Power line communication apparatus and method of using the same

• US 7,245,212 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Cope, Leonard D., Mollenkopf, James Douglas, Kline, Paul A., White, II, Melvin Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US11/218,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 340/538, 340/310.11, 340/310.12, 340/310.16, 340/310.17
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/483 Installation of aerial type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

A communication device for use with a power line communication system is provided. One embodiment forms a bypass device and comprises a low voltage coupler, a low voltage signal conditioner, a controller, a medium voltage modem, a first medium signal conditioner, an isolator, a second medium voltage signal conditioner, and a medium coupler. The controller may provide routing functions to give priority to certain types of data, control access to the network, filter data packets, process software upgrades, and provision new subscriber devices. In addition, the controller may monitor, process, and transmit traffic data, measured power data, errors, and other collected data.

Claims

1. A power line communications device for communicating data over a medium voltage power line carrying a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the device comprising:

a user device interface configured to communicate with a plurality of user devices and comprising;

a first filter,

a first amplifier communicatively coupled to said first filter, and

a first modem communicatively coupled to said first amplifier;

a medium voltage interface configured to be communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line and comprising;

a medium voltage coupler;

a second filter communicatively coupled to said coupler,

a second amplifier communicatively coupled to said second filter; and

a second modem communicatively coupled to said second amplifier and having a media access control address; and

a controller in communication with said medium voltage interface and said user device interface and comprising;

a memory storing program code therein, and

a processor configured to execute said program code.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system configured to supply power to said first modem and said second modem and wherein said power supply system includes a battery backup.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said user device interface further comprises a switch communicatively coupled to said first modem and having a data receive configuration for receiving data and a data transmit configuration for transmitting data.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to transmit data traffic information over the medium voltage power line via said second modem.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem includes a media access control address.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to route data packets.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to prioritize data packets based, at least in part, on the subscription level of the user.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to prioritize data packets based, at least in part, on the type of data in the data packets.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said coupler couples data, at least in part, via inductive coupling.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said coupler comprises a magnetically permeable toroid configured to be disposed at least partially around the medium voltage power line and a winding through said toroid.

11. The-device of claim 1, wherein said coupler couples data, at least in part, via capacitive coupling.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem is in communication with a utility meter and an address for said utility meter is stored in said memory.

13. The-device of claim 1, further comprising a first Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with said first modem stored in said memory and a second address associated with said second modem stored in said memory.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said second modem communicates over the medium voltage power line via Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing modulation.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem communicates using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing modulation.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said user device interface communicates data over a low voltage power line in a first frequency band and said medium voltage interface communicates data over the medium voltage power line in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising a router in communication with said first modem and said second modem.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said router is configured to provide data packets containing voice data higher priority for transmission than at least some data packets containing non-voice data.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first analog to digital converter (ADC) in communication with said controller and configured to measure a power line voltage.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to cause said second modem to transmit an out of limit voltage notification over the medium voltage power line.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to cause said second modem to transmit a power line voltage measurement over the medium voltage power line.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a first code segment configured to cause said controller to store in said memory new program code received over the medium voltage power line.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said program code includes a second code segment configured to cause said controller to execute said new program code.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to filter at least some data packets communicated with a user device.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein said user device interface is configured to communicate with the plurality of user devices via a wireless link.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to store in memory address information associated with a plurality of user devices received via the medium voltage power line.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to restrict unauthorized communications.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein said user device interface is configured to communicate with a video presentation system and wherein an address for said video presentation system is stored in said memory.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein said user device interface is configured to communicate with a telephone and wherein an address for said telephone is stored in said memory.

