Remote control repeater

• US 4,980,665 A
• Filed: 06/02/1988
• Issued: 12/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Recoton Corporation
• Original Assignee: Recoton Corporation
• Inventors: Schotz, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sutcliffe, Geoff
• Application Number:
  US07/201,638
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310 A, 340/310 R, 455/14, 455/15, 455/16, 455/20, 455/21, 455/23, 370/26, 370/97
• US Class Current: 455/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A repeater for receiving data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting that data over AC power lines to a remote location and re-transmitting that data from the remote location via a second transmission medium. The data is applied to the AC power lines by frequency modulating an FM carrier and supplying that modulated carrier to the power lines by way of a bandwidth limiting circuit. At the remote location, a resonant circuit in combination with a reject circuit receives the modulated FM carrier from the AC power lines and passes only an extremely limited band of FM signals to a tuned amplifier which, in turn, supplies the band-limited FM signals to a demodulator.

Claims

1. A repeater for receiving at a first location data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

2. The repeater of claim 1 wherein the first and second transmission media are the same.

3. The repeater of claim 2 wherein said input means includes radio signal detecting means for detecting data signal radio waves;

and wherein said output means includes radio wave emitting means for emitting data signal radio waves.

4. The repeater of claim 1 wherein said received data comprises chopped data pulses and said input means includes means for removing chopping pulses from the data pulses and for supplying said data pulses to said FM means.

5. The repeater of claim 1 wherein each of said resonant circuit means and said reject means comprises an LC circuit.

6. The repeater of claim 5 wherein each said LC circuit comprises a parallel-connected LC circuit.

7. A receiver adapted to receive data transmitted as a modulated FM carrier via AC power lines on which other information in the form of other modulated carriers also may be present, said receiver comprising:

input means for receiving said modulated FM carrier from said AC power lines and including band-pass/band-reject means tuned to said FM carrier for passing a narrow frequency band substantially centered on the modulated FM carrier and for rejecting substantially all frequencies outside said narrow frequency band;

amplifying means coupled to said input means for amplifying the passed modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said amplifying means for demodulating the modulated FM carrier to recover said data therefrom;

output means responsive to the recovered data for re-transmitting the recovered data to further means; and

coupling means for selectively coupling said recovered data from said demodulating means to said output means if said modulated FM carrier is passed to said amplifying means.

8. A repeater for receiving at a first location data in the form of infra-red data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said infra-red data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media are the same and do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means including infra-red detection means for detecting and receiving said infra-red data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power line with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to aid FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means and including infra-red emitting means for emitting infra-red recovered data to said second transmission medium.

9. A repeater for receiving a first location data in the form of sound waves transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said sound wave data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media are the same and do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means including sound wave detecting means for detecting and receiving said sound wave data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to sad FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means and including sound wave emitting means for emitting sound wave recovered data to said second transmission medium.

10. A repeater for receiving at a first location data transmission thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

inhibit means responsive to the absence of data received by said input means for inhibiting said frequency modulated FM carrier from being supplied to said AC power lines;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

11. The repeater of claim 10 wherein said inhibit means comprises drive means for driving said bandwidth limiting means with said frequency modulated FM carrier, and means for deactivating said drive means in the absence of data received by said input means.

12. The repeater of claim 11 wherein said drive means comprises transistor means having an emitter electrode;

and said means for deactivating said drive means comprises semiconductor switch means coupled to said emitter electrode, and means for rendering said semiconductor switch means conductive only when data is received by said input means.

13. A repeater for receiving a first location data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth, said bandwidth limiting means comprises tuned transformer means coupled to said FM means and tuned to the frequency of said predetermined FM carrier, and output resonant circuit means for coupling said tuned transformer means to said AC power lines;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

14. The repeater of claim 13 wherein said output resonant circuit means comprises a pair of LC circuits.

15. The repeater of claim 13 wherein said tuned transformer means includes a secondary winding having first and second terminals;

and said output resonant circuit means comprises first and second series-connected LC circuits coupled between said first and second terminals and said AC power lines, respectively.

16. The repeater of claim 15 wherein each of said series-connected LC circuits is tuned to said predetermined FM carrier frequency and has a pass band of approximately 15 kHz.

17. A repeater for receiving a first location data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, where said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover baseband data pulses from said frequency modulated FM carrier; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means and including modulating means for modulating said baseband data pulses with a predetermined data carrier whose frequency is substantially different from that of the frequency modulated FM carrier and for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

18. The repeater of claim 17 wherein said demodulating means includes means for recovering a submultiple of said FM carrier;

and wherein the modulating means included in said output means includes gating means for gating said submultiple of said FM carrier with said baseband data pulses.

