Power line communication system and method of operating the same

• US 7,098,773 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/884,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.03, 340/310.05, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/310.08, 370/401, 370/420, 370/485, 375/258, 375/260, 333/101, 333/131
• US Class Current: 370/485
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

The present invention provides a power line communications system that may employ power lines and non-power communications mediums. In one embodiment, the system is comprised of a plurality of interface devices with each being in communication with one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power lines. Each interface device also may be in communication with an upstream communications device via a non-power line communications medium. The upstream communications device may communicate with a backhaul point via a backhaul link to provide access to a network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, each interface device provides an interface between one or more low voltage power lines and the non-power line communications medium, which may be a coaxial cable. The upstream communications device may provide routing for data communicated with the interface devices.

Claims

1. A power line communications system for providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power line subnets, wherein each low voltage power line subnet is electrically connected to a distribution transformer connected to a medium voltage power line, the system comprising:

a first communications device comprising a first non-power line communications medium interface, and a backhaul link interface configured to communicate via over a non-power line communication medium and in communication with said first non-power line communications medium interface;

a non-power line wired communications medium extending substantially parallel to the medium voltage power line and wherein said first non-power line communications medium interface is coupled to said non-power line wired communications medium;

a second communications device comprising a second non-power line communications medium interface communicatively coupled to said non-power line wired communications medium and comprising a first modem, and a first low voltage (LV) power line interface in communications with said second non-power line communications medium interface and comprising a second modem and a first router in communication with said second modem;

wherein said second communications device is in communication with said first communications device via said non-power line wired communications medium;

wherein said second communications device is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a first low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said first LV power line interface;

a third communications device comprising a third non-power line communications medium interface communicatively coupled to said non-power line wired communications medium and comprising a third modem, and a second LV power line interface in communications with said third non-power line communications medium interface and comprising a fourth modem and a second router in communication with said fourth modem;

wherein said third communications device is in communication with said first communications device via the non-power line wired communications medium; and

wherein said third communications device is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a second low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said second LV power line interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a backhaul point comprising a downstream interface and wherein said first communications device is in communication with said backhaul point via a backhaul link communicatively coupled to said backhaul link interface of said first communications device and said downstream interface of said backhaul point.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said backhaul link comprises a wireless communication link.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said backhaul link comprises a fiber optic link.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said backhaul link comprises a coaxial cable.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the non-power line wired communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said coaxial cable comprising said backhaul link also comprises the non-power line wired communications medium.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the coaxial cable comprising said backhaul link is coupled to said coaxial cable comprising said non-power line wired communications medium via said first communications device.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the communications medium comprising said backhaul link is coupled to the non-power line wired communications medium via said first communications device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communications device further comprises a first transceiver in communication with said first non-power line communications medium interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said first communications device further comprises a second transceiver in communication with said backhaul interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said first communications device further comprises a router in communication with said first transceiver and said second transceiver.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communications device comprises a first high pass filter communicatively coupled to said low voltage interface.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-power line wired communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

15. A method of providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power lines subnets, wherein each low voltage power line subnet is electrically connected to a distribution transformer connected to a medium voltage power line, comprising:

at a first communication device receiving first data via a first low voltage power line subnet from a first user device and receiving second data via the first low voltage power line subnet from a second user device;

at the first communication device routing said first data for transmission over a non-power line wired communications medium;

transmitting said first data over said non-power line wired communications medium from the first communication device;

at a second communication device, receiving third data via a second low voltage power line subnet from a third user device and receiving fourth data via the second low voltage cower line subnet from a fourth user device;

at the second communication device routing said third data for transmission over the non-power line wired communications medium;

transmitting said third data over said non-power line wired communications medium from the second communication device;

at a third communication device, receiving said transmitted first data and said transmitted third data via said non-power line wired communications medium;

transmitting the first data over a backhaul link; and

wherein said non-power line wired communications medium runs substantially parallel to a medium voltage power line.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

at the first device;

prioritizing the received first data and the second data;

transmitting the first data over the non-power line wired communications medium at a higher priority than said second data according to said prioritizing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data comprises voice data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second data comprises Internet data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data comprises video data.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data and the second data comprise voice data.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link comprises a wireless communication link.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link comprises a fiber optic link.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link comprises a coaxial cable.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-power line wired communications medium comprises a coaxial cable.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-power line wired communications medium comprises a fiber optic link.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link comprises a medium voltage power line.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link is coupled to the non-power line wired communications medium via the third communications device.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the backhaul link comprises the non-power line wired communications medium.

29. A power line communications system for providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power line subnets, wherein each low voltage power line subnet is electrically connected to a distribution transformer connected to a medium voltage power line, the system comprising:

a plurality of first communications devices, each comprising a first non-power line communications medium interface having a modem, and a second non-power line communications medium interface in communication with said first non-power line communications medium interface, and a router in communication with said modem;

a plurality of groups of second communications devices, each second communications device comprising a second non-power line communications medium interface having a second modem, a first low voltage (LV) power line interface in communication with said second non-power line communications medium interface having a third modem and a router in communication with said third modem;

wherein each said second communications device is in communication with one of said plurality of said first communications devices via a non-power line wired communications medium communicatively coupled to said second non-power line communications medium interface of said second communications device and to said first non-power line communications medium interface of said first communications device, wherein said non-power line wired communications medium extends substantially parallel to the medium voltage power line;

wherein each said second communications devices is in communication with one or more of the user devices via a first low voltage power line subnet communicatively coupled to said first LV power line interface; and

wherein each said second communications devices of each group is communicatively coupled to at least one other of said second communications devices in said same group via the non-power line wired communications medium.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein each said second communications device in each group is communicatively isolated from other second communications device in other groups.

31. A power line communications system for providing communications for one or more user devices via one or more low voltage power line subnets, wherein each low voltage power line subnet is electrically connected to a distribution transformer connected to a medium voltage power line, the system comprising:

a backhaul device;

a plurality of power line communication devices; and

a non-power line wired communication medium coupled to said plurality of power line communication devices and said backhaul device, and carrying communications between said plurality of power line communication devices and said backhaul device, wherein said non-power line wired communications medium runs substantially parallel to a medium voltage power line;

the backhaul device comprising a first interface for coupling to a backhaul medium and through which backhaul communications are directed, and a second interface for coupling to the non-power line wired communication medium; and

each one of said power line communication devices comprising a router, a first modem communicatively coupled to a low voltage power line subnet which carries communications to and from one or more of said user devices, and a second modem in communication with said router and communicatively coupled to the non-power line wired communication medium.