Method and system for signal repeating in powerline communications

• US 6,993,317 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amperion Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Amperion Incorporated
• Inventors: Belsak, Jr., Frederick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temika
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/264,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20040067745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.03, 340/310.04, 340/310.01, 340/310.06, 340/10.02, 370/441, 361/64, 324/125, 225/29, 385/15, 385/24, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

A method and system for enhancing communication signals in a power-line communications system, which uses high-voltage or medium-voltage power lines as a transmission medium. Because communication signals are subject to attenuation as they traverse the power-lines over a long distance, they are repeated and amplified by repeaters along the power-lines. The repeated signals are caused to interfere among themselves because of the delay and overlap of signals. By optically or wirelessly conveying communication signals between two phase-lines, and repeating signals in a phase-line hopping fashion, the distance between two adjacent repeaters on any one phase-line can be significantly extended in order to reduce interference.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing communication signals in a communications system (1) tat uses power lines (L₁) as a communication pathway, wherein communication signals are subject to attenuation as they travel along the power lines over a distance, and wherein the communication signals transmitted over the power lines in a transmission direction are repeated in order to keep the communication signals from being reduced below a pre-defined level, the power lines (L₁) comprising a plurality of phase lines (P₁, P₂, P₁, P₂, P₃) disposed alongside of each other to carry alternating current electrical power in different phases relative to each other, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting the communication signals (S₀) on a first phase line (P₁);

receiving the communication signals (S₀) from the first phase line (P₁) via coupling in the transmission direction;

providing first signals (102) indicative of the received communication signals (S₀); and

receiving the first signals (102) in a wireless fashion in order to provide second signals (S₂) on a second phase line (P₂), the second signals indicative of the received first signals, thereby repeating the communication signals on the second phase line, wherein the second signals (S₂) have a strength greater than the received communication signals (S₀).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the second signals (S₂) from the second phase line (P₂) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the second signals (S₂) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level;

providing third signals (104) indicative of the received second signals (S₂); and

receiving the third signals (104) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth signals (S₄) on a third phase line (P₃), the fourth signals indicative of the received third signals (104), thereby repeating the communication signals on the third phase line, wherein the fourth signals (S₄) hive a strength greater than the received second signals (S₂).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the fourth signals (S₄) from the third phase line (P₃) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the fourth signals (S₄) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level;

providing fifth signals (106) indicative of the received fourth signals (S₄); and

receiving the fifth signals (106) in a wireless fashion in order to provide sixth signals (S₆) on the first phase line (P₁), the sixth signals indicative of the received fifth signals (106), wherein the sixth signals (S₆) have a strength greater than the received fourth signals (S₄).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the second signals (S₂) from the second phase line (P₂) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the second signals (S₂) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level;

providing third signals (104) indicative of the received second signals (S₂); and

receiving the third signals (104) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth signals (S₆) on the first phase lines (P₁), the fourth signals indicative of the received third signals (104), wherein the fourth signals (S₆) have a strength greater than the received second signals (S₂).

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications system further comprises at least one non-power conductor (N) alongside the power lines (L₁), and wherein

the communication signals S₀ are transmitted on the non-power conductor (N) instead of the first phase line (P₁) so that the communication signals S₀ are received via coupling in the transmission direction from said non-power conductor (N) instead of the first phase line (P₁).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications system further comprises at least one non-power conductor (N) alongside the power lines (L₁), and wherein

the second signals (S₂) are provided on the non-power conductor (N) instead of the second phase line (P₂) so that the second signals (S₂) are received via coupling in the transmission direction from said non-power conductor (N) instead of the second phase line (P₂).

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the communications system further comprises at least one non-power conductor (N) alongside the power lines (L₁), and wherein

the fourth signals (S₄) are provided on the non-power conductor (N) instead of the third phase line (P₃) so that the fourth signals (S₄) are received via coupling in the transmission direction from said non-power conductor instead of the third phase line (P₃).

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications system further comprises a plurality of further phase lines P₁′

, P₂′

, P₃′

) alongside the power lines (L₁), said method further comprising the steps of;

receiving the fourth signals (S₄) from the third phase line (P₃) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the fourth signals (S₄) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level;

providing fifth signals (106) indicative of the received fourth signals (S₄);

receiving the fifth signals (106) in a wireless fashion in order to provide sixth signals (S₆) on a first further phase line (P₁′

), the sixth signals indicative of the received fifth signals (106), wherein the sixth signals (S₆) have a strength greater than the received fourth signals (S₄);

receiving the sixth signals (S₆) from the first further phase line (P₁′

) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the sixth signals (S₆) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level;

providing seventh signals (108) indicative of the received sixth signals (S₆); and

receiving the seventh signals (108) in a wireless fashion in order to provide eighth signals (S₈) on the first phase line (P₁), the eighth signals indicative of the received seventh signals (108), wherein the eighth signals (S₈) have a strength greater than the received sixth signals (S₆).

