Low pass filter for a universal home network on a customer premises european installation bus

• US 6,624,745 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Willer, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/573,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310-1-3, 340/310.07, 340/310.08, 375/220, 375/259, 375/258, 709/208, 709/220, 709/223, 709/250
• US Class Current: 375/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A low pass filter is configured for coupling home PNA network signals to a customer premises system having a two-wire European Installation Bus. The low pass filter uses an inductor having terminal ends connected to windings and configured in a non-compensating mode for generation of sufficient inductance for low pass filtering of the home PNA network signals from high frequency components of EIB signals generated by EIB bus coupling units. Use of an inductor having terminal ends connected to windings in a non-compensating mode enables the use of a smaller inductor core, such as a common mode choke or a ferrite bead toroid, that can fit within an EIB bus connector. Hence, existing EIB bus connectors can be replaced with improved coupling units having low pass filters that enable coupling of home PNA signals to the EIB bus. In addition, use of a toroid having windings in the non-compensating mode creates a closed loop within the toroid for flux induced by the windings, minimizing electromagnetic interference. Finally, use of an improved coupling unit having a low pass filter isolates capacitive influences from EIB bus coupling units, ensuring that the home PNA signals are not distorted by the EIB bus coupling units.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a local area network in a customer premises having a European Installation Bus (EIB) and two-wire terminals configured for coupling respective EIB bus coupling units to the EIB bus, the method comprising:

connecting to at least one of the two-wire terminals a splitter unit, the splitter unit having a first two-wire connection for connecting the corresponding one two-wire terminal to a network node configured for transmitting and receiving local area network signals, and a low pass filter configured for passing an EIB signal and rejecting the local area network signal and harmonics of the EIB signal, the low pass filter having first and second windings each having first and second terminal ends, the connecting step including;

(1) connecting the first terminal ends of the first and second windings to the first two-wire connection, and

(2) connecting the second terminal ends of the first and second windings to a corresponding two-wire terminal connector for a corresponding one of the EIB bus coupling units, the windings configured for generating an electromagnetic flux in a same direction induced by any one of the EIB signal and the local area network signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting the one EIB bus coupling unit to the corresponding two-wire terminal connector for transmission and reception of the EIB signal on the EIB bus via the low pass filter; and

connecting the network node to the first two-wire connection for transmission and reception of the local area network signal on the EIB bus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the splitter unit includes arranging the first and second windings around a toroid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the toroid is a ferrite bead toroid having a diameter of about 1cm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the arranging step includes configuring the low pass filter to isolate from the EIB bus capacitive influences induced by the EIB bus coupling units.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the splitter unit includes arranging the first and second windings around a common mode choke in a non compensating configuration.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the arranging step includes configuring the low pass filter to isolate from the EIB bus capacitive influences induced by the EIB bus coupling units.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising concurrently transmitting the EIB signal on the EIB bus with the local area network signal.

9. A splitter unit configured for connecting a European Installation Bus (EIB) coupling unit to a two-wire terminal of an EIB bus configured for transmission of an EIB signal, the splitter unit comprising:

a first two-wire connector configured for connecting the two-wire terminal to a two-wire network node terminal; and

a low pass filter configured for passing the EIB signal between the two-wire terminal and an EIB bus coupling unit two-wire terminal, and rejecting a local area network signal on the two-wire terminal and harmonics of the EIB signal, the low pass filter including first and second windings each having first and second terminal ends, the first terminal ends of the first and second windings coupled to the first two-wire connector, the second terminal ends of the first and second windings connected to the EIB bus coupling unit two-wire terminal, the first and second windings and the first and second terminal ends arranged for generating an electromagnetic flux, induced by any one of the EIB signal and the local area network signal, in a same direction.

10. The splitter unit of claim 9, wherein the low pass filter includes a ferrite bead toroid having wrapped thereon the first and second windings, the ferrite bead toroid configured for transporting the electromagnetic flux generated by the first and second windings in a closed loop.

11. The splitter unit of claim 10, wherein the ferrite bead toroid has a diameter of about 1cm.

12. The splitter unit of claim 9, wherein the low pass filter includes a common mode choke having the first and second windings arranged in a non-compensating configuration.

13. The splitter unit of claim 9, wherein the low pass filter is configured for minimizing capacitive influences encountered by the local area network signal on the EIB bus.

14. A computer network comprising:

a two-wire European Installation Bus (EIB) configured for transmission of an EIB signal between EIB bus coupling units connected at respective two-wire terminals;

first and second network nodes configured for transmitting and receiving network signals; and

splitter units, each configured for connecting a corresponding network node and EIB bus coupling unit to a corresponding one of the two-wire terminals, each splitter unit including;

(1) a first two-wire connector configured for connecting the corresponding two-wire terminal to the corresponding network node for transmission of the network signals on the EIB bus, and

(2) a low pass filter configured for passing the EIB signal between the corresponding two-wire terminal and the corresponding EIB bus coupling unit, and rejecting the network signals on the EIB bus and harmonics of the EIB signal, the low pass filter including first and second windings each having first and second terminal ends, the first terminal ends of the first and second windings coupled to the corresponding two-wire connector, the second terminal ends of the first and second windings connected to the EIB bus coupling unit, the first and second windings and the first and second terminal ends arranged for generating an electromagnetic flux, induced by any one of the EIB signal and the network signals, in a same direction.

15. The computer network of claim 14, wherein each low pass filter includes a ferrite bead toroid having wrapped thereon the first and second windings, the ferrite bead toroid configured for transporting the electromagnetic flux generated by the first and second windings in a closed loop.

16. The computer network of claim 15, wherein the ferrite bead toroid has a diameter of about 1cm.

17. The computer network of claim 14, wherein the low pass filter includes a common mode choke having the first and second windings arranged in a non-compensating configuration.

18. The computer network of claim 14, wherein the low pass filter is configured for minimizing capacitive influences encountered by the local area network signal on the EIB bus.