Appliance adapted for power line communications

• US 5,805,053 A
• Filed: 10/21/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: FEI-Elcom Tech, Inc. (Frequency Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Chandrakant Bhailalbhai, Harford, Jack Rudolph, Seggern, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/734,361
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/310.08, 340/286.01, 340/286.02, 379/61, 379/62, 379/64, 379/66, 455/402
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

An electrical appliance in which a power line adapter unit is embodied by which information signals are conducted to and from a power line from and to the appliance along the same connection to the power line by which the appliance is powered.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance adapted for conducting information signals to or from the appliance from or to a power line, the electrical appliance comprising at least one of:

(A) means for conducting information signals to a power line including;

(1) a source for supplying information signals and having a power supply,

(2) a power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal transmitting means for conducting information signals from said source to a power line,

(3) a power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said source,

(b) said power supply of said power line adapter unit for conducting information signals from said source to a power line, and

(c) said information signal transmitting means to a power line, and

(4) means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source along said power line connector; and

(B) means for conducting information signals from a power line including;

(1) a utilization unit for using information signals and having a power supply,

(2) a power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal receiving means for conducting information signals from a power line to said utilization unit,

(3) a power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said utilization unit,

(b) said power supply of said power line adapter for conducting information signals from a power line to said utilization unit, and

(c) said information signal receiving means to a power line, and

(4) means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly from a power line to said utilization unit.

2. An electrical appliance according to claim 1 wherein said means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source and said means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly to said utilization unit each form a high impedance for the frequencies of the information signals.

3. An electrical appliance according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) each of said power line connectors includes a "hot" wire and a "neutral" wire,

(b) said means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source include a first and second inductors placed in said "hot" wire and said "neutral" wire, respectively, of said power line connector and which present a high impedance path for signal frequencies of the information signals from a power line between a power line and said source, and

(c) said means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly to said utilization unit include a first and second inductors placed in said "hot" wire and said "neutral" wire, respectively, of said power line connector and which present a high impedance path for the signal frequencies of the information signals from a power line between a power line and said utilization unit.

4. A power line communications system comprising:

a power line;

a first appliance for supplying information signals and having a power supply;

a first power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal transmitting means for conducting information signals from said first appliance to said power line;

a first power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said first appliance,

(b) said power supply of said first power line adapter, and

(c) said information signal transmitting means to a power line;

means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said first appliance along said first power line connector;

a second appliance for receiving information signals and having a power supply;

a second power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal receiving means for conducting information signals from a power line to said second appliance;

a second power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said second appliance,

(b) said power supply of said second power line adapter, and

(c) said information signal receiving means to a power line; and

means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly from a power line to said second appliance along said second power line connector.

5. An electrical appliance for supplying information signals to a power line comprising:

a source of information signals having a power supply;

a power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal transmitting means for conducting information signals from said source of information signals to power line;

a power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said source of information signals,

(b) said power supply of said power line adapter unit, and

(c) said information signal transmitting means to a power line; and

means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source of information signals along said power line connector.

6. An electrical appliance according to claim 5 wherein said means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source of information signals along said power line connector form a high impedance for the frequencies of the information signals.

7. An electrical appliance according to claim 6 wherein said power line connector includes a "hot" wire and a "neutral" wire, and said means for preventing information signals from said information signal transmitting means from being conducted to said source of information signals along said power line connector include a first and second inductors placed in said "hot" wire and said "neutral" wire, respectively, of said power line connector and which present a high impedance path for signal frequencies of the information signals from a power line between a power line and said source for supplying information signals.

8. An electrical appliance for receiving information signals from a power line comprising:

a utilization unit for using information signals and having a power supply;

a power line adapter unit having;

(a) a power supply, and

(b) information signal receiving means for conducting information signals from a power line to said utilization unit for using information signals;

a power line connector for connecting;

(a) said power supply of said utilization unit for using information signals,

(b) said power supply of said power line adapter unit, and

(c) said information signal receiving means to a power line; and

means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly from a power line to said utilization unit for using information signals along said power line connector.

9. An electrical appliance according to claim 8 wherein said means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly from a power line to said utilization unit for using information signals along said power line connector form a high impedance for the frequencies of the information signals.

10. An electrical appliance according to claim 9 wherein said power line connector includes a "hot" wire and a "neutral" wire, and said means for preventing information signals from a power line from being conducted directly from a power to said utilization unit for using information signals along said power line connector include first and second inductors placed in said "hot" wire and said "neutral" wire, respectively, of said power line connector and which present a high impedance path for signal frequencies of the information signals from a power line between a power line and said utilization unit for using information signals.