BREAKER BOX POWERLINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20130003876A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D.
• Application Number:
  US13/329,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003876A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/124 Sampling or signal conditioning arrangements specially adapted for A/D converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/02 Details ; arrangements for supplying electrical power along data transmission lines systems for transmitting signals via power distribution lines H04B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

A Power Line Communications (PLC) device includes a processing module, memory, and a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module. Each PLC communication interface couples to a respective PLC media segment. The processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to receive a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces, process the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device, and transmit the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces. The PLC device may include one or more non-PLC interfaces that support non-PLC communications.

Claims

1. A Power Line Communications (PLC) device comprising:

a processing module;

memory coupled to the processing module;

a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to;

receive a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

process the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device; and

transmit the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

2. The PLC device of claim 1, wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to:

configure a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configure a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

3. The PLC device of claim 2, wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

4. The PLC device of claim 2, wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.

5. The PLC device of claim 1, further comprising a non-PLC communication interface coupled to the processing module, wherein the processing module is operable to bridge communications between the non-PLC communication interface and the plurality of PLC communication interfaces.

6. The PLC device of claim 5, wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to:

provide Internet access to a first group of devices via a first PLC communication interface; and

provide Internet access to a second group of device via a second PLC communication interface.

7. The PLC device of claim 5, wherein the non-PLC communication interface is operable to support a non-PLC communication standard comprising at least one of:

a Local Area Network (LAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication standard;

a coaxial communication standard;

a millimeter wave communication standard;

a cellular telephony communication standard;

a Near Field Communication (NFC) standard;

an infrared communication standard; and

an optical communication standard.

8. The PLC device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of signal coupling circuits corresponding to the plurality of PLC communication interfaces and operable to couple respective PLC communication signals to respective PLC media segments; and

PLC signal shunt circuitry operable to be coupled to the plurality of PLC media segments on a power feed side to shunt the plurality of respective PLC communication signals.

9. The PLC device of claim 8, wherein the PLC signal shunt circuitry comprises a plurality of PLC shunt circuits respective to the plurality of signal coupling circuits operable to preclude back-feeding of PLC communication signals.

10. A method for operating a Power Line Communications (PLC) device having a processing module, memory coupled to the processing module, and a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, the method comprising:

receiving a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

processing the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device; and

transmitting the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

configuring a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configuring a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising selectively shunting PLC communication signals to preclude back-feeding of the PLC communication signals.

15. A method for operating a Power Line Communications (PLC) device having a processing module, memory coupled to the processing module, a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, and a non-PLC communication interface coupled to the processing module, the method comprising:

receiving a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

processing the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device;

transmitting the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

bridging communications between the non-PLC communication interface and the plurality of PLC communication interfaces.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing Internet access to a first group of devices via a first PLC communication interface; and

providing Internet access to a second group of device via a second PLC communication interface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-PLC communication interface is operable to support a non-PLC communication standard comprising at least one of:

a Local Area Network (LAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication standard;

a coaxial communication standard;

a millimeter wave communication standard;

a cellular telephony communication standard;

a Near Field Communication (NFC) standard;

an infrared communication standard; and

an optical communication standard.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

configuring a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configuring a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.