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting further communication signals (S₁) on the first phase line (P₁);

receiving the further communication signals (S₁) from the first phase line (P₁) via coupling in the transmission direction;

providing first further signals (101) indicative of the received further communication signals (S₁);

receiving the first further signals (101) in a wireless fashion in order to provide second further signals (S₃) on the third phase line (P₃), the second signals indicative of the received first further signals (101), wherein the second further signals (S₃) have a strength greater than the received further communication signals (S₁);

receiving the second further signals (S₃) from the third line (P₃) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the second further signals (S₃) has been reduced to a level within the pre-defined range;

providing third further signals (103) indicative of the received second further signals (S₃);

receiving the third further signals (103) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth further signals (S₅) on the second phase line (P₂), the fourth further signals indicative of the received third further signal (103), wherein the fourth further signals (S₅) have a strength greater than the received second further signals (S₃);

receiving the fourth further signals (S₅) from the second phase line (P₂) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the fourth further signals (S₅) has been reduced to a level within the pre-defined range;

providing fifth further signals (105) indicative of the received fourth further signals (S₅); and

receiving the fifth further signals (105) in a wireless fashion in order to provide sixth further signals (S₇) on the first phase line (P₁), the sixth further signals indicative of the received fifth further signals (105).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication signals (S₀) are received from the first phase line (P₁) at a location where the strength of the communication signals (S₀) has been reduced to a level within a pre-defined range based on the pre-defined level.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the further communication signals (S₁) are received from the first phase line (P₁) at a location where the strength of the further communication signals (S₁) has been reduced to a level within a pre-defined range based on the pre-defined level.

12. A communications system (1) that uses power lines (L₁) as a communication pathway to transmit communication signals, wherein communication signals are subject to attenuation as they traverse the power lines over a distance, and wherein the communication signals transmitted over the power lines in a transmission direction are repeated in order to keep the communication signals from being reduced below a pre-defined level, the power lines (L₁) comprising a plurality of phase-lines (P₁, P₂, P₃) disposed alongside of each other to carry the electrical power in different phases of an alternate current cycle, said system comprising:

a first coupler (12) for providing the communication signals (S₀) on a first phase line (P₁);

a first transceiver(71) for receiving the communication signals (S₀) from the first phase line (P₁) via coupling in the transmission direction, so as to provide first signals (102) indicative of the received communication signals (S₀); and

a second transceiver (72) for receiving the first signals (102) in a wireless fashion in order to provide second signals (S₂) on a second phase line (P₂), the second signals indicative of the received first signals, thereby repeating the communication signals on the second phase line, wherein the second signals (S₂) have a strength greater than the received communication signals (S₀).

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a third transceiver (73) for receiving the second signals (S₂) from the second phase line (P₂) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the second signals has been reduced to a level within the pro-defined range, so as to provide third signals (104) indicative of the received second signals (S₂); and

a fourth transceiver (74) for receiving the third signals (104) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth signals (S₄) on a third phase line (P₃), the fourth signals indicative of the received third signals (104), thereby repeating the communication signal on the third phase line, wherein the fourth signals (S₄) have a strength greater than the received second signals (S₂).

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a fifth transceiver (75) for receiving the fourth signals (S₄) from the third phase-line (P₃) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the fourth signals (S₄) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level, so as to provide fifth signals (106) indicative of the received second signals; and

a sixth transceiver (76) for receiving the fifth signals (106) in a wireless fashion in order to provide sixth signals (S₆) on the first phase line (P₁) the sixth signals indicative of the received fifth signals (106), wherein the sixth signals (S₆) have a strength greater than the received fourth signals (S₄).

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a third transceiver (73) for receiving the second signals (S₂) from the second phase line (P₂) via coupling in the transmission direction where the strength of the second signals (S₂) has been reduced to a level greater than or substantially equal to the pre-defined level, so as to provide third signals (104) indicative of the received second signals (S₂); and

a fourth transceiver (76) for receiving the third signals (104) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth signals (S₆) on the first phase line (P₁), the fourth signals indicative of the received third signals (104), wherein the fourth signals (S₆) have a strength greater than the received second signals (S₂), and wherein

the second transceiver (72) is disposed forward of the first transceiver (71) by a distance in the transmission direction, and

the fourth transceiver (76) is disposed forward of the third transceiver (73) by a distance in the transmission direction, such that

the strength of the communication signals (S₀) as attenuated in said one phase-line (P₁) is negligible compared to the strength of the fourth signals (S₆).

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the power lines (L₁) are also used to transmit further communication signals (S₁), said system further comprising

a second coupler (52) for providing the further communication signals (S₁) on the first phase line (P₁), wherein

the sixth transceiver (76) is adapted to receive the further communication signals (S₁) via coupling in the transmission direction so as to provide first further signals (101) indicative of the further communication signals (S₁);

the fifth transceiver (75) is adapted to receive the first further signals (101) in a wireless fashion in order to provide second further signals (S₃) indicative of the received first further signals (101);

the fourth transceiver (74) is adapted to receive the second further signals (S₃) via coupling so as to provide third further signals (103) indicative of the received second further signals (S₃);

the third transceiver (73) is adapted to receive the third further signals (103) in a wireless fashion in order to provide fourth further signals (S₅) indicative of the received third further signals (103), wherein the fourth further signals (S₅) have a strength greater than the received third further signals (103);

the second transceiver (72) is adapted to receive the fourth further signals (S₅) via coupling so as to provide fifth further signals (105) indicative of the received fourth further signals (S₅); and

the fist transceiver (71) is adapted to receive the fifth further signals (105) in a wireless fashion in order to provide sixth further signals (S₇), wherein the sixth further signals (S₇) have a strength greater than the received fourth further signals (S₅).

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication signals (S₀) are transmitted in a first radio frequency range and the further communication signals (S₁) are transmitted in a different second frequency range.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second further signals (S₃) have a strength greater than the received further communication signals (S₁).

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first transceiver (71) is disposed at a location where the strength of the communication signals (S₀) has been reduced to a level within a pre-defined range based on the pre-defined level.