19. A repeater for receiving at a first location data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means comprising an LC circuit and tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means comprising an LC circuit for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth, wherein, the resonant LC circuit is effectively connected in series with said AC power lines to present a relatively low impedance to a band of frequencies substantially centered on said FM carrier and a relatively high impedance outside said band, and the reject LC circuit is effectively connected in shunt across said AC power lines to present a relatively high impedance to said band of frequencies and a realtively low impedance outside said band;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

20. A repeater for receiving at a first location data transmitted thereto via a first transmission medium, transmitting said data over AC power lines to a second location and re-transmitting said data at said second location via a second transmission medium, wherein said first and second transmission media do not constitute AC power lines, said repeater comprising:

input means for receiving said data transmitted to said first location;

FM means for frequency modulating a predetermined FM carrier with the data;

bandwidth limiting means coupled to said FM means for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth;

receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated FM carrier transmitted on said AC power lines and including resonant circuit means comprising an LC circuit and tuned to the frequency of said FM carrier for passing a limited bandwidth, and reject means comprising an LC circuit for rejecting signals of frequencies outside said limited bandwidth;

tuned transformer means connected to receive the frequency modulated FM carrier passed by the resonant and reject LC circuits, said tuned transformer means being tuned to the frequency of the FM carrier;

tuned amplifying means coupled to said receiving means and tuned to said FM carrier frequency for amplifying said frequency modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said tuned amplifying means for frequency demodulating said frequency modulated FM carrier to recover said data; and

output means coupled to said demodulating means for outputting the recovered data to said second transmission medium.

21. The repeater of claim 20 wherein said tuned amplifying means includes a differential amplifier having a pair of inputs coupled across said tuned transformer means.

22. The repeater of claim 21 wherein said tuned amplifying means further includes an additional LC circuit tuned to the frequency of the FM carrier and coupled across the pair of inputs of said differential amplifier.

23. The repeater of claim 22 wherein said differential amplifier includes differentially-connected transistors having common-connected emitter electrodes, and further comprising a further LC circuit tuned to the frequency of the FM carrier and coupled to said common-connected emitter electrodes.

24. The repeater of claim 21 wherein said differential amplifier includes an output, and further comprising additional tuned transformer means coupled to the differential amplifier output and having a resonant frequency substantially equal to the frequency of the FM carrier for supplying the frequency modulated FM carrier to said demodulating means.

25. The repeater of claim 24 further comprising an additional amplifier stage connected between said additional tuned transformer means and said demodulating means.

26. The repeater of claim 21 further comprising detecting means for detecting the presence of the FM carrier at the output of said differential amplifier;

and inhibit means coupled to said output means and responsive to said detecting means for inhibiting said output means from outputting recovered data in the absence of said FM carrier.

27. The repeater of claim 26 wherein said detecting means comprises peak detecting means including capacitance means to be charged in response to said FM carrier and means for discharging said capacitance means in the absence of said FM carrier.

28. The repeater of claim 27 wherein said inhibit means comprises a gate circuit coupled to said demodulating means for receiving the recovered data and including an enable input coupled to said capacitance means, said gate circuit passing said recovered data when said capacitance means is charged.

29. The repeater of claim 25 wherein said demodulating means comprises phase locked loop means having a voltage controlled oscillator for generating an oscillating signal of a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of the FM carrier, said phase locked loop means having a data output for providing said recovered data and an oscillating signal output for providing said oscillating signal;

and further comprising frequency dividing means coupled to said oscillating signal output for dividing the frequency of said oscillating signal, and gating means coupled to said frequency dividing means and to said data output for gating said recovered data with a frequency-divided oscillating signal.

30. A receiver adapted to receive data transmitted as a modulated FM carrier via AC power lines on which other information in the form of other modulated carriers also maybe present, said receiver comprising:

input means for receiving said modulated FM carrier from said AC power lines and including band-pass/band-reject means tuned to said FM carrier for passing a narrow frequency band substantially centered on the modulated FM carrier and for rejecting substantially all frequencies outside said narrow frequency band wherein, said band-pass/band-reject means comprises plural LC circuits connected in cascade, at least one of said LC circuits presenting a relatively low impedance to said narrow frequency band, and at least another of said LC circuits presenting a relatively high impedance to signals of a frequency above said narrow frequency band;

amplifying means coupled to said input means for amplifying the passed modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said amplifying means for demodulating the modulated FM carrier to recover said data therefrom;

output means responsive to the recovered data for retransmitting the recovered data to further means; and

coupling means for selectively coupling said recovered data from said demodulating means to said output means if said modulated FM carrier is passed to said amplifying means.

31. The receiver of claim 30 wherein said plural LC circuits further include tuned transformer means having a resonant frequency substantially equal to the FM carrier frequency.

32. The receiver of claim 31 wherein said input means further includes a differential amplifier having inputs coupled to said tuned transformer means for receiving the modulated FM carrier differentially supplied thereto by said tuned transformer means

33. The receiver of claim 32 wherein said plural LC circuits further include an LC circuit coupled across the inputs of said differential amplifier.

34. The receiver of claim 33 wherein each of said LC circuits comprises an inductor in parallel with a capacitor.

35. The receiver of claim 33 further comprising second tuned transformer means having a resonant frequency substantially equal to the FM carrier frequency for coupling the modulated FM carrier from said differential amplifier to said amplifying means.

36. The receiver of claim 35 wherein said differential amplifier comprises a pair of transistor means connected in differential configuration and having common-connected emitter electrodes, and a further LC circuit coupled to said common-connected emitter electrodes and having a resonant frequency substantially equal to the FM carrier frequency.

37. The receiver of claim 35 wherein said amplifying means comprises plural differential amplifiers connected in cascade.

38. The receiver of claim 35 wherein said coupling means comprises gate means for gating said recovered data to said output means, capacitance means for enabling said gate means, and charging means for charging said capacitance means when said FM carrier is coupled to said amplifying means.

39. A receiver adapted to receive data transmitted as a modulated FM carrier via AC power lines on which other information in the form of other modulated carriers also may be present, said receiver comprising:

input means for receiving said modulated FM carrier from said AC power lines and including band-pass/band-reject means tuned to said FM carrier for passing a narrow frequency band substantially centered on the modulated FM carrier and for rejecting substantially all frequencies outside said narrow frequency band;

amplifying means coupled to said input means for amplifying the passed modulated FM carrier;

demodulating means coupled to said amplifying means for demodulating the modulated FM carrier to receiver said data therefrom wherein, said demodulating means comprises phase locked loop detecting means including oscillating means for generating a repetitive signal of frequency equal to the FM carrier frequency, frequency dividing means for dividing the frequency of said repetitive signal by a predetermined amount, and gating means for gating the recovered data with the frequency divided repetitive signal;

output means responsive to the recovered data for retransmitting the recovered data to further means; and

coupling means for selectively coupling said recovered data from said demodulating means to said output mans if said modulated FM carrier is passed to said amplifying means.

40. A transmitter for applying data to AC power lines for transmission over said AC power lines to a remote location, comprising:

input means to which said data is applied;

FM modulating means coupled to said input means for frequency modulating a carrier with said data; and

resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said carrier and exhibiting a pass band less than approximately ±

10% of said carrier frequency for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth wherein, said resonant circuit means comprises a tuned transformer coupled to LC circuit means connected in series with said AC power lines.

41. The transmitter of claim 40 wherein said tuned transformer includes a primary winding coupled to said FM modulating means and a secondary winding having first and second terminals;

and wherein said LC circuit means comprises first and second LC circuits coupled to said first and second terminals, respectively, of said secondary winding.

42. The transmitter of claim 41 wherein said primary winding includes a center tap, and further comprising drive means coupled to said FM modulating means for applying said frequency modulated carrier to said center tap, and inhibit means coupled to said input means for inhibiting the operation of said drive means in the absence of data.

43. A transmitter for applying data to AC power lines for transmission over said AC power lines to a remote location, comprising:

input means to which said data is applied;

FM modulating means coupled to said input means for frequency modulating a carrier with said data;

resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said carrier and exhibiting a pass band less than approximately ±

10% of said carrier frequency for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth; and

selectively enabled coupling means responsive to the presence of data applied to said input means for coupling the frequency modulated carrier from said FM modulating means to said resonant circuit means wherein, said selectively enabled coupling means comprises drive means for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said resonant circuit means, capacitance means responsive to the presence of data for charging to a charged level, and means responsive to the charged level of said capacitance means to energize said drive means.

44. A transmitter for applying data received in the form of infra-red data pulses for transmission over AC power lines to a remote location, said transmitter comprising:

input means including an infra-red detector to which said infra-red data pulses are applied;

FM modulating means coupled to said input means for frequency modulating a carrier with said data; and

resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said carrier and exhibiting a pass band less than approximately ±

10% of said carrier frequency for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth.

45. The transmitter of claim 44 wherein said infra-red data pulses comprises chopped data pulses, and said input means further includes a low pass amplifying means having a frequency pass band below the frequency of the chopping pulses to recover baseband data pulses from received chopped data pulses.

46. A transmitter for applying data to AC power lines for transmission over said AC power lines to a remote location, comprising:

input means to which said data is applied;

FM modulating means coupled to said input means for frequency modulating a carrier with said data;

resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said carrier and exhibiting a pass band less than approximately ±

10% of said carrier frequency for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth wherein, said resonant circuit means comprises a tuned transformer coupled to LC circuit means connected in series with said AC power lines; and

coupling means selectively enabled and responsive to the presence of data applied to said input means for coupling the frequency modulated carrier from said FM modulating means to said resonant circuit means.

47. A transmitter for applying data to AC power lines for transmission over said AC power lines to a remote location, comprising:

input means to which said data is applied;

FM modulating means coupled to said input means for frequency modulating a carrier with said data; and

resonant circuit means tuned to the frequency of said carrier and exhibiting a pass band of approximately 15 kHz for supplying said frequency modulated carrier to said AC power lines with limited bandwidth wherein, said resonant circuit means comprises a tuned transformer coupled to LC circuit means connected in series with said AC power lines.