Power line communication system and method

• US 20110190967A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Burk, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 : Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 : the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a power line communication (PLC) system. For example, the PLC system may include a PLC server configured to provide electrical power and electronic communications through a PLC bus to a number of electronic devices, such as an instrument cluster, infotainment interface, rear-seat entertainment console, aftermarket accessories, and the like. The PLC system may also include a power system that may be coupled to an electrical grid for charging a battery associated with one or more of the electronic devices. The power system may be communicatively coupled to the PLC bus, enabling the devices coupled to the PLC bus to communicate with a service provider through the electrical grid. The communications between the devices coupled to the PLC bus and remote devices coupled through the electrical grid may be conducted using a common communication protocol.

Claims

1. A power line communication (PLC) system, comprising:

a PLC server configured to provide electrical power and electronic communications through a PLC bus to an electronic device; and

a power system coupled to an electrical grid for charging a battery associated with the electronic device and communicatively coupled to the PLC bus;

wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate electronically with a remote service provider through the electrical grid.

2. The PLC system of claim 1, wherein the PLC server comprises a power conditioner that reduces electrical noise on the PLC bus.

3. The PLC system of claim 1, wherein the PLC server comprises an HD-PLC coupler that includes a first communications port coupled to the PLC bus and a second communications port coupled to a multimedia server.

4. The PLC system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia server is configured to send audio signals to an audio subsystem configured to provide audio signals to one or more speakers.

5. The PLC system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia server is configured to receive radio frequency (RF) signals from an RF subsystem configure to receive RF signals from at least one of an FM broadcaster, AM broadcaster, digital radio broadcaster, satellite radio broadcaster, and a global positioning system (GPS) satellite.

6. The PLC system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia server is communicatively coupled to a network gateway configured to provide network communications over at least one of a local-area network and a wide area network.

7. The PLC system of claim 6, wherein the multimedia server is configured to provide data communication between the electronic device coupled to the PLC bus and another remote service provider through the wide area network.

8. The PLC system of claim 1, wherein the power system comprises:

a bi-directional power inverter that includes circuitry configured to operate in a charging mode and a generation mode; and

an energy management system configured to alternatively switch the bi-directional power inverter between the charging mode and the generation mode based, at least in part, on data received from the electrical grid.

9. A method of providing electronic communications in a vehicle comprising:

coupling a power system of the vehicle to an electrical grid, the power system configured to receive electrical power from the electrical grid to charge a battery included in the vehicle;

receiving electronic communications through the electrical grid; and

transmitting the electronic communications over a power line communications (PLC) bus communicatively coupled to the power system.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising receiving electricity rates from an electrical utility through the electrical grid and switching the power system to a charge mode based, at least in part, on the electricity rates.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising receiving travel data from an electronic device coupled to the PLC bus, and determining a charge/generation schedule based, at least in part, on the travel data.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising electronically communicating with a home network through the electrical grid.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising receiving digital media from a remote service provider through the electrical grid, wherein the digital media includes at least one of a music file, a movie file, and a GPS navigation map.

14. The method of claim 9, comprising generating a search query for a point of interest, transmitting the search query to a remote service provider through a wide area network communicatively coupled to the PLC bus, receiving a location of the point-of-interest from the remote service provider, and displaying the location on a display of a GPS navigation system.

15. The method of claim 9, comprising coupling an aftermarket device to the PLC bus through a PLC port included in the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising using an Web browser included in the device coupled to the PLC bus to access an Internet service provider through the electrical grid.

17. The method of claim 9, comprising sending data corresponding to a serviceable condition of the vehicle from an instrument cluster coupled to the PLC bus to an automotive service provider through the electrical grid.

18. A vehicle, comprising:

a power line communications (PLC) bus configured to carry electrical power to a plurality of electronic devices in the vehicle and to carry electronic communications between the plurality of electronic devices; and

a power system coupled to an electrical grid for charging a battery of the vehicle and communicatively coupled to the PLC bus for providing electronic communication through the electrical grid between one of the plurality of electronic devices coupled to the PLC bus and a remote service provider.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, comprising a power source configured to power the plurality of electronic devices coupled to the PLC bus and a power conditioner coupled in series between the power source and the PLC bus and configured to reduce electrical noise in the PLC bus.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the power system comprises an energy management system configured to switch the power system between a charge mode and a generation mode based, at least in part, on data received from an electrical utility through the electrical grid and travel data received from one of the plurality of electronic devices coupled to the PLC bus.