Home power line network connected phone

• US 7,209,719 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liebenow, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/761,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.4, 455/127.1, 455/402, 455/572, 455/74.1, 455/557, 379/167.01, 379/167.11, 379/167.13, 379/176, 379185-186
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a cellular or cordless phone whereby power line networking is either integrated within its base station and/or charger or added as a module that can be installed into the base station and/or charger, providing a method of transferring network data between the cellular or cordless phone and another processing element connected to the power line without any additional cables.

Claims

1. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

a power supply having a power line input and at least one power output, said at least one power output connected through a cable and connector to said portable phone;

said at least one power output provides power to said portable phone;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input;

an output power coupling circuit connected to at least one output of said at least one power output;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and adapted to send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface connected to said output power coupling circuit to receive data signals from said portable phone and to send data signals to said portable phone; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output, said second modulator/demodulator circuit receiving data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output and for sending data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output.

2. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

3. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power supply is substantially mounted within a wall-wart that plugs directly into a power outlet.

4. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power line networking signal power line coupling circuit comprises a power line coupling capacitor and a power line isolation transformer.

5. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output power coupling circuit comprises an output power coupling capacitor and an output power isolation transformer.

6. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power line network interface uses Home Power Line Networking Association standards to communicate with at least one device through said power line coupling circuit.

7. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power line networking interface uses at least one type of modulation chosen from a group consisting of frequency modulation, pulse-width modulation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), quadrature modulation and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM).

8. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data signals include alphanumeric characters.

9. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric characters comprise information from an address book stored in a computer hard drive or persistent storage device.

10. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data signals include information from a computer connected to the portable phone via said power line input.

11. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said information includes data entered into a keyboard of the computer.

12. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

a base station providing electrical connections and support to hold and support said portable phone;

a power line input;

a power conversion circuit connected to said power line input and housed within said base station, said power conversion circuit provides at least one power output that connects to and provides power to said portable phone;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input;

an output power coupling circuit connected to one of said at least one power output;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface connected to a first modulator/demodulator circuit, said first modulator/demodulator circuit connected to said output power coupling circuit to receive data signals from said portable phone and send data signals to said portable phone; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output, said second modulator/demodulator circuit receiving data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output and for sending data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output.

13. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

14. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said power line networking signal coupling circuit comprises a power line coupling capacitor and a power line isolation transformer.

15. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said output power coupling circuit comprises an output power coupling capacitor and an output power isolation transformer.

16. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first modulator/demodulator uses at least one type of modulation chosen from a group consisting of frequency modulation, pulse-width modulation;

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), quadrature modulation and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM).

17. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second modulator/demodulator uses at least one type of modulation chosen from a group consisting of frequency modulation, pulse-width modulation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), quadrature modulation and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM).

18. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

a base station providing electrical connections and support to hold said portable phone;

a power supply external to said base station;

a power line input that connects to said power supply;

a power conversion circuit connected to said power line input and housed within said power supply, said power conversion circuit provides at least one power output routed through a connector located on said base station to power said portable phone;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input;

an output power coupling circuit connected to one of said at least one power output;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface connected to a first modulator/demodulator circuit, said first modulator/demodulator circuit connected to said output power coupling circuit to receive data signals from said portable phone and send data signals to said portable phone; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output, said second modulator/demodulator circuit adapted to receive data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output and adapted to send data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output.

19. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

20. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said power line networking signal coupling circuit comprises a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer.

21. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said output power coupling circuit comprises a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer.

22. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

a power supply;

a power line input connected to said power supply;

a power conversion circuit connected to said power line input having at least one power output connected to said portable phone through a power cable and a connector, said power conversion circuit provides power to said portable phone;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input;

an output power coupling circuit connected to one output of said at least one power output;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and adapted to send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface connected to said output power coupling circuit to receive data signals from said portable phone and send data signals to said portable phone; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output, said second modulator/demodulator circuit adapted to receive data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output and adapted to send data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output.

23. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

24. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said power line networking signal power line coupling circuit comprises a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer.

25. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said output power coupling circuit comprises a second coupling capacitor and a second isolation transformer.

26. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said power cable has a connector adapted to mate with a second connector located on said portable phone.

27. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data signals include alphanumeric characters comprising information from an address book stored in a computer hard drive or persistent storage device.

28. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data signals include information comprising data entered into a keyboard of the computer.

29. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

an external power supply;

a power line input that connects to said external power supply;

a power conversion circuit connected to said external power line input and housed within said external power supply, said power conversion circuit connected to said portable phone through a power cable and connector;

said power conversion circuit provides at least one power output to power said portable phone;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input housed within said external power supply;

an output power coupling circuit connected to one of said at least one power output, said output power coupling circuit housed within said external power supply;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface connected to a first modulator/demodulator circuit, said first modulator/demodulator circuit connected to said output power coupling circuit to receive data signals from said portable phone and send data signals to said portable phone, said

first modulator/demodulator circuit substantially housed within said external power supply; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located substantially within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output adapted to receive data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one output power and adapted to send data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one output power.

30. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

31. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said power line networking signal coupling circuit comprises a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer.

32. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said output power coupling circuit comprises a second coupling capacitor and a second isolation transformer.

33. A means for providing an external power supply system with power line networking to a portable phone comprising:

a means for housing said power supply system;

a means for providing power line input that passes through said means for housing;

a means for converting said power line input into at least one output voltage housed substantially within said means for housing;

a means for coupling to said power line input, said means for coupling connected to said power line input and said means for coupling substantially housed within said means for housing;

a means for coupling to at least one of said at least one output voltage, said means for coupling to at least one of said at least one output voltage substantially housed within said means for housing; and

a first means for modulating/demodulating a networking signal through said means for coupling to power line, said first means for modulating/demodulating a networking signal substantially housed within said means for housing;

a second means for modulating/demodulating a networking signal through said means for coupling to said one of said at least one output voltage, said second means for modulating/demodulating said networking signal substantially housed within said means for housing; and

a third means for modulating/demodulating said networking signals through a second means for coupling to said one of said at least one output voltage, said third means for modulating/demodulating said networking signals housed outside of said means for housing and within said portable phone.

34. A means for providing an external power supply system with power line networking to a portable phone as claimed in claim 33 wherein said means for providing power line input is a connector suitable for receiving a power cord.

35. A means for providing an external power supply system with power line networking to a portable phone as claimed in claim 33 wherein said means for coupling to power line networking signals comprises a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer.

36. A means for providing an external power supply system with power line networking to a portable phone as claimed in claim 33, wherein the networking signal includes alphanumeric characters comprising information from an address book stored in a computer hard drive or persistent storage device.

37. A means for providing an external power supply system with power line networking to a portable phone as claimed in claim 33, wherein the networking signals include information comprising data entered into a keyboard of the computer.

38. A portable phone system comprising:

a portable phone;

a base station providing electrical connections and support to hold and support said portable phone;

a power line input;

a power conversion circuit connected to said power line input and housed within said base station, said power conversion circuit provides at least one power output that connects to and provides power to said portable phone through a connector, said connector located on a surface of said base station;

a power line networking signal coupling circuit connected to said power line input;

a power line networking interface connected to said power line networking signal coupling circuit adapted to receive power line networking signals from said power line input and send power line networking signals to said power line input, said power line networking interface sends and receives power line networking signals to and from said portable phone through separate contacts of said connector; and

a second modulator/demodulator circuit located within said portable phone and connected to said one of said at least one power output, said second modulator/demodulator circuit adapted to receive data signals from said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output and adapted to send data signals to said first modulator/demodulator circuit over said one of said at least one power output.

39. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 38, wherein said power line input is a connector suitable to receive a power cord.

40. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 38, wherein said power line networking signal coupling circuit comprises a power line coupling capacitor and a power line isolation transformer.

41. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 38, wherein the power line networking signals include alphanumeric characters comprising information from an address book stored in a computer hard drive or persistent storage device.

42. A portable phone system as claimed in claim 38, wherein the power line networking signals include information comprising data entered into a keyboard of the computer.