communication port unit, to be transmitted to the optical network unit or to the subscriber location.

17. The distribution amplifier of claim 16, wherein the low band PLC Ethernet signal is in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 42 MHz or in a frequency band between 5 MHz and 85 MHz, and the high band PLC Ethernet signal is in a frequency band between 54 MHz and 870 MHz or in a frequency band between 100 MHz and 870 MHz.

18. A PLC coupling device installed in a subscriber location of a hybrid fiber coaxial communication system, the PLC coupling device comprising:

a coaxial cable port unit connecting with a predetermined coaxial cable and receiving a predetermined PLC Ethernet signal via the coaxial cable;

a power line port unit connecting with at least one communication terminal, which is installed in the subscriber location, via a power line; and

a coupling control unit transmitting the PLC Ethernet signal to the at least one communication terminal by coupling the PLC Ethernet signal with the power line.

19. The PLC coupling device of claim 18, wherein the coupling control unit performs impedance matching with respect to the received PLC Ethernet signal, in correspondence to a frequency band of the power line.

20. A PLC system using a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) comprising:

an optical Ethernet device converting an Ethernet signal, which is received from a predetermined IP network, into an optical Ethernet signal;

an optical transmitter converting a CATV signal, which is received from a predetermined CATV system, into a CATV optical signal;

an optical network unit converting the CATV optical signal, which is received from the optical transmitter via an optical fiber, into a CATV signal and converting the optical Ethernet signal, which is received from the optical Ethernet device, into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a PLC coupling device receiving the CATV signal or the PLC Ethernet signal from the optical network unit, and controlling the CATV signal to be transmitted to at least one display terminal which is installed in a subscriber location and controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to at least one communication terminal, which is installed in a subscriber location, via a power line.

21. A PLC system using an HFC comprising:

an optical Ethernet device converting an Ethernet signal, which is received from a predetermined IP network, into an optical Ethernet signal;

a trunk bridge amplifier converting the optical Ethernet signal, which is received from the optical Ethernet device, a predetermined optical network unit or a predetermined optical network unit, into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a PLC coupling device receiving the PLC Ethernet signal from the trunk bridge amplifier, and controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to at least one communication terminal, which is installed in the subscriber location, via a power line.

22. A PLC system using an HFC comprising:

an optical Ethernet device converting an Ethernet signal, which is received from a predetermined IP network, into an optical Ethernet signal;

a distribution amplifier converting the optical Ethernet signal, which is received from the optical Ethernet device, a predetermined optical network unit, or a predetermined trunk bridge amplifier, into a PLC Ethernet signal corresponding to a predetermined PLC protocol; and

a PLC coupling device receiving the PLC Ethernet signal from the distribution amplifier, and controlling the PLC Ethernet signal to be transmitted to at least one communication terminal, which is installed in the subscriber location, via a power line.