DIRECT CURRENT POWER LINE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND DIRECT CURRENT POWER LINE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

• US 20120181878A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: KOGA, Hisao, YUKIZANE, Ryota, NOSAKA, Shigekiyo
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/149
• 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: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02

Abstract

Disclosed is a direct current power line communication apparatus, by which communication between electronic apparatuses with a direct current voltage line there between can be stabilized. The direct current power line communication apparatus, i.e., a direct current power line communication apparatus that transmits signals using the direct current voltage line (15a), is provided with: a PLC communication control unit (29), which controls the transmitting unit (27) connected to the direct current voltage line (15a); and a voltage detecting unit (30), which detects the voltage of the direct current voltage line (15a), and notifies the PLC communication control unit (29) of the detected voltage. The PLC communication control unit (29) transmits information, including the voltage information, to other direct current power line communication apparatus via the transmitting unit (27).

Claims

1. A direct current power line communication apparatus that transmits to another direct current power line communication apparatus to which a first direct current voltage is supplied via a first direct current voltage line, and a second direct current voltage of a different value from said first direct current voltage is supplied via a second direct current voltage line, a signal via said first direct current voltage line and said second direct current voltage line, said direct current power line communication apparatus comprising:

a transmission section that is connected to said first direct current voltage line and transmits a signal to said first direct current voltage line;

a control section that is connected to said transmission section and controls said transmission section; and

a voltage detection section that is connected to said control section and said first direct current voltage line, and detects said first direct current voltage and reports said first direct current voltage to said control section,

wherein said control section transmits a signal including information on said first direct current voltage to said other direct current power line communication apparatus via said transmission section.

2. The direct current power line communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reception section that receives a signal that includes information on said second direct current voltage transmitted from said other direct current power line communication apparatus; and

a transmission output control section that controls a signal voltage of the signal by controlling a direct current voltage supplied to said transmission section based on information on said second direct current voltage.

3. The direct current power line communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said transmission output control section comprises;

a power feed control section to which a direct current voltage is supplied via said first direct current voltage line; and

a supply voltage generation section that is connected to said power feed control section and said transmission section;

said power feed control section intermittently supplies supplied said direct current voltage to said supply voltage generation section; and

said supply voltage generation section supplies a per unit time direct current voltage of intermittently supplied said direct current voltage to said transmission section.

4. A direct current power line communication system comprising:

a first output terminal that outputs a first direct current voltage;

a second output terminal that outputs a second direct current voltage of a different value from said first direct current voltage;

a first direct current voltage line that is connected to said first output terminal, and to which said first direct current voltage is supplied;

a second direct current voltage line that is connected to said second output terminal, and to which said second direct current voltage is supplied;

a first direct current power line communication apparatus that is connected to said first direct current voltage line and detects said second direct current voltage; and

a second direct current power line communication apparatus that is connected to said second direct current voltage line and detects said second direct current voltage,

wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on said first direct current voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus.

5. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 4, wherein said second direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal at a signal voltage based on information on said first direct current voltage.

6. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 5, wherein said second direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal at a signal voltage less than or equal to a predetermined reference voltage if said first direct current voltage is larger than said predetermined reference voltage.

7. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 5, wherein said second direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal at a signal voltage less than or equal to said first direct current voltage if said first direct current voltage is smaller than a predetermined reference voltage.

8. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined reference voltage is a maximum signal voltage of a signal of said second direct current power line communication apparatus.

9. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 4, further comprising a voltage changing apparatus that has a plurality of output terminals including said first output terminal and said second output terminal,

wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits to said second direct current power line communication apparatus a signal that includes information on a minimum voltage among voltages supplied to a direct current power line communication apparatus connected to said voltage changing apparatus.

10. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 9, wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus periodically transmits a signal that includes information on said minimum voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus.

11. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

said voltage changing apparatus has a third output terminal that outputs at a third direct current voltage;

said direct current power line communication system has;

a third direct current voltage line that is connected to said third output terminal, and to which said third direct current voltage is supplied; and

a third direct current power line communication apparatus that is connected to said third direct current voltage line and detects said third direct current voltage; and

said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on said minimum voltage to at least said third direct current power line communication apparatus.

12. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 11, wherein:

said voltage changing apparatus outputs said second direct current voltage that is higher than said first direct current voltage to said second output terminal, and also outputs said third direct current voltage that is higher than said second direct current voltage to said third output terminal;

said first direct current power line communication apparatus makes a signal voltage of a signal said first direct current voltage; and

said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus make a signal voltage of a signal said second direct current voltage.

13. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 11, wherein said third direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on said third direct current voltage to said first direct current power line communication apparatus in the event of receiving a signal that includes information on said minimum voltage.

14. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 11, wherein said third direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on said third direct current voltage to at least said first direct current power line communication apparatus in the event of being unable to receive information on said minimum voltage within a predetermined time.

15. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 13, wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on the lower voltage of information on said minimum voltage and information on said third direct current voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus.

16. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 14, wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on the lower voltage of information on said minimum voltage and information on said third direct current voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus.

17. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 11, wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits a signal that includes information on said minimum voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus at a signal voltage of said minimum voltage, and also transmits a signal that includes information on said minimum voltage to said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus at a signal voltage of a voltage larger than said minimum voltage.

18. The direct current power line communication system according to claim 17, wherein said first direct current power line communication apparatus transmits to said second direct current power line communication apparatus and said third direct current power line communication apparatus more signals that include information on said minimum voltage transmitted at a signal voltage of said minimum voltage than signals that include information on said minimum voltage transmitted at a signal voltage of a voltage larger than said minimum voltage.

19. A direct current power line communication apparatus that transmits to another direct current power line communication apparatus to which a first direct current voltage is supplied via a first direct current voltage line, and a second direct current voltage of a different value from said first direct current voltage is supplied via a second direct current voltage line, a signal via said first direct current voltage line and said second direct current voltage line, said direct current power line communication apparatus comprising:

a transmission section that is connected to said direct current voltage line and transmits a signal to said first direct current voltage line;

a reception section that receives a signal that includes information on said second direct current voltage transmitted from said other direct current power line communication apparatus; and

a control section that controls a signal voltage of a signal transmitted by said transmission section based on information on said second direct current voltage.

20. The direct current power line communication apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a transmission output control section that controls a signal voltage of a signal by controlling a direct current voltage supplied to said transmission section based on information on said second direct current voltage.