Method and system for adapting a telephone line modem for use on the power line

• US 6,989,733 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Low Environ AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Phonex Broadband
• Inventors: Willis, W. Paul, Steck, Douglas A., McGuire, Daniel J., Simonsen, John M., Smith, Gordon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/846,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 34031001-31008, 375257-259, 380/255, 713/150
• US Class Current: 375/259
• 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 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• 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 3/54 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A new method and system for adapting standard home network protocol communication signals for communication between networked computation devices over the AC power line is provided. This invention provides improvements to the standard home network protocol required for use over the AC power line, including such features as encrypting, signal amplification and improved signal to noise ratio.

Claims

1. A system for communication between electronic devices comprising:

(A) a power line interface;

(B) an analog front-end processor electrically connected to said power line interface;

(C) a modem/phone line physical layer digital processor electrically connected to said analog front-end processor;

(D) a back end interface electrically connected to said modem/phone line physical layer digital processor, wherein said back end interface further comprises a media access controller in communication with a physical layer interface buffer, said media access controller using carrier sense multiple access collision detection to control access to a power line; and

(E) a computation device in electronic communication with said back end interface.

2. A method for communicating information from a first computation device to a second computation device, comprising:

(A) reading data from computer memory;

(B) encrypting said read data;

(C) checking if a channel medium is clear;

(D) fetching said encrypted data;

(E) error encoding said fetched encrypted data;

(F) modulating said error encoded data;

(G) mapping out bad tones for transmit of error-encoded data;

(H) filtering said error encoded data;

(I) amplifying said filtered data; and

(J) coupling said amplified data to an ac power line.

3. A method for communicating information from a first computation device to a second computation device, comprising:

(A) receiving a power line communication signal;

(B) amplifying said received power line communication signal;

(C) filtering said amplified signal;

(D) converting said amplified signal to data;

(E) demodulating said data;

(F) forward error decoding said demodulated data;

(G) sending said decoded data to a computer memory; and

(H) decrypting said data in computer memory.

4. A system for communicating between a computer device to a second computer device, comprising:

(A) a power line communication channel;

(B) a digital processor in electrical communication with said power line communication channel, wherein said digital processor employs a HomePNA protocol, wherein said digital processor further comprises a variable gain amplifier controller, said variable gain amplifier further comprising a power detector connected to an integrator low pass filter connected to a gain controller; and

(C) an interface between said digital processor with a computer device, said computer device further encrypting data for transmit across said power line communication channel.