Data communication over a power line
First Claim
1. A communication device for communicating over a power distribution system comprising a power line carrying a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, said power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
- an inductive coupler to be communicatively coupled to the power line;
a modem communicatively coupled to said coupler and configured to communicate data over the power line; and
a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem and capable of communicating with a plurality of remote transceivers disposed in one or more of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Data signals are communicated between a power line and a computer, wherein the power line provides power to the computer via a distribution transformer and the computer is in communication with a wireless communication path. A first data signal is communicated with the power line. A conversion is made between the first data signal and a second data signal capable of being communicated wirelessly. The second data signal is wirelessly communicated with the wireless communication path.
399 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A communication device for communicating over a power distribution system comprising a power line carrying a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, said power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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an inductive coupler to be communicatively coupled to the power line; a modem communicatively coupled to said coupler and configured to communicate data over the power line; and a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem and capable of communicating with a plurality of remote transceivers disposed in one or more of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 3. The device of 2, wherein said coupler comprises a toroid.
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11. A communication device for communicating over a power distribution system comprising a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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a data signal impedance coupled to the power line and comprising a magnetically permeable toroid; a coupler comprising a first port and a second port wherein said first port is coupled to the power line on a first side of the data signal impedance and the second port of said coupler is coupled to the power line on the second side of the data signal impedance; a modem communicatively coupled to said coupler; and a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem and capable of communicating with a plurality of remote transceivers disposed in one or more of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A communication device for communicating over a power distribution system comprising a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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a capacitive coupler communicatively coupled to the power line; a modem communicatively coupled to said coupler and configured to communicate over the power line; and a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem, wherein said wireless transceiver is capable of communicating with a plurality of remote wireless transceivers at the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of communicating data signals over a power distribution system comprising a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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at a first location; inductively coupling a first data signal from the power line; demodulating the first data signal to provide first digital data; and wirelessly transmitting a second data signal based on said first digital data to a remote transceiver at one of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of communicating data signals over a power distribution system comprising a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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wirelessly receiving a first data signal through the air from a remote transceiver located at one of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines; demodulating the first data signal to provide first digital data; modulating the first digital data to provide a second data signal; and inductively coupling the second data signal to the power line.
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21. A communication device for communicating over a power distribution system that comprises a power line carrying a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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a data coupler to be communicatively coupled to the power line; a modem communicatively coupled to said coupler and configured to communicate via the power line; a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said modem and capable of communicating with a plurality of a remote transceivers at one or more of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines; and a power coupler configured to inductively couple power from the power signal carried by the power line, wherein power from said power coupler supplies power to said modem. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of communicating data signals over a power distribution system comprising a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power distribution system supplying power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, comprising:
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capacitively coupling a first data signal from the power line; demodulating the first data signal to provide first digital data; and wirelessly transmitting a second data signal based on said first digital data to a remote transceiver at one of the plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines.
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Specification