Digital communication over 28VDC power line

• US 6,995,658 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Tustison, Ronald M., Shelton, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/459,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 34031001-31008, 370/464, 375/219
• US Class Current: 375/219
• 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 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02

Abstract

A power line modem interface includes a modem that modulates an RF signal with digital data and demodulates an RF signal to recover digital data. A filter is connected to the modem and to a DC power line that supplies power to a local power supply. The filter couples the RF signals from the modem to the DC power line and filters the RF signals out of the local power supply. The filter includes: a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line; a second inductance connected in series with the first inductance and connected to the local power supply; and a capacitance with a first plate connected between the first inductance and the second inductance and a second plate connected to the modem so that the RF signal is passed between the modem and the DC power line.

Claims

1. A power line modem interface comprising:

a modem that modulates an RF signal with digital data;

a filter that is connected to said modem and that couples said RF signal from said modem to a DC power line;

a microcontroller connected in said modem that selects one of at least two channel frequencies for said RF signal that is modulated with said digital data; and

at least two amplifiers and bandpass filters, wherein said at least two amplifiers and bandpass filters operate to receive said RF signal on said at least two channel frequencies.

2. The power line modem interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a local power supply connected to the DC power line and connected to said filter, wherein;

said filter passes said RF signal to said modem; and

said filter filters out said RF signal from a DC power provided by the DC power line to the local power supply.

3. The power line modem interface of claim 1, further comprising a local power supply and wherein said filter comprises:

a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line;

a second inductance connected in series with said first inductance and connected to said local power supply; and

a capacitance connected between said first inductance and said second inductance and connected to said modem so that said RF signal is passed from said modem to the DC power line.

4. The power line modem interface of claim 1, further comprising a power amplifier that is connected to said filter and that operates at low output impedance for impedance matching with the DC power line.

5. The power line modem interface of claim 1, wherein said modem demodulates said RF signal to recover said digital data and further comprising an amplifier and bandpass filter that are connected to said filter and couple said RF signal to the DC power line.

6. The power line modem interface of claim 1, further comprising a local power supply and wherein:

said local power supply connects to said modem and supplies power to said modem.

7. The power line modem interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a microcontroller connected in said modem and that interfaces with a host electronics of an avionics unit.

8. A power line modem interface comprising:

a modem that demodulates an RF signal to recover digital data;

a filter connected to said modem and to a DC power line, wherein said filter couples said RF signal from the DC power line to said modem;

a microcontroller connected in said modem that selects one of four channel frequencies for said RF signal that is modulated with said digital data; and

four amplifiers and bandpass filters, wherein said four amplifiers and bandpass filters operate to receive said RF signal on said four channel frequencies.

9. The power line modem interface of claim 8, further comprising:

a local power supply connected to the DC power line and connected to said filter, wherein;

said filter passes said RF signal to said modem;

said filter filters out said RF signal from said local power supply.

10. The power line modem interface of claim 8, further comprising a local power supply and wherein said filter comprises:

a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line;

a second inductance connected in series with said first inductance and connected to said local power supply; and

a capacitance with a first plate connected between said first inductance and said second inductance and a second plate connected to said modem so that said RF signal is coupled from said modem to the DC power line.

11. The power line modem interface of claim 8, wherein said modem modulates said RF signal with said digital data and further comprising:

a power amplifier that is connected to said filter, that operates to output said RF signal at a low output impedance, and that provides impedance matching with the DC power line.

12. The power line modem interface of claim 8, further comprising an amplifier and bandpass filter that are connected to said filter, that operate to receive said RE signal from the DC power line.

13. The power line modem interface of claim 8, further comprising a local power supply and wherein:

said local power supply connects to said modem and to said filter and supplies filtered DC power to said modem.

14. The power line modem interface of claim 8, further comprising:

a microcontroller connected in said modem and that interfaces through a dual ported RAM with a host electronics of an avionics unit.

