Power line coupling device and method of using the same

• US 6,982,611 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Subaudition Wireless LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Cope, Leonard David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glenn, Kimberly E.
• Application Number:
  US10/292,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 333/100, 333/131, 174/110.R, 174/107, 174/112.R, 34031001-31007
• US Class Current: 333/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

The coupler of the present invention includes a plurality of core members that are disposed between the semi-conductive ground jacket and neutral conductor of a standard URD MV cable. The core members are series wound by a transformer conductor, which forms a secondary winding that is coupled to the primary of a transformer, which provides impedance translation and/or isolation. The secondary of the transformer is coupled to a connector for communicating data signals through the coupler.

Claims

1. A device for coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, and a neutral conductor disposed outside the semi-conductive jacket, the device comprising:

a plurality of core members disposed between the semi-conductive jacket and the neutral conductor, and wherein

said plurality of core members are series-wound by a winding conductor.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of core members are toroidal in shape.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a transformer comprising a first and a second winding, and wherein said first winding is in communication with said winding conductor.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said transformer provides impedance matching.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of core members and said winding conductor form at least part of a coupling transformer having a first end and a second end separated by a longitudinal length.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising an insulating mechanism preventing electrical communication between the neutral conductor and the semi-conductive jacket outside said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a low frequency conductive path through said insulating mechanism between the neutral conductor and the semi-conductive jacket.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said insulating mechanism maintains the neutral conductor in spaced apart relation from the semi-conductive jacket.

9. The device of claim 5, further comprising a filter disposed outside said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said filter is substantially toroidal in shape and disposed around the neutral conductor, the semi-conductive jacket, the insulator, and the conductor of the cable.

11. The device of claim 5, wherein said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than five percent of the length of one wavelength of a carrier frequency carrying the data signals.

12. The device of claim 5, wherein said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than ten percent of the length of one wavelength of a carrier frequency carrying the data signals.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than three percent of the length of one wavelength of a carrier frequency carrying the data signals.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said winding conductor is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

15. The device of claim 5, further comprising a connector in communication with said winding conductor and wherein a data signal communicated through said connector and said coupling transformer to the cable suffers a loss of less than 20 dB.

16. The device of claim 5, further comprising a connector in communication with said transformer winding and wherein a data signal communicated through said connector and said coupling transformer to the cable suffers a loss of less than 15 dB.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of core members comprises a number greater than three.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said plurality of core members comprises a number less than fifteen.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of core members comprises a number less than fifteen.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductor of the cable conducts a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said device has a resonant frequency within about fifteen percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating data signals.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said device has a resonant frequency within about ten percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating data signals.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein said device has a resonant frequency within about five percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating data signals.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising a reactive circuit configured to modify the resonant frequency of the device.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein said core members are comprised of a first core portion disposed in a first housing portion and a second core portion disposed in a second housing portion, and wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion are coupled together by at least one hinge.

26. The device of claim 14, wherein said data communication circuit forms part of a transformer bypass device.

27. The device of claim 5, wherein said coupling transformer forms part of a transformer bypass device.

28. A device for coupling data signals to and from a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the center conductor, a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, and a neutral conductor disposed outside the semi-conductive jacket, the device comprising:

at least one core member, disposed between the semi-conductive jacket and the neutral conductor of the cable, and wherein

said core member is wound by a winding conductor.

29. The device of claim 28, further comprising a transformer having a first and second winding, wherein said first winding is in communication with said winding conductor.

30. The device of claim 28, further comprising a connector in communication with said winding conductor and wherein a data signal communicated through said connector and said winding conductor to the cable suffers a loss of less than 20 dB.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein said of core member and said winding conductor form at least part of a coupling transformer having a first end and a second end separated by a longitudinal length.

32. The device of claim 31, further comprising a filter disposed outside said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein said filter is substantially toroidal in shape and disposed around the neutral conductor, the semi-conductive jacket, the insulator, and the conductor of the cable.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than ten percent of the length of one wavelength of at least one carrier frequency used for communicating data signals.

35. The device of claim 31, wherein said coupling transformer has a resonant frequency within about ten percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating data signals.

36. The device of claim 28, wherein said conductor winding is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

37. The device of claim 31, wherein said coupling transformer forms part of a transformer bypass device.

38. A device for coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor and an insulator disposed around the conductor, the device comprising:

a plurality of core members disposed substantially around the entire circumference of the insulator, and wherein

said plurality of core members are series-wound by a winding conductor.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein said winding conductor is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

40. The device of claim 38, wherein said plurality of core members and said winding conductor form at least part of a coupling transformer having a first end and a second end separated by a longitudinal length and said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than ten percent of the length of one wavelength of at least one carrier frequency used for communicating data signals.

41. The device of claim 38, further comprising a transformer having a first and second winding, wherein said first winding is in communication with said winding conductor.

42. The device of claim 38, wherein said device has a resonant frequency within about ten percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating the data signal.

43. A device for coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the center conductor, and a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, the device comprising:

at least one core member disposed around the semi-conductive jacket of the cable, and wherein said at least one core member is wound by a winding.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the device has a resonant frequency within about ten percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating the data signal.

45. The device of claim 43, wherein said core member and said winding form at least part of a coupling transformer having a first end and a second end separated by a longitudinal length and said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than ten percent of the length of one wavelength of at least one carrier frequency used for communicating data signals.

