Out-of-band management for broadband over powerline network

• US 20090109981A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Utility.Net, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Utility.Net, Inc.
• Inventors: Keselman, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/289,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109981A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/544 Setting up communications; Call and signalling arrangements

Abstract

A management system for broadband over power lines is disclosed, using wireless communications interfaced with broadband over power lines management components to establish a wireless out-of-band system management network.

Claims

1. A broadband over power lines management system, the system comprising:

a plurality of nodes at points on a power line;

a plurality of management components at said nodes;

at least one wireless component connected to least one of said management components, said wireless component configured to establish wireless communications between at least two of said plurality of management components.

2. The management system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communications include point-to-point wireless communications between a plurality of consecutive management components.

3. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications include point-to-multipoint wireless communications between a plurality of consecutive management components.

4. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications include point-to-point wireless communications between a plurality of nonconsecutive management components.

5. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications include point-to-multipoint wireless communications between a plurality of nonconsecutive management components.

6. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications include point-to-point wireless communications between a plurality of consecutive and nonconsecutive management components.

7. The management system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communications include point-to-multipoint wireless communications between a plurality of consecutive and nonconsecutive management components.

8. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications establish a primary network for communication with management components.

9. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications are bidirectional.

10. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless components are configured to communicate wirelessly with management personnel devices.

11. The management system of claim 1, wherein said system employs one or more wireless communications standards, including but not limited to the following standards and technologies as they are known in the industry:

802.11(a);

802.11(b);

802.11(g);

802.11(n);

802.16(a);

802.16(b);

Bluetooth, SIG B, infrared, cellular, and S-Wave.

12. The management system of claim 1, wherein said management component is connected with a regenerator.

13. The management system of claim 1, wherein said management component is connected with a repeater.

14. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications establish a secondary network for communication with management components.

15. The management system of claim 14, further comprising a non-wireless primary network for communication with management components.

16. The management system of claim 15, wherein said primary network is an in-band management system.

17. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications are used to communicate with nonresponsive nodes when a primary connection to said nodes is unavailable.

18. The management system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications are used to communicate with a node adjacent to a non-responsive node.

19. A method of managing broadband over power lines, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of management components for configuration, management, and monitoring of a BPL signal at nodes of a broadband over power lines system; and

linking at least two said management components via a wirelessly transmitted signal.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising linking at least two consecutive management components via a wirelessly transmitted signal.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising linking at least two nonconsecutive management components via a wirelessly transmitted signal.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising linking at least two nonconsecutive management components and linking at least two consecutive management components.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising linking said management components in a point-to-point configuration.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising linking said management components in a point-to-multipoint configuration.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising interfacing a wireless component with said management components, said wireless component configured to transmit and receive said wirelessly transmitted signal.

26. A method of communicating management information in a broadband over power lines system with a nonresponsive node or data connection, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a first request for management information to a first management node;

if said first management node does not return data within a specified amount of time, instructing a second management to connect to said first management node via a wireless connection; and

sending a second request for management information to said first management node via said wireless connection.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining if the wireless connection was successful in communicating said management information; and

if said wireless connection is not determined to be successful, connecting to the next adjacent node.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said first request is sent via a hard-wired out-of-band management network.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said first request is sent via a BPL connection.

30. A device for providing out-of-band management for broadband over power lines, comprising:

a BPL interface component for interfacing with a BPL connection; and

a wireless component interfaced with said BPL interface component, said wireless component configured to transmit and receive a wirelessly transmitted signal.

31. The device of claim 30, further comprising a processor component for processing information about said BPL connection.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein said information includes system usage data and statistics.

33. The device of claim 30, further comprising a storage component for storing information about said BPL connection.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein said information includes system usage data and statistics.

35. The device of claim 30, wherein said device is configured to provide configuration, management, and monitoring capabilities.

36. The device of claim 30, wherein said device is configured to provide software installation and upgrades.

37. The device of claim 30, wherein said device is configured to provide hardware and power resets.

38. The device of claim 30, wherein said wireless component is configured to communicate with mobile personal devices.

39. The device of claim 30, wherein said wireless component is configured to communicate management information with wireless components at other nodes of a broadband over power lines system.

40. The device of claim 30, wherein said device is housed within a repeater.

41. The device of claim 30, wherein said device is housed within a regenerator.