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Remote data readout system for transmitting digital data over existing electrical power lines

  • US 4,040,046 A
  • Filed: 06/13/1975
  • Issued: 08/02/1977
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1974
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a system which employs AC electrical power lines for effecting selective readout of information registered on a plurality of register means, each of which is associated with a different one of a plurality of utility devices located within an electrically wired building complex having electrical power distribution conductors which are connected over a power distribution box and a service main for said complex to said power lines and which extend to a plurality of locations within said complex and supply power to standard electrical receptacles connected to said electrical power distribution conductors, certain ones of said electrical receptacles being located in the vicinity of the utility devices, each of said utility devices having plug means for connecting the utility device to one of the electrical receptacles for supplying power to the utility devices, while permitting convenient relocation of the utility devices, the improvement comprising an individual data transponder means for each of said register means for each utility device, each data transponder means including transmitter means operable when enabled to generate data signals which represent the information provided by an associated register means, and a power cord having an electrical plug adapted to be plugged into one of said electrical receptacles to connect said data transponder means to said power distribution conductors in said building complex to enable said data signals to be conducted over said power cord to said power distribution conductors, and a control transponder means coupled to the power distribution conductors for said building complex, including means responsive to interrogate signals provided by an interrogate means located externally of said building complex to provide enabling signals for transmission over the electrical power distribution conductors in said building complex to said transmitter means, and receiver means in said control transponder means including means for receiving said data signals which are transmitted over said building complex power distribution conductors by each of the plurality of data transmitters and means for transmitting the information to said interrogate means over a communication link which effectively bypasses said power distribution box and said service main.

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