SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE IN PROVIDING LOCAL POWER LINE COMMUNICATION
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Abstract
The present embodiments provide systems and methods for implementing and controlling local power line communication (PLC) networks. Some embodiments include a central controller communicationally coupled with a PLC power line, a sensor adaptor coupled between the PLC power line and a consumer product, with the sensor adaptor comprising a current detector that detects a current usage level passed through the sensor adaptor, a PLC interface through which the current usage level is communicated over the PLC power line to the central controller, and an adaptor switch that interrupts current flow to the consumer product in response to a command received over the PLC power line from the central controller when the current usage through the sensor adaptor has a predetermined relationship to a first threshold.
225 Citations
32 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:
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a first PLC circuit breaker configured to couple with a first local PLC power line of a plurality of local PLC power lines that are distributed through different portions of a building providing electrical power through the building and communication paths, the first PLC circuit breaker comprising a first breaker switch configured to couple with the first local PLC power line and to interrupt power to the first local PLC power line when open, and a first breaker PLC coupler configured to couple across the first breaker switch and to maintain a PLC signal path between the first local PLC power line and another local PLC power line when the first breaker switch is open; a sensor adaptor configured to couple with the first local PLC power line and one or more consumer products, wherein the sensor adaptor is configured to control current flow from the first local PLC power line to the one or more consumer products; and a central controller configured to couple with the first local PLC power line and to communicate with the sensor adaptor over the first local PLC power line, the central controller comprising; a PLC interface configured to couple with the first local PLC power line; and a controller configured to couple with the PLC interface; wherein the controller is configured to receive current usage information over the first local PLC power line from the sensor adaptor, to determine whether the current usage information has a predetermined relationship with a first threshold, to generate an interrupt command for the sensor adaptor when the current usage information has the predetermined relationship with the first threshold, and to communicate the interrupt command over the first local PLC power line; and wherein the sensor adaptor is further configured to receive the interrupt command and to interrupt, in response to receiving the interrupt command, power to the one or more consumer products. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification