Last leg power grid high-speed data transmitter and receiver structures
First Claim
1. A powerline based communication system comprising:
- a powerline node that couples to a power grid and to a high-speed communication link and comprises;
a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver that couples to the power grid and having receive path components and transmit path components; and
a baseband processor that communicatively couples to the high-speed communication link;
a powerline gateway that communicatively couples to the powerline node via a signal path of the power grid and comprises;
an RF transceiver that couples to the power grid, communicates with the RF transceiver of the powerline node within a data communication band via the signal path, and has receive path components and transmit path components; and
a baseband processor,wherein the power grid is designed to provide electrical utility service within a lower frequency band;
wherein the signal path is characterized by an end-to-end attenuation within the data communication band employed by the powerline node and the powerline gateway to exchange communications; and
wherein a system gain provided by the powerline node and the powerline gateway is chosen to overcome the end-to-end attenuation provided by the power grid within the data communication band.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powerline based communication system includes a powerline termination module, a plurality of powerline gateways, and a plurality of powerline nodes. The powerline termination module manages data for local area networks within the powerline based communication system. The plurality of powerline gateways is arranged in sets of powerline gateways, wherein each set of powerline gateways constitutes a local area network. Each of the plurality of powerline nodes is operably coupled to the powerline termination module via a high-speed communication path. In addition, each powerline node is operably coupled to set of powerline gateways, i.e., to a local area network, via powerlines of a local transformer. Each of the powerline nodes receives data for its respective LAN from the powerline termination module and provides the data to the powerline gateways of its LAN via the powerlines of the local transformer.
100 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A powerline based communication system comprising:
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a powerline node that couples to a power grid and to a high-speed communication link and comprises; a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver that couples to the power grid and having receive path components and transmit path components; and a baseband processor that communicatively couples to the high-speed communication link; a powerline gateway that communicatively couples to the powerline node via a signal path of the power grid and comprises; an RF transceiver that couples to the power grid, communicates with the RF transceiver of the powerline node within a data communication band via the signal path, and has receive path components and transmit path components; and a baseband processor, wherein the power grid is designed to provide electrical utility service within a lower frequency band; wherein the signal path is characterized by an end-to-end attenuation within the data communication band employed by the powerline node and the powerline gateway to exchange communications; and wherein a system gain provided by the powerline node and the powerline gateway is chosen to overcome the end-to-end attenuation provided by the power grid within the data communication band. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for operating a powerline based communication system comprising:
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characterizing a signal path between a transmitting device and a receiving device across a power grid within a frequency band of operation that differs from the design frequency of the power grid; based upon a characterization of the signal path, determining a required end-to-end system gain between the transmitting device and the receiving device; and setting the transmit gain of the transmitting device and the receive gain of the receiving device to satisfy the end-to-end system gain. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A powerline based communication system transceiving component operable to communicate with another powerline based communication system transceiving component via a signal path supported by a power grid comprising:
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an RF coupler that supports operable coupling to the power grid; a dynamic impedance matching block coupled to the RF coupler; receive path components coupled to the dynamic impedance matching block comprising; a receive path switch coupled to the dynamic impedance matching block; a band pass filter coupled to the receive path switch; and at least one gain controlled amplifier coupled to the band pass filter that produces a receive path signal; and transmit path components coupled to the dynamic impedance matching block comprising; a first band pass filter coupled to receive a transmit path signal; a power amplifier coupled to the output of the band pass filter; a second band pass filter coupled to the output of the power amplifier; and a transmit switch coupled to receive the output of the second band pass filter and having an output coupled to the dynamic impedance matching block; wherein the power grid is designed to provide electrical utility service within a lower frequency band; wherein the signal path is characterized by an end-to-end attenuation within a frequency band employed by the powerline node and the powerline gateway to exchange communications; and wherein the receive path components and the transmit path components are chosen to support a system gain that is sufficient to overcome the end-to-end attenuation provided by the power grid within the data communication band. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification