Coupling device

• US 6,952,159 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Communications International Holding GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ascom Powerline Communications AG
• Inventors: Muller, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/296,905
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.08, 340/310.01, 340/310.03, 340/310.04, 375/222, 375/223, 375/237, 330/100, 330/131, 330/24.R, 330/167, 330/175, 330/177
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• 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

A coupling apparatus (1) having a mains connection (2) for connection to a low-voltage mains power supply system, and having an appliance connection (3) for connection of any appliance for transmitting and/or receiving an RF signal has a voltage converter (5) and a high-pass filter (6.1, 6.2). The voltage converter converts the mains voltage which is present at the mains connection to a very-low voltage, which is suitable for supplying the appliance connected to the appliance connection. Inductances (4.3 to 4.6) of suitable size are interposed in the appropriate connecting lines as low-pass filters for decoupling the RF signal path from the supply signal path, and for suppressing undesirable, radio-frequency signal components in the supply voltages. RF signals which are transmitted or are to be transmitted via the low-voltage mains power supply system are coupled from the mains connection via the high-pass filter to the appliance connection, and from the appliance connection to the mains connection. In order to supply further appliances with mains voltage, the coupling apparatus has an additional appliance connection (7), which is likewise low-pass-filtered by means of inductances (4.3, 4.4).

Claims

1. Coupling apparatus, comprising:

a main connection for connection to a low voltage main power supply system;

an appliance connection for connection of a modem;

a voltage converter for converting a low voltage, which is input via the main connection, to a very-low voltage for supplying electrical power to the modem via the appliance connection; and

a coupler for radio-frequency coupling between the main connection and the appliance connection, for receiving an RF signal from the modem via the appliance connection and transmitting to the low-voltage main power supply system via the main connection, and for receiving an RF signal from the low-voltage main power supply via the main connection and transmitting to the modem via the appliance connection.

2. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage converter converts a low AC voltage which is present at the main connection to a very-low DC voltage which can be emitted at the appliance connection.

3. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a low-pass filter is provided between the voltage converter and the main connection, and/or between the voltage converter and the appliance connection.

4. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coupler comprises a high-pass filter located between the main connection and the appliance connection, in which case an RF signal received via the appliance connection can be coupled to the main connection, and an RF signal received via the mains connection can be coupled to the appliance connection.

5. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional appliance connection for supplying power to an appliance which can be operated with electrical power.

6. Coupling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the additional appliance connection is connected to the main connection via a main link in order to supply the appliance connected to the additional appliance connection with the main links running via a low-pass filter which may be connected between the main connection and the voltage converter.

7. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the appliance connection comprises a positive and a negative electrode, and

the main connection comprises a neutral conductor and at least one phase conductor,

one input of the voltage converter is connected via two connecting lines to the neutral conductor and to the at least one phase conductor, or to two phase conductors,

one output of the voltage converter is connected via two connecting lines to the two electrodes of the appliance connection, and

the two electrodes of the appliance connection are connected via two radio-frequency lines to the neutral conductor and to the at least one phase conductor, or to two phase conductors,

with any low-pass filter which may be present being formed by in each case one inductance per connecting line, and any high-pass filter which may be present being formed by in each case one capacitance per radio-frequency line.

8. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main connection and any additional appliance connection which may be present comprise a protective conductor, in particular an earth conductor.

9. Coupling apparatus according to claim 1, which is accommodated in a dimensionally stable housing, wherein the main connection is in the form of a main plug, the appliance connection is in the form of a main plug, the appliance connection is in the form of a supply/signal cable which is routed out of the housing, and any additional appliance connection which may be present is in the form of a plug socket, with the housing being designed such that the main connection of the coupling apparatus can be connected to a low-voltage main power supply system, an appliance which is to be supplied with the very-low voltage can be connected to the appliance connection, and an appliance which is to be supplied with main voltage can be connected to the additional appliance connection which may be present.

10. Transmission arrangement for transmitting and receiving an RF signal via a low-voltage main power supply system, comprising a transmitting/receiving modem and a coupling apparatus,

said coupling apparatus comprises a main connection for connection to the low-voltage main power supply system, an appliance connection for connection to the transmitting/receiving modem,

a voltage converter for converting a low voltage, which is present at the main connection, to a very-low voltage which can be emitted at the appliance connection, and a coupler for radio-frequency coupling between the main connection and the application connection, wherein

said coupling apparatus is connected via its main connection to the low-voltage main power supply system, and the transmitting/receiving modem is connected via the appliance connection of the coupling apparatus, in such a manner that the transmitting/receiving modem is supplied with electrical power via the appliance connection of the coupling apparatus, and an RF signal produced by the transmitting/receiving modem is transmitted to the coupling apparatus from where it is input into the low-voltage main power supply system, and an RF signal transmitted via the low-voltage main power supply system is output by the coupling apparatus from the low-voltage main power supply system, and is transmitted to the transmitting/receiving modem.

11. Transmission arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the coupling apparatus has a low-pass filter between the voltage converter and the main connection, and/or between the voltage converter and the appliance connection.

12. Transmission arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the coupling apparatus comprises a high-pass filter connected between the main connection and the appliance connection, in which case an RF signal received by the transmitting/receiving modem can be input into the low-voltage main power supply system, and an RF signal transmitted via the low-voltage main power supply system can be output from the low-voltage main power supply system and can be passed on to the transmitting/receiving modem.

13. Transmission arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the coupling apparatus has an additional appliance connection for supplying power to an appliance which can be operated with electrical power.

14. Transmission arrangement according to claim 10, wherein

the transmitting/receiving modem has a two-pole supply/signal connection via which it can be supplied with electrical power and at the same time can receive and transmit the RF signal,

the appliance connection of the coupling apparatus comprises a positive and a negative electrode, and

its main connection and any additional appliance connection which may be present each comprise a neutral conductor and at least one phase conductor,

one input of the voltage converter is connected via two connecting lines to the neutral conductor and to the at least one phase conductor, or to two phase conductors,

one input of the voltage converter is connected via two connecting lines to the two electrodes of the appliance connection, and

the two electrodes of the appliance connection are connected via two radio-frequency lines to the neutral conductor and to the at least one phase conductor, or to two phase conductors,

with any low-pass filter which may be present being formed by in each case one inductance per connecting line, and any high-pass filter which may be present being formed by in each case one capacitance per radio-frequency line,

the main connection of the coupling apparatus is designed for connection to a low-voltage mains power supply system having a neutral conductor and at least one phase conductor, and

the two electrodes of the appliance connection of the coupling apparatus are connected to a respective pole of the two-pole signal connection of the transmitting/receiving apparatus.

15. Transmission apparatus according to claim 10, for connection of the coupling apparatus to a low-voltage main power supply system which has a protective conductor, the main connection and any additional appliance connection which may be present comprise a protective conductor, in particular an earth conductor.