Method and apparatus for using unintended radio frequency propagation in a network

• US 6,836,508 B1
• Filed: 08/08/1996
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Chervet, Alex, Sutterlin, Philip H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Chieh M.
• Application Number:
  US08/693,662
• Time in Patent Office: 3,064 Days
• Field of Search: 375/211, 375/259, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.03, 340/310.04, 340/310.05, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/310.08, 340/538, 455/3.3, 455/63, 455/402, 370/327, 370/452, 371/6, 369/7
• US Class Current: 375/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay

Abstract

An improvement in a network is described where messages are communicated over different somewhat unconnected branches of a network. The invention is used where the messages cause radio frequency radiation from lines in the network which typically is unintended. The radiation from one branch is sensed and the signal representing the radiation is coupled into the other branch by a direct electrical connection to the other branch. A mechanism is provided to prevent undesirable rebroadcasting of messages.

Claims

1. A repeater for coupling data from a first power line to a second power line comprising:

a radio frequency receiver tuned to sense first data signals propagated from the first power line, the first power line having a plurality of first nodes which communicates with one another by transmitting the first data signal onto the first power line; and

,

a plurality of second nodes coupled to the second power line, one of the second nodes also being coupled to the receiver, the plurality of second nodes communicating with one another by transmitting second data signals onto the second power lines such that the first data signals originating from the first power line and sensed by the receiver are coupled to the second power line by the one of the second nodes.

2. The repeater defined by claim 1 wherein the first data signals represents a plurality of bits and wherein the one of the second nodes changes the state of one of the bits.

3. A method for coupling signals from a first power line to a second power line comprising the steps of:

sensing first signals originating from first nodes coupled to the first power line, the first signal being used by the first nodes to communicate between one another on the first power line, the first signals being propagated from the first power line into the atmosphere; and

coupling second signals representative of the sensed first signals onto the second power line via one of a plurality of second nodes coupled to the second power line, the second nodes for communicating between one another over the second power line.

4. The method defined by claim 3 wherein the first signals represent a plurality of digital bits and wherein the coupling step includes changing the state of one of the bits.

5. In a network having a first and a second branch each having a plurality of first and second nodes respectively, where the first nodes communicate with one another over the first branch and the second nodes communicate with one another over the second branch, a method for coupling a signal from one of the first nodes coupled to the first branch to one of the second nodes coupled to the second branch, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first radio signal originating with the first node as a first electrical signal coupled onto the first branch and propagated from the first branch as the first radio signal; and

,

coupling a second electrical signal derived from the first radio signal onto the second branch through another of the second nodes connected to the second branch such that it is communicated to the second nodes.

6. The method defined by claim 5 including the step of indicating in the second signal that the second signal originated from the first branch.