Arrangement of a data coupler for power line communications

• US 6,844,810 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ambient S A
• Inventors: Cern, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/688,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.03, 340/310.04, 340/310.05, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/310.08, 333/24.R, 333/24.C, 336/174
• US Class Current: 375/258
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/06 with core substantially closed in itself, e.g. toroid
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2001/0092 Inductor filters, i.e. inductors whose parasitic capacitance is of relevance to consider it as filter
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/013 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0115 comprising only inductors and capacitors H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0138 Electrical filters or coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/38 for signals in two different frequency ranges transmitted in opposite directions over the same transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

There is provided an arrangement of components for coupling data between a power line and a communication device. The arrangement includes an inductive coupler that employs a power line conductor as a primary winding, a capacitor connected across a secondary winding of the inductive coupler for creating a resonant circuit with the secondary winding at a frequency within a desired frequency band, and an impedance matching transformer for connecting a communications device to the secondary winding. The resonant circuit has a loaded Q consistent with the desired bandwidth. An alternative arrangement includes a capacitor in series with a conductive cylinder between the power line and the communication device, where the capacitor is for blocking power line voltage while passing a signal between the power line and the communication device, and the conductive cylinder appears as a low inductance to the signal.

Claims

1. A method for configuring components for power line communications, comprising:

installing an inductive coupler that employs a power line conductor as a primary winding;

connecting a capacitor across a secondary winding of said inductive coupler for creating a resonant circuit with said secondary winding at a frequency within a desired frequency band; and

connecting a communications device to said secondary winding via an impedance matching transformer,

wherein said resonant circuit has a loaded Q consistent with said desired bandwidth.

2. A method for coupling data between a power line and a communication device, comprising:

installing a capacitor in series with a conductive cylinder between said power line and said communication device,

wherein said capacitor is for blocking power line voltage while passing a signal between said power line and said communication device, and

wherein said conductive cylinder appears as a low inductance to said signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising installing a high interruption current fuse in series with said capacitor.

4. An arrangement of components for coupling data between a power line and a communication device, comprising:

an inductive coupler that employs a power line conductor as a primary winding;

a capacitor connected across a secondary winding of said inductive coupler for creating a resonant circuit with said secondary winding at a frequency within a desired frequency band; and

an impedance matching transformer for connecting a communications device to said secondary winding,

wherein said resonant circuit has a loaded Q consistent with said desired bandwidth.

5. An arrangement of components for coupling data between a power line and a communication device, comprising:

a capacitor in series with a conductive cylinder between said power line and said communication device,

wherein said capacitor is for blocking power line voltage while passing a signal between said power line and said communication device, and

wherein said conductive cylinder appears as a low inductance to said signal.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, further comprising a high interruption current fuse in series with said capacitor.