30. A method of communicating data over a medium voltage power line carrying a voltage greater than one thousand volts, comprising:

receiving user data signals containing user data from a user device;

filtering the user data signals;

amplifying the filtered user data signals,

demodulating the amplified user data signals to provide the user data;

executing program code stored in a memory to process the user data;

modulating a signal with the user data to provide upstream data signals;

amplifying the upstream data signals;

transmitting the upstream data signals over the medium voltage power line;

receiving medium voltage data signals containing downstream data from the medium voltage power line;

filtering the medium voltage (MV) data signals,

amplifying the filtered MV data signals,

demodulating the amplified MV data signals to provide the downstream data;

executing program code stored in the memory to process the downstream data;

modulating a signal with the downstream data to provide downstream data signals;

amplifying the downstream data signals; and

transmitting the downstream data signals to one or more user devices.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing a power supply system having a battery backup.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

measuring a voltage of a power line; and

storing voltage data in the memory.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said measuring is performed periodically and in accordance with information stored in the memory.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising transmitting an out of limit voltage notification over the medium voltage power line.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising transmitting the voltage data over the medium voltage power line.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the user data forms part of a user data packet and further comprising adding a media access control address to the user data packet.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising routing the user data.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising prioritizing voice data higher for transmission than at least some non-voice data.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising prioritizing user data based, at least in part, on the subscription level of the user.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising prioritizing user data based, at least in part, on the type of data.

41. The method of claim 30, further comprising storing addresses for a plurality of utility meters in the memory.

42. The method of claim 30, wherein said modulating to provide upstream data signals comprises Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing modulating.

43. The method of claim 30, wherein said user data signals are received in a first frequency band and said upstream data signals are transmitted in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band.

44. The method of claim 30, wherein said processing of the user data comprises routing of said user data and said processing of the downstream data comprises routing of the downstream data.

45. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a first code segment over the medium voltage power line;

storing said first code segment in the memory; and

executing said first code segment.

46. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

storing data traffic information in the memory; and

transmitting the data traffic information over the medium voltage power line.

47. The method of claim 30, wherein said processing comprises filtering at least some of the user data.

48. The method of claim 30, wherein said receiving the user data signals comprises receiving the user data signals via a wireless link.

49. The method of claim 30, wherein said receiving the user data signals comprises receiving the user data signals via a low voltage power line.

50. The method of claim 30, wherein said receiving the user data signals comprises receiving the user data signals via a coaxial cable.

51. The method of claim 30, wherein said receiving the user data signals comprises receiving the user data signals via a twisted pair telephone cable.

52. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of addresses associated with user devices; and

storing the addresses in the memory.

53. The method of claim 30, wherein said processing of user data comprises restricting unauthorized communications.

54. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

storing an address of a video presentation system in the memory; and

wherein at least some of the downstream data comprises video data addressed for the video presentation system.

55. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

storing an address of a telephone in the memory; and

wherein at least some of the downstream data comprises telephone data addressed for the telephone.

56. A power line communications device for communicating data over a medium voltage power line carrying a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the device comprising:

a network interface having a first modem configured to communicate via a non-power line communications medium;

a medium voltage interface configured to be communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line and comprising;

a medium voltage coupler;

a first filter communicatively coupled to said coupler,

a first amplifier communicatively coupled to said first filter; and

a second modem communicatively coupled to said first amplifier and having a media access control address; and

a controller in communication with said medium voltage interface and said network interface and comprising;

a memory storing program code therein,

a processor configured to execute said program code, said program code including a code segment;

a plurality of address stored in said memory; and

wherein each of said addresses corresponds to one of a plurality a communications devices coupled to the medium voltage power line.

57. The device of claim 56, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to route data packets.

58. The device of claim 56, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to prioritize data packets based, at least in part, on the subscription level of the user.

59. The device of claim 56, wherein said program code includes a program code segment configured to cause said controller to prioritize data packets based, at least in part, on the type of data in a data packet.

60. The device of claim 56, wherein said coupler couples data, at least in part, via inductive coupling.

61. The device of claim 56, wherein said coupler comprises a magnetically permeable toroid configured to be disposed at least partially around the medium voltage power line and a winding through said toroid.

62. The device of claim 56, wherein said coupler couples data, at least in part, via capacitive coupling.

63. The device of claim 56, wherein said second modem is configured to communicate over the medium voltage power line via Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing modulation.

64. The device of claim 56, further comprising a router in communication with said first modem and said second modem.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein said router is configured to provide data packets containing voice data higher priority for transmission than at least some data packets containing non-voice data.

66. The device of claim 56, wherein said program code includes a first code segment configured to cause said controller to transmit new program code over the medium voltage power line to the plurality of communications devices coupled to the medium voltage power line.