SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A POWER LINE MODEM

• US 20150349845A1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Logvinov, Oleg
• Granted Patent: US 9,900,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/00 Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0009 AC switches, i.e. delivering AC power to a load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0036 Means reducing energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating an electronic system includes detecting an incoming transmission on a power line, and modifying a switching behavior of a switched-mode power supply coupled to the power line upon detecting the incoming transmission. Modifying reduces the level of interference produced by the switched-mode power supply.

Claims

1. A method to reduce interference produced by a switched-mode power supply in an Internet-enabled device receiving power from a 50 to 60 Hz alternating current (AC) power line, comprising:

receiving a communication signal superimposed on the AC power line, the communication signal carrying Internet data;

detecting a preamble of the communication signal;

upon detecting the preamble, reducing communication interference by automatically modifying an operating mode of the switched-mode power supply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operating mode of the switched-mode power supply includes at least one of disabling harmonic spreading of the switched-mode power supply, reducing a power output of the switched-mode power supply, and suspending frequency fluctuation of the switched-mode power supply.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein reducing the power output of the switched-mode power supply includes reducing a power consumption of a load coupled to a DC output of the switched-mode power supply.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein reducing the power output of the switched-mode power supply includes at least one of reducing a power consumption of a backlight of a video display device and reducing a power consumption of an audio device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the power consumption of the backlight of the video display device comprises:

reducing the power consumption of the backlight proportional to a darkness of a currently displayed image; and

further reducing the power consumption of the backlight when the incoming data transmission occurs during a transition from a first image to a second image.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the power consumption of the audio device comprises:

reducing the power consumption of the audio device inversely proportional to an amplitude of an audio signal rendered by the audio device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the power consumption of the audio device comprises:

synchronizing data transmissions according to an audio signal rendered by the media device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the power consumption of the audio device comprises:

determining a pattern of content intensity of the media signal; and

synchronizing data transmissions according to the determined pattern.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein reducing the power output of the switched-mode power supply comprises:

supplementing the power output of the switched-mode power supply with power from at least one capacitor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled device is a home appliance, and wherein modifying the operating mode of the switched-mode power supply comprises:

reducing a power output of the switched-mode power supply upon detecting the preamble;

increasing the power output of the switched-mode power supply after an incoming data transmission has been received; and

delaying transmitting an ACK signal until after increasing the power output.

11. An Internet-enabled appliance, comprising:

a switched-mode power supply arranged to receive power from a 50 to 60 Hz alternating current (AC) power line; and

a power line modem arranged to pass Internet communications via the AC power line, the power line modem arranged to direct an automatic modification of an operating mode of the switched-mode power supply upon detection of a preamble of a communication signal passed on the AC power line.

12. The Internet-enabled appliance of claim 11, comprising:

a transmission detector configured to detect the preamble.

13. The Internet-enabled appliance of claim 11, wherein modification of the operating mode of the switched-mode power supply is configured to reduce levels of communication interference caused by the switched-mode power supply.

14. The Internet-enabled appliance of claim 11, wherein modification of the operating mode of the switched-mode power supply includes at least one of disabling harmonic spreading of the switched-mode power supply, reducing a power output of the switched-mode power supply, and suspending frequency fluctuation of the switched-mode power supply.

15. The Internet-enabled appliance of claim 14, wherein reducing a power output of the switched-mode power supply includes synchronizing power reduction with a determined pattern detected in the Internet communications.

16. A power line modem arranged to communicate Internet-based data, comprising:

a transmission detector configured to detect a preamble of an Internet-based communication signal received on a 50 to 60 Hz alternating current (AC) power line; and

an output coupleable to a switched-mode power supply that receives power on the 50 to 60 Hz AC power line, the output arranged to automatically direct the switched-mode power supply to modify an operating mode after detection of the preamble.

17. The power line modem of claim 16, wherein modifying the operating mode includes setting a switching behavior of the switched-mode power supply.

18. The power line modem of claim 16, wherein modifying the operating mode includes synchronizing the modification of the operating mode with a determined pattern detected in the Internet-based communication signal.

19. The power line modem of claim 16, wherein modifying the operating mode includes directing a load coupled to a DC output of the switched-mode power supply to reduce power consumption.

20. The power line modem of claim 16, wherein the power line modem communicates data according to a HomePlug protocol.