46. The device of claim 43, wherein said winding is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

47. A device for coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, and a neutral conductor disposed outside the insulator, the device comprising:

a coupling transformer comprised of a plurality of core members, wherein said plurality of core members are disposed between the insulator and the neutral conductor of the cable.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein said device has a resonant frequency within about ten percent of the center frequency of the band of frequencies used for communicating data signals.

49. The device of claim 47, wherein said coupling transformer has a first end and a second end separated by a longitudinal length and said longitudinal length of said coupling transformer is less than ten percent of the length of one wavelength of at least one carrier frequency used for communicating data signals.

50. The device of claim 47, wherein the cable includes a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, and wherein said plurality of core members are disposed between the semi-conductive jacket and the neutral conductor of the cable.

51. The device of claim 47, wherein said plurality of core members are series-wound by a transformer winding.

52. A method of coupling data signals with a cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, and a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of transformer core members around the semi-conductive jacket;

series winding said plurality of transformer core members with a transformer winding conductor;

communicating a data signal through said transformer winding conductor to couple the data signals onto the conductor of the cable.

53. A device for coupling data signals with a power line conductor, the device comprising:

a cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, said conductor of said cable being electrically coupled to the power line conductor at its first end at a first connection point on the power line conductor and at its second end at a second connection point on the power line conductor;

a coupling transformer in communication with the conductor of the cable; and

a low pass filter in electrical communication with the power line conductor between the first connection point and the second connection point.

54. The device of claim 53, wherein said coupling transformer comprises a winding conductor and at least one core member disposed outside said insulator of said cable.

55. The device of claim 53, wherein said coupling transformer comprises a plurality of core members and said core members are series-wound by a winding conductor.

56. The device of claim 54, wherein said cable further comprises a semi-conductive jacket disposed around said insulator of said cable and wherein said core member of said coupling transformer is disposed outside said semi-conductive jacket of said cable.

57. The device of claim 56, wherein said coupling transformer comprises a plurality of core members and said core members are series-wound by said winding conductor.

58. The device of claim 57, further comprising a conductive path coupling said semi-conductive jacket to a neutral conductor.

59. The device of claim 58, wherein said conductive path is a low frequency conductive path.

60. The device of claim 59, wherein said winding conductor is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

61. The device of claim 60, wherein said data communication circuit forms part of a transformer bypass device.

62. The device of claim 56, further comprising a conductive path coupling said semi-conductive jacket to a neutral conductor.

63. The device of claim 62, wherein said conductive path is a low frequency conductive path.

64. The device of claim 63, wherein said winding conductor is in communication with a data communication circuit comprised of a filter, an amplifier, and a modem.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein said data communication circuit forms part of a transformer bypass device.

66. The device of claim 53, wherein said coupling transformer forms part of a transformer bypass device.

67. The device of claim 53, wherein said low pass filter is comprised of at least one toroid having a first toroid portion disposed in a first housing portion and a second toroid portion disposed in a second housing portion and wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion are coupled together by at least one hinge.

68. The device of claim 53, wherein said conductor of said cable is electrically coupled to the power line conductor at its first end via a first fuse and at its second end via a second fuse.

69. A device for coupling data signals with a power line conductor, the device comprising:

a cable comprising a conductor and an insulator disposed around the conductor, said conductor of said cable is electrically coupled to the power line conductor;

at least one core member disposed substantially around the entire circumference of a portion of said cable outside said insulator, and wherein said core member is wound by a conductor winding; and

a low pass filter in electrical communication with the power line conductor between the first connection point and the second connection point;

wherein said conductor of the cable is electrically coupled to the power line conductor at its first end at a first connection point on the power line conductor and at its second end at a second connection point on the power line conductor.

70. The device of claim 69, wherein said at least one core member comprises a plurality of core members and said plurality of core members are series-wound by said conductor winding.

71. The device of claim 70, wherein said conductor of said cable is electrically coupled to the power line conductor at its first end via a first fuse and at its second end via a second fuse.

72. The device of claim 69, further comprising:

a first connector coupled to a first end of the cable and adapted to mate with a transformer connector; and

a second connector coupled to a second end of the cable and adapted to mate with a cable connector.

73. The device of claim 72, wherein said at least one core member comprises a plurality of core members and said plurality of core members are series-wound by said conductor winding.

75. The device of claim 71, wherein said at least one core member comprises a plurality of core members and said plurality of core members are series wound by said winding.

74. A device for coupling data signals with a power line conductor, the device comprising:

a cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around said conductor, said conductor of said cable being electrically coupled to the power line conductor at a first connection point on the power line conductor and at a second connection point on the power line conductor;

at least one core member disposed adjacent said cable outside said insulator, wherein said core member is wound by a conductor; and

a data filter in electrical communication with the power line conductor between the first connection point and the second connection point.

76. A method of coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, a semi-conductive jacket disposed around the insulator, and a neutral conductor disposed outside the semi-conductive jacket, the method comprising:

inducing a data signal on the conductor and neutral conductor of the cable at a first location; and

receiving said data signal on the conductor at a second location.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein said data signal is comprised of a first current signal on the conductor and a second current signal on the neutral conductor and said first current signal is opposite in direction to said second current signal.

78. A method of coupling data signals with a cable, the cable comprising a conductor, an insulator disposed around the conductor, and a neutral conductor disposed outside the insulator, the method comprising:

inducing a current signal representing a data signal on the conductor and the neutral conductor of the cable; and

wherein said current signal induced on the conductor is opposite in direction to the current signal induced on said neutral conductor.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising filtering current signals on the conductor and neutral conductor that are not opposite in direction.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein said filtering is performed by a toroid filter that is disposed substantially around the entire circumference of the cable.