Method and means of operating a power line carrier communication system
First Claim
1. A power line carrier (PLC) communication system for operation on an electric power distribution system in a premises wherein said power distribution system includes one or more power lines having three wire conductors comprising:
- (a) a transmitter unit of said PLC system for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals over said power line;
(b) a receiver unit of said PLC system for receiving said transmitted RF signals from said power line,(c) means at said transmitter unit for selectively coupling said RF signals to one pair of two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors, and(d) means at said receiver unit for coupling said RF signals from two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors to said receiver unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power line carrier (PLC) communication system operating on a conventional three wire (Hot (H), Neutral (N) and Ground (G) wires) power line uses more than one of the several RF transmission lines that are defined by the three wire power line to improve communication between units of the PLC system. According to a first embodiment a PLC system transmitter sends out of phase RF signals across the H and G wires and across the N and G power wires to the PLC system receiver, which receives and combines both of the out of phase transmissions, and so even if one of these paths is severely attenuated, the other path can deliver a sufficiently strong RF signal to the receiver for effective communications. According to another embodiment three different pairs of the H, N and G wires of the power line are selected in sequence for transmission of the PLC system RF and the pair that results in the best communication between a system transmitter and receiver is used for continuing communication. Also included is a PLC telephone extension system for which there is full duplex communication between each of the extension telephones of the system at different locations in the premises and the premises telephone line.
202 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A power line carrier (PLC) communication system for operation on an electric power distribution system in a premises wherein said power distribution system includes one or more power lines having three wire conductors comprising:
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(a) a transmitter unit of said PLC system for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals over said power line; (b) a receiver unit of said PLC system for receiving said transmitted RF signals from said power line, (c) means at said transmitter unit for selectively coupling said RF signals to one pair of two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors, and (d) means at said receiver unit for coupling said RF signals from two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors to said receiver unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A power line carrier (PLC) communication system for operation on an AC electric power distribution system in a premises wherein said power distribution system includes one or more power lines having a higher AC voltage wire (H wire), a neutral wire (N wire) and a ground wire (G wire) comprising,
(a) a transmitter unit of said PLC system for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals over said power line, (b) a receiver unit of said PLC system for receiving said transmitted RF signals from said power line, (c) means at said transmitter unit for coupling said RF signals to two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors, (d) means at said receiver unit for coupling said RF signals from two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors to said receiver unit and (e) said transmitter unit produces different phases of said RF signals and said RF coupling means couples one of said RF phases to said H and G wires and the other RF phase to said N and G wires, (f) whereby said different RF phases are simultaneously transmitted to said receiver unit over different RF transmission lines of said power line wires.
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13. A PLC telephone extension system for carrying signals between, a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a public telephone communication system and said subscriber'"'"'s extension telephone, over said subscriber'"'"'s AC power distribution system that includes one or more power lines having three wire conductors, comprising:
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(a) a master location near said telephone line and said AC power distribution system, (b) an extension telephone location near said AC power distribution system, and at said master location; (c) a telephone line signal detector circuit having its input electrically connected to said telephone line and producing telephone line information signals, (d) a master carrier radio frequency (MRF) signal generator, (e) means for modulating said MFR with said information signals and (f) means for selectively coupling said modulated MRF to one pair of two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors; and at the extension location; (g) an extension telephone, (h) means for receiving said MRF including means for coupling said MRF from two or more different pairs of said transmission line three wire conductors, (i) means for demodulating said received MRF producing an output therefrom representative of said information signals, and (j) means for coupling said demodulating means output to said extension telephone, (k whereby said extension telephone receives said telephone line information signals. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A PLC telephone extension system for carrying signals between, a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a public telephone communication system and a subscriber'"'"'s extension telephone, over a subscriber'"'"'s AC power distribution system that includes one or more power lines including a relatively high AC voltage wire (H wire), a neutral wire (N wire) and a ground wire (G wire) comprising:
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(a) a master location near said telephone line and said AC power distribution system, (b) an extension telephone location near said AC power distribution system, and at said master location; (c) a telephone line signal detector circuit having its input electrically connected to said telephone line and producing telephone line information signals, (d) a master carrier radio frequency (MRF) signal generator, (e) means for modulating said MRF with said information signals and (f) means for coupling said modulated MRF to two or more different pairs of said power line three wire conductors; and at said extension telephone location; (g) an extension telephone, (h) means for receiving said MRF including means for coupling said MRF from two or more different pairs of said transmission line three wire conductors, (i) means for demodulating said received MRF producing an output therefrom representative of said information signals and (j) means for coupling said demodulating means output to said extension telephone, (k) whereby said extension telephone receives said telephone line information signals; and (l) said master transmitter produces different phases of said MRF signals and said modulated MRF coupling means couples one of said MRF phases to said H and G wires and the other MRF phase to said N and G wires, (m) thereby said different MRF phases are simultaneously transmitted over different RF transmission lines of said power line wires.
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26. In a power line carrier (PLC) communication system for operation on an electric power distribution system in a premises wherein said power distribution system is an alternating current (AC) system powered by a two wire source including a high voltage AC (VAC) wire (H wire) and a neutral wire (N wire) and includes one or more power lines that include an H wire, an N wire and a ground wire (G wire) the method of operation including the steps of:
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(a) generating radio frequency (RF) signals at a first station, (b) selectively coupling said RF signals to one pair of two or more different pairs of said power line H, N and G wires, (c) coupling said RF signals from said two or more different pairs of said power line H , N and G wires to an RF receiver at a second station, and (d) utilizing said received RF signals. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. In a power line carrier (PLC) communication system for operation on an electric power distribution system in a premises wherein said power distribution system is an alternating current (AC) system powered by a two wire source including a higher AC voltage wire (H wire), a neutral wire (N wire) and a ground wire (G wire), the method of operation including the steps of:
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(a) generating radio frequency (RF) signals at a first station, (b) selectively coupling said RF signals to two pairs of two or more different pairs of said power line H, N and G wires and (c) coupling said RF signals from said two or more different pairs of said power line H, N and G wires to an RF receiver at a second station and (d) said step of generating generates different phases of said RF signal, (e) said step of coupling RF to said power line couples one of said RF phases to said power line H and G wires and the other RF phase to said power line N and G wires and (f) said step of coupling RF from said power line couples said different phases to said receiver, (g) whereby said different RF phases are simultaneously transmitted over different RF transmission paths of said power line wires.
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Specification