Telecommunications gateway and method

• US 7,003,102 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pulse Electronics Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pulse Engineering Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiko, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey F.
• Application Number:
  US09/975,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 379/413, 379/90.01, 379/102.04
• US Class Current: 379/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0293 Terminal boxes for telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An improved system and associated components for providing reliable power supply and interconnectivity for digital subscriber line (DSL) applications at sites remote from the central office (CO). The system comprises a line power unit in communication with a subscriber-installable gateway module, the latter incorporating a power extraction circuit adapted to extract power from the Telco line. Home phone network (HPN), homeplug, and wireless modules are also provided within the gateway to permit connectivity between other electronic components within the subscriber'"'"'s site. Subscriber-installable adapter modules which extract power and perform line interface functions for the various jacks throughout the site are also disclosed. Methods for installing and operating the aforementioned components are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing power to at least one subscriber at a premises via a telecommunications line, comprising:

a power converter operatively coupled to said telecommunications line and adapted to generate a voltage on said line;

a gateway module having modulator/demodulator apparatus operatively coupled to said telecommunications line, said module being adapted to extract power from said voltage on said telecommunications line;

wherein said gateway module further comprises a power line interface in data communication with said modulator/demodulator, said power line interface adapted to transmit data over power distribution wiring of said premises local to said gateway module; and

at least one adapter unit operatively coupled to said telecommunications line and further configured to extract power from said voltage and provide said power to an extension device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gateway module further comprises a controller operatively coupled to said power converter, said controller cooperating with said power converter to regulate the power provided via said telecommunications line.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controller communicates with said power converter via said telecommunications line to regulate at least the voltage applied to said line by said power converter.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one adapter unit is semi-permanently attached to a telephone jack.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said gateway module further comprises a wireless interface in data communication with said modulator/demodulator and adapted to at least receive radio frequency signals from a remote device.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one adapter unit is adapted to automatically sense and adjust the function of a telephone jack, thereby allowing it to be self-installable by said at least one subscriber.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said gateway module is self-installable by said at least one subscriber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said power converter further comprises a ground fault detector circuit adapted to detect faults on said telecommunications line.

9. A digital subscriber line (DSL) apparatus, comprising:

modulator/demodulator apparatus adapted to receive and transmit signals over at least one telecommunications line;

power extraction circuitry operatively coupled to said telecommunications line and adapted to generate power for said modulator/demodulator apparatus from voltage applied to said lines; and

an interface module operatively coupled to a dedicated premises power line and said modulator/demodulator apparatus, said interface module being adapted to transmit and receive data over said power line.

10. The DSL apparatus of claim 9, wherein said power line comprises a single-phase alternating current (AC) power distribution line.

11. The DSL apparatus of claim 10, wherein said interface module is compliant with the HomePlug Powerline Alliance 1.0 Specification.

12. The DSL apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a local network interface adapted to communicate with at least one other node in data communication with said DSL apparatus.

13. The DSL apparatus of claim 12, wherein said local network interface comprises a home phone network (HPN) gateway adapted to communicate with said at least one node via installed telephone wiring.

14. The DSL apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a wireless interface in data communication with said at least one telecommunications line and said modulator demodulator apparatus, said wireless interface being configured to receive data from a portable device and communicate said data to said modulator/demodulator apparatus.

15. The DSL apparatus of claim 14, wherein said wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth 2.4 GHz wireless standard.

16. The DSL apparatus of claim 14, wherein said wireless interface is compliant with IEEE Std. 802.11.

17. The DSL apparatus of claim 14, wherein said wireless interface utilizes direct sequence spread spectrum having a pseudo-noise (pn) spreading code.

18. The DSL apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a wireless interface in data communication with said at least one telecommunications line and said modulator demodulator apparatus, said wireless interface being configured to receive data from a portable device and communicate said data to said modulator/demodulator apparatus.

19. The DSL apparatus of claim 9, wherein said apparatus is adapted to receive signals having frequencies down to approximately 200 Hz.

20. A method of providing power over a communications line to a subscriber, comprising:

providing a power source operatively coupled to a first node of said line;

providing a power extractor operatively coupled to a second node of said line;

generating a voltage on said line using said power source;

generating power at said second node using said voltage and said power extractor;

providing a plurality of power extractors at respective ones of a plurality of additional nodes, said additional nodes being in electrical communication with said second node at the location of said subscriber;

extracting power from said line using said plurality of power extractors;

distributing said extracted power to respective ones of a plurality of extension devices coupled to respective ones of said power extractors;

detecting ground faults present on said telecommunications line; and

in response to said detected faults, controlling the operation of said power source.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising regulating said voltage applied to said line based at least in part on signals generated at said second node.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising adjusting said voltage applied to said line based at least in part on the distance between said first node and said second node.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting said voltage applied to said line based at least in part on the distance between said first node and said second node.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling the polarity of said voltage generated on said telecommunications line in order to mitigate the corrosion thereof.

25. Telecommunications apparatus, comprising:

a telephonic device;

line power circuitry in electrical communication with said telephonic device, said circuitry adapted to derive power from a telecommunications line to which said apparatus is operatively coupled, and provide said power to said telephonic device;

wherein said telecommunications line carries at least one derived telephone line; and

selection apparatus adapted to select one or more of said at least one derived telephone lines, wherein said selection apparatus comprises an address generator, said address generator generating at least one unique address, said at least one unique address being used to select said derived telephone line associated with said telecommunications apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said telephonic device comprises a multi-line telephone.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said line power circuitry is further adapted to:

(i) automatically sense the configuration of said telephonic device; and

(ii) alter the operation of said line power circuitry in response to said sensed configuration.

28. Apparatus for providing power to at least one subscriber via a telecommunications line, comprising:

a low frequency splitter operatively coupled to said telecommunications line;

a power conversion circuit adapted to generate electrical potential and apply such potential to said telecommunications line via said splitter; and

a power control circuit operatively coupled to said low frequency splitter and said power conversion circuit, said control circuit adapted to control said electrical potential applied to said line based at least in part on one or more parameters.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said low frequency splitter comprises a plurality of inductors.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the inductance values of said inductors are selected so as to provide a resonance condition for optimal response at a designated frequency.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said power generation circuit provides at least a portion of the total inductance of said apparatus.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising ground fault detection circuitry operatively coupled to said power conversion circuit such that the output of said power conversion circuit is controlled under ground fault conditions.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a regulator operatively coupled to said power conversion circuit and adapted to control the magnitude of said electrical potential.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said regulator is further adapted to control the polarity of said voltage.

35. Apparatus for providing power to at least one subscriber via a telecommunications line, comprising:

power conversion means operatively coupled to said telecommunications line for generating a voltage on said line;

modulator/demodulator means operatively coupled to said telecommunications line;

power line interface means adapted to transmit data over at least one premises dedicated power line local to said gateway module;

means for extracting power from said voltage on said telecommunications line; and

at least one adapter unit operatively coupled to said telecommunications line and further configured to extract power from said voltage and provide said power to an extension device.

36. The apparatus for providing power to at least one subscriber via a telecommunications line of claim 35, wherein said at least one adapter unit is semi-permanently attached to a fixture.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

sensing means in said at least one adapter unit, said sensing means adapted to automatically adjust the function of a telephone jack.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting ground faults present on said telecommunications line.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising:

address generating means for generating at least one unique address being used to select a derived telephone line associated with said apparatus for providing power to at least one subscriber via a telecommunications line.