15. A filter for coupling an RF signal from a modem to a DC power line that supplies power to a local power supply, said filter comprising:

a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line;

a second inductance connected in series with said first inductance and connected to the local power supply; and

a capacitance with a first plate connected between said first inductance and said second inductance and a second plate connected to a modem so that said RF signal is passed between the modem and the DC power line.

16. The filter of claim 15, wherein said filter is a high pass filter that passes frequencies above 2 MHz.

17. An avionics unit comprising:

a host electronics with a dual ported RAM interface;

a modem that modulates a first RF signal with first digital data and that demodulates a second RF signal to recover second digital data;

a microcontroller that is connected in said modem and that interfaces said modem with said host electronics through said dual ported RAM, said microcontroller receiving said first digital data from said host electronics and said microcontroller sending said second digital data to said host electronics;

a filter connected to said modem and to a DC power line wherein said filter couples said first RF signal from said modem to the DC power line and couples said second RF signal from the DC power line to said modem; and

wherein said filter comprises;

a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line;

a second inductance connected in series with said first inductance and connected to said local power supply; and

a capacitance with a first plate connected between said first inductance and said second inductance and a second plate connected to said modem so that said first RF signal is passed from said modem to the DC power line and said second RF signal is passed from the DC power line to said modem; and

a local power supply connected to the DC power line and connected to said filter, wherein said filter passes said RF signal to said modem; and

said filter filters out said RF signal from said local power supply.

18. The avionics unit of claim 17, wherein said modem includes:

a power amplifier that is connected to said filter, that operates to output said RF signal at a low output impedance, and that provides impedance matching with the DC power line.

19. The avionics unit of claim 17, wherein said modem includes:

an amplifier and bandpass filter that are connected to said filter, that operate to receive said RF signal from the DC power line.

20. An avionics system comprising:

a DC power line that supplies a 28 VDC power;

a local power supply connected to a DC return of said DC power line;

a host electronics with a dual ported RAM interface;

a modem that modulates a first RF signal with first digital data and that demodulates a second RF signal to recover second digital data;

a microcontroller that is connected in said modem and that interfaces said modem with said host electronics through said dual ported RAM, said microcontroller receiving said first digital data from said host electronics and said microcontroller sending said second digital data to said host electronics; and

a filter connected to said modem and to a hot side of said DC power line wherein said filter couples said first RF signal from said modem to the DC power line and couples said second RF signal from the DC power line to said modem;

said filter connected to said local power supply wherein said filter filters out said RF signal from said local power supply; and

said filter including;

a first inductance connected to a hot side of the DC power line;

a second inductance connected in series with said first inductance and connected to said local power supply; and

a capacitance with a first plate connected between said first inductance and said second inductance and a second plate connected to said modem so that said first RF signal is passed from said modem to the DC power line and said second RF signal is passed from the DC power line to said modem.

21. The avionics system of claim 20, wherein said modem includes:

a power amplifier that is connected to said filter, that operates to output said first RF signal at a low output impedance, and that provides impedance matching with the DC power line.

22. The avionics system of claim 20, wherein said modem includes:

an amplifier and bandpass filter that are connected to said filter, that operate to receive said RF signal from the DC power line.

23. A method for digital communication over a DC power line comprising steps of:

modulating an RF signal with digital data at a first modem;

coupling said RF signal from said first modem to said DC power line through a filter, including;

connecting a first inductance and a second inductance to each other in series in said DC power line;

connecting a first side of a capacitor between said first inductance and said second inductance;

connecting a second side of said capacitor to said modem;

propagating said signal through said capacitor onto said power line;

coupling said RF signal from said DC power line to a second modem through a second filter; and

demodulating said data from said RF signal at said second modem.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of coupling said RF signal to said second modem comprises:

connecting a first inductance and a second inductance to each other in series in said DC power line;

connecting a first side of a capacitor between said first inductance and said second inductance;

connecting a second side of said capacitor to said modem;

propagating said signal from said power line through said capacitor.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of coupling said RF signal from said first modem comprises:

matching a low impedance at an output of said modem to a low impedance of said DC power line.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of coupling said RF signal to said second modem comprises:

coupling said RF signal from said DC power line to said second modem.