Facilitating communication with power line communication devices

• US 7,199,699 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Gidge, Brett David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N.
• Application Number:
  US10/150,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.03, 340/310.05, 340/310.08, 375/257, 375/259, 375/219
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

The invention includes a method, system, and device for communicating a data signal with a low voltage premise network. The inventive method comprises communicating the data signal with the low voltage premise network, substantially reducing attenuation of the data signal caused by one or more components on the low voltage premise network, and communicating the data signal with a power line communication device. The substantial reduction of the attenuation of the data signal may be accomplished by a device whose impedance varies with frequency. The device may exhibit a higher impedance at higher frequencies and/or a lower impedance at lower frequencies.

Claims

1. A method of communicating a data signal via an internal low voltage premise network, comprising:

transmitting the data signal over the internal low voltage premise network;

substantially reducing attenuation of the data signal caused by one or more power line non-communication devices coupled to the internal low voltage premise network; and

receiving the data signal with a power line communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one power line non-communication device includes a decoupling capacitor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one power line non-communication device is an appliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantial reduction of the attenuation of the data signal is accomplished by an impedance device whose impedance varies with frequency.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the impedance device exhibits a higher impedance at higher frequencies.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the impedance device is part of one of the following:

a receptacle, a circuit panel, an electrical appliance, and an electrical power strip.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the impedance device exhibits a lower impedance at lower frequencies.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the power line communication device comprises a computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the power line communication device comprises a power line interface device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing high frequency signals provided to at least one power line non-communication device via the low voltage premise network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing high frequency signals provided to the low voltage premise network by the at least one power line non-communication device.

12. A system for communicating a data signal on an internal low voltage premise network, comprising:

a power line communication device that communicates the data signal;

a power line non-communication device coupled to the internal low voltage premise network, wherein the power line non-communication device attenuates data signals; and

a filter device coupling the power line non-communication device to the internal low voltage premise network, wherein the filter device substantially reduces attenuation of the data signal by the power line non-communication device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristics of the filter device are a function of at least one of the following:

frequency of the data signal, desired data signal-to-noise ratio, and desired high frequency isolation between device and internal low voltage premise network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the filter device is located within at least one of the following:

a receptacle, a circuit panel, an electrical appliance, and an electrical power strip.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the filter device presents a higher impedance to the data signal and a lower impedance to a power signal carried by the internal low voltage premise network.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the filter device includes at least one of the following:

inductors, ferrites, and capacitors.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the filter device has a current rating equal or greater than the current carried by the internal low voltage premise network.

18. A device for facilitating the communication of a data signal on an internal low voltage electric power network, comprising:

a first interface port in coupled to a power line non-communication device that receives electric power from the internal low voltage electric power network and wherein the power line non-communication device attenuates data signals;

a second interface port coupled to the internal low voltage electric power network; and

an inductive element in communication with the first and second interface port, wherein the inductive element substantially reduces attenuation of the data signal carried on the internal low voltage electric power network.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the second interface port is coupled to at least one of the following:

a “

hot”

conductor, a neutral conductor, a ground conductor.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the power line non-communication device is an electrical appliance.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is a part of one of the following:

a receptacle, a circuit panel, an electrical appliance, and an electrical power strip.

22. The device of claim 18, further comprising a high frequency shunt circuit that reduces reception of the data signal by the power line non-communication device.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the high frequency shunt circuit comprises a capacitor.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the high frequency shunt circuit reduces high frequency signals provided to the internal low voltage premise network by the power line non-communication device.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the high frequency shunt circuit reduces high frequency signals provided to the power line non-communication device by the internal low voltage premise network.

26. The device of claim 18, further comprising a metal oxide varistor and a gas discharge tube that provide low capacitance transient voltage and current protection.

27. A method of communicating a data signal on an internal low voltage power network, comprising:

providing the data signal to the internal low voltage power network;

modifying the characteristics of the internal low voltage power network to substantially reduce the data signal transmitted to a power line non-communication device located on the internal low voltage power network without substantially reducing a power signal provided by the internal low voltage power network; and

transmitting the data signal to a power line communication device.

28. A method of communicating a data signal with an internal low voltage premise network, comprising:

communicating the data signal with the internal low voltage premise network;

substantially reducing a degradation of the data signal caused by one or more power line non-communication devices coupled to the internal low voltage premise network; and

communicating the data signal with a power line communication device.

29. A method of communicating a data signal on an internal low voltage power network, comprising:

modifying the characteristics of the internal low voltage power network to prevent a power line non-communication device on the internal low voltage power network from attenuating the data signal;

transmitting the data signal to a power line communication device on the internal low voltage power network; and

receiving the data signal with the power line communication device.