System for coupling wireless signals to and from a power transmission line communication system

• US 6,492,897 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard A. Mowery Jr
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Mowery Jr
• Inventors: Mowery, Richard A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US09/632,320
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/313, 340/870.03, 340/870.11, 340/505
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A system for communicating information to and from untethered subscriber devices and tethered devices by the use of a power transmission line communication system interfacing to a conventional electric power distribution network. Untethered subscriber devices and tethered devices will be able to send and receive impulse or modulated signals. The coupling system to and from a power transmission line is a tethered device housed entirely in an enclosure able to replace a sunlight detector affixed to a street pole, or to plug into an outlet, or to attach around a transmission line, or screw into a light socket. A battery supplies energy to the tethered device screwed into a light socket when no electricity flows to the socket. A tethered device attached around a transmission line is powered by magnetic induction and interfaces through a power transmission communication system. The tethered device interfaces directly to the electrical lines by means of a power transmission communication system. The tethered device is able to connect untethered subscriber device to a plurality of untethered devices and tethered devices to establish a personal, local, or wide area network. The tethered device is capable of locating other tethered devices and untethered subscriber devices, and using this positioning to adjust the signal power, and to handoff untethered subscriber devices.

Claims

1. A system for varying or keeping constant the signal power of all untethered devices not physically connected to a power transmission communication network or all tethered devices electrically connected to a power transmission line communication network, and reassigning a first untethered device according to the positioning or received signal power between the first untethered device and a second tethered device within a first cell and a different tethered device within the first cell or a second cell, the system comprising:

a. a first untethered device not physically connected to a power transmission communication network comprising;

i. an antenna;

ii. a transceiver to send and receive information;

iii. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said antenna; and

iv. a communication protocol;

b. a second tethered device electrically connected to a power transmission communication network within a first cell comprising;

i. an antenna;

ii. a transceiver to send and receive information;

iii. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said antenna;

iv. a power transmission line communication system;

v. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said power transmission line communication system; and

vi. a communication protocol;

c. a means for determining positioning or signal power of all untethered devices and tethered devices within wireless range;

d. a means for varying or keeping constant the signal power output of all untethered devices in proportion to positioning or received signal power between each untethered device and farthest device within wireless range;

e. a means for varying or keeping constant the signal power output of all tethered devices in proportion to positioning or received signal power between each tethered device and farthest device within wireless range to create a new first cell with new wireless radius that may or may not overlap with the second cell;

f. a means for evaluating by the second tethered device if the positioning or received signal power of the first untethered electrical device is more optimally connected to the different tethered device;

g. a means for communicating through a power transmission line communication network or through wireless communication to the different tethered device to analyze the different tethered device'"'"'s positioning or received signal power from first untethered device, and capacity to connect to the first untethered device; and

h. a means for requesting a handoff through a power transmission line communication network or through wireless communication with the different tethered device such that the different tethered device connects to the first untethered electrical device while the second tethered device disconnects from the first untethered device.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communication protocol is secure and used to identify a device through network addressing method.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communication protocol can be directly altered or updated using the power transmission line network.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tethered device can be entirely housed in a sunlight photo detector attached to a utility pole, or in an apparatus screwed into a light socket, or an enclosure inductively attaching around a power transmission line, or an enclosure plugging into an electrical outlet, or an enclosure hanging from a utility pole.

5. A system for varying or keeping constant the signal power of all untethered devices not physically connected to a power transmission communication network or all tethered devices electrically connected to a power transmission line communication network, and reassigning a first untethered device according to the positioning or received signal power between the first untethered device and a second tethered device within a first cell and a different untethered device wirelessly connected to a different tethered device within the first cell or a second cell, the system comprising:

a. a first untethered device not physically connected to a power transmission communication network comprising;

v. an antenna;

vi. a transceiver to send and receive information;

vii. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said antenna; and

viii. a communication protocol;

b. a second tethered device electrically connected to a power transmission communication network within a first cell comprising;

i. an antenna;

ii. a transceiver to send and receive information;

iii. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said antenna;

iv. a power transmission line communication system;

v. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transceiver and said power transmission line communication system; and

vi. a communication protocol.

c. a means for determining positioning or signal power of all untethered devices and tethered devices within wireless range;

d. a means for varying or keeping constant the signal power output of all untethered devices in proportion to positioning or received signal power between each untethered device and farthest device within wireless range;

e. a means for varying or keeping constant the signal power output of all tethered devices in proportion to positioning or received signal power between each tethered device and farthest device within wireless range to create a new first cell with new wireless radius that may or may not overlap with the second cell;

f. a means for evaluating by the second tethered device if the positioning or received signal power of the first untethered electrical device is more optimally connected to the different untethered device wirelessly connected to the different tethered device;

g. a means for communicating through a power transmission line communication network to the different tethered device wirelessly connected to the different untethered device or through wireless communication to the different untethered device to analyze different untethered device'"'"'s and different tethered device'"'"'s positioning or received signal power from first untethered device, and capacity to connect to the first untethered device; and

h. a means for requesting a handoff by the second tethered device through a power transmission line communication network to the different tethered device wirelessly connected with the different untethered device or through a wireless communication with the different untethered device such that the different untethered device simultaneously connects the first untethered device through the different untethered device to the different tethered device while the second tethered device disconnects from the first untethered device.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the communication protocol is secure and used to identify a device through network addressing method.

7. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the communication protocol can be directly altered or updated using the power transmission line network.

8. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tethered device can be entirely housed in a sunlight photo detector attached to a utility pole, or in an apparatus screwed into a light socket, or an enclosure inductively attaching around a power transmission line, or an enclosure plugging into an electrical outlet, or an enclosure hanging from a utility pole.

9. A system for adjusting the signal power of all untethered devices not physically connected to a power transmission communication network or all tethered devices electrically connected to a power transmission line communication network, and reassigning a first untethered device according to location, latency, or received signal power between the first untethered device and a second tethered device within a first cell and a different tethered device within the first cell or a second cell, the system comprising:

a. a first designated untethered subscriber device not physically connected to a power transmission communication network comprising;

i. an antenna;

ii. a transmitter to send information;

iii. a receiver to receive information;

iv. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transmitter and said receiver;

v. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transmitter and said antenna;

vi. a bi-directional coupling means, between said receiver and said antenna;

vii. a clock source operating at a higher frequency than a power line electrical frequency; and

viii. a secure communication protocol including a means to identify a device through a network addressing method that can be directly altered by using the power transmission line network through a plurality of power transformers without a wireless bypass;

b. a second tethered device electrically connected to a power transmission communication network within a first cell comprising;

i. an antenna;

ii. a transmitter to send information;

iii. a receiver to receive information;

iv. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transmitter and said receiver;

v. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transmitter and said antenna;

vi. a bi-directional coupling means, between said receiver and said antenna;

vii. a power transmission line communication system without critical latency;

viii. a bi-directional coupling means, between said receiver and said power transmission line communication system;

ix. a bi-directional coupling means, between said transmitter and said power transmission line communication system;

x. a clock source operating at a higher frequency than a power line electrical frequency;

xi. a secure communication protocol including a means to identify a device through a network addressing method that can be directly altered by using the power transmission line network through a plurality of power transformers without a wireless bypass; and

xii. an enclosure entirely housing the second tethered device in a sunlight photo detector attached to a utility pole, or in an apparatus screwed into a light socket, or an enclosure inductively attaching around a power transmission line, or an enclosure plugging into an electrical outlet, or an enclosure hanging from a utility pole;

c. a means for determining the positioning of all untethered devices or tethered devices within wireless range;

d. a means for determining the distance between the first untethered device or the second tethered device and the farthest untethered device and farthest tethered device within wireless range;

e. a means for adjusting power output in proportion to distance between first untethered device and farthest untethered device or farthest tethered device within wireless range;

f. a means for adjusting power output in proportion to distance between the second tethered device and farthest tethered device or farthest untethered device within wireless range to create a new first cell with new wireless radius that may or may not overlap with the second cell;

g. a means for evaluating by the second tethered device if the location, latency, or received signal power of the first untethered device is more optimally connected to the different tethered device;

h. a means for communicating through a power transmission line communication network or through wireless communication to the different tethered device to analyze the different tethered device'"'"'s bandwidth and capacity to connect to the first untethered device; and

i. a means for requesting a handoff through a power transmission line communication network or through wireless communication with the different tethered device such that the different tethered device simultaneously connects to the first untethered device while the second tethered device disconnects from the first untethered device.