Method and apparatus for transmitting intelligence over a carrier wave
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
- 1. combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted; and
,2. extracting from the composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for transmitting intelligence over a carrier wave are disclosed in which a signal wave is combined with a carrier wave to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in intervals that are defined by preselected locations in the composite wave. The pattern of variations in intervals resulting from the combination of the signal wave with the carrier wave represents at least a portion of the intelligence to be transmitted over the carrier wave. The intelligence is extracted from the composite wave for subsequent utilization. In the preferred embodiment the intelligence is transmitted over an electric power distribution network utilizing the alternating wave thereon as the carrier wave. The variations in intervals defined by the preselected locations in the composite wave are detected and the detected interval variations are converted into a signal which has a characteristic that is a function of the recognizable pattern of interval variations.
70 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted; and
,2. extracting from the composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 30, 65, 66, 67, 69, 72, 73, 74)
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23. A method of transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted and wherein said pattern of variations departs maximally from the corresponding intervals which characterize the pre-existing alternating wave on the power line; and 2. extracting from the composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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24. A method of transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted and wherein said pattern of variations departs from the means of the intervals of said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line averaged over the period of said composite wave in accordance with a pattern which includes at least an increased interval and a decreased interval; and 2. extracting from the composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method of transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted and wherein said pattern of variations departs from the running mean of the intervals of said pre-existing alternating wave on the power line in accordance with a pattern which includes at least an increased interval and a decreased interval; and 2. extracting from the composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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31. A method for transmitting digital intelligence over power lines having polyphase, pre-existing alternating waves thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave at least one phase of said pre-existing alternating waves on the power lines to produce at least one composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in the composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted; and
,2. extracting from said at least one composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for transmitting digital intelligence over power lines having polyphase, pre-existing alternating waves thereon, said method including the steps of:
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1. combining each of a plurality of separate signal waves representing different intelligence with each phase of said pre-existing alternating waves on the power lines to produce a plurality of composite waves each having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in each of said plurality of composite waves, each pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals of each composite wave representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted; and
,2. extracting from each of said plurality of composite waves the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein.
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44. A method for transmitting digital intelligence over power lines having polyphase, pre-existing alternating waves thereon, said method including the steps of:
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1. combining a signal wave comprising a plurality of phases wherein each of said plurality of phases is combined with the corresponding phases of said pre-existing alternating waves on the power lines to produce a corresponding plurality of composite waves each having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in each of said plurality of composite waves, each pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals of each composite wave representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted; and
,2. extracting from each of said plurality of composite waves the digital intelligence represented by the patterns of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (45, 64)
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46. Apparatus for transmitting digital intelligence over a power line having a pre-existing alternating wave thereon, said apparatus comprising:
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1. means for combining a signal wave with said pre-existing alternating wave on a power line to produce a composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite wave, said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals representing at least a portion of the digital intelligence to be transmitted, and, 2. means for extracting from said composite wave the digital intelligence represented by the pattern of variations in interval durations therein. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 68, 70, 71)
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58. A method for modulating a pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. generating a signal wave; and
,2. combining said signal wave and said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line together in a phase relationship which produces a composite voltage wave having peak amplitudes which depart minimally from the peak amplitudes of said pre-existing alternating voltage wave, said composite voltage wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite voltage wave with said pattern of variations representing digital intelligence which is modulated on said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line.
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59. A method of modulating a pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. generating a signal wave; and
,2. combining said signal wave and said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line together in a phase relationship which produces a composite voltage wave in which amplitude modulation of said composite voltage wave at its extrema is minimized, said composite voltage wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite voltage wave with said pattern of variations representing digital intelligence which is modulated on said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line.
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60. A method for modulating a pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line, said method comprising the steps of:
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61. generating at least first and second signal waves;
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2. combining said at least first and second signal waves and said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line together in a phase relationship which produces a composite voltage wave having peak amplitudes which depart minimally from the peak amplitudes of said pre-existing alternating voltage wave, said composite voltage wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite voltage wave with said pattern of variations representing digital intelligence which is modulated on said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line.
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62. A method for modulating a pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. generating at least first and second signal waves; and
,2. combining said at least first and second signal waves and said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line together in a phase relationship which produces a composite voltage wave in which amplitude modulation of said composite voltage wave at its extrema is minimized, said composite voltage wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite voltage wave with said pattern of variations representing digital intelligence which is modulated on said pre-existing alternating voltage wave on a power line.
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63. A method for extracting digital intelligence from a composite wave on a power line, said composite wave having a recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by preselected locations in said composite wave with said pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals resulting from combining a signal wave with a pre-existing alternating wave on a power line and representing digital intelligence, said method comprising the steps of:
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1. detecting said recognizable pattern of variations in the durations of the intervals defined by the preselected locations in the composite wave; and
,2. converting the detected variations in the durations of the intervals into a signal having a characteristic which is a function of the recognizable pattern of variations in interval durations therein.
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Specification