Power line communication device and method of using the same

• US 7,308,103 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Corcoran, Kevin F., Mollenkopf, James Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fields, Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US10/434,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 380/266, 455/445, 370/475
• US Class Current: 380/266
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

The repeater of the present invention communicates data signals over power lines. The repeater of one embodiment includes at least one modem that receives a data packet and attempts to decrypt the data packet with a first and/or second encryption key. If the packet is successfully decrypted using the first encryption key, the packet is encrypted using the second encryption and transmitted over the power line. If the packet is successfully decrypted using the second encryption key, the packet is encrypted using the first encryption and transmitted over the power line.

Claims

1. A device for communicating data over a power line, the device comprising:

a first modem communicatively coupled to the power line; and

a second modem communicatively coupled to the power line and said first modem, wherein said first modem is configured to decrypt data received from the power line using a first encryption key and to communicate the data decrypted with the first encryption key to said second modem, and wherein said second modem is configured to decrypt data received from the power line using a second encryption key and to communicate the data decrypted with the second encryption key to said first modem.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem is configured to encrypt data received from said second modem using said first encryption key and to transmit said encrypted data over the power line.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said second modem is configured to encrypt data received from said first modem using said second encryption key and to transmit said encrypted data over the power line.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the data transmitted over the power line by said first modem is transmitted to a transformer bypass device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the data received from the power line by said first modem is received from a transformer bypass device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the data received from the power line by said first modem is received from a transformer bypass device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the power line carries a voltage less than one thousand volts.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the power line carries a voltage greater than one thousand volts.

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

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said communication from said first modem to said second modem and from said second modem to said first modem is controlled, at least in part, by said router.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said router is configured to perform network address translation of said decrypted data.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said decrypted data includes information of a port.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem is communicatively coupled to the power line to communicate data signals over the power line by differentially transmitting said data signals on a first power line conductor and a second power line conductor.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first power line conductor is an energized conductor and the second power line conductor is an energized conductor.

15. The device of claim 3, further comprising a router in communication with said first modem and said second modem.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said communication from said first modem to said second modem and from said second modem to said first modem is via an Ethernet data path.

17. A method of communicating data over a power line, the method comprising:

receiving data from the power line;

decrypting the data using a first encryption key;

encrypting the data using a second encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising translating a network address of said decrypted data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said data includes information of a port.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said transmitting comprises differentially transmitting a data signal representing said encrypted data on a first power line conductor and a second power line conductor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first power line conductor is an energized conductor and the second power line conductor is an energized conductor.

22. A method of communicating data over a power line, the method comprising:

receiving data from the power line;

attempting to decrypt the received data using a first encryption key;

determining whether the data has been decrypted by the first encryption key;

if decryption of the data using the first encryption key is successful, encrypting the decrypted data using a second encryption key;

attempting to decrypt the received data using a second encryption key;

determining whether decryption of the received data using the second encryption key is successful;

if decryption of the data using the second encryption key is successful, encrypting the decrypted data using the first encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising translating a network address of said decrypted data.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said data includes information of a port.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said transmitting comprises differentially transmitting a data signal representing said encrypted data on a first power line conductor and a second power line conductor.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first power line conductor is an energized conductor and the second power line conductor is an energized conductor.

27. A method of communicating data over a power line, the method comprising:

receiving data from the power line;

attempting to decrypt the received data using a first encryption key;

determining whether decryption of the received data using the first encryption key is successful;

if decryption of the data using the first encryption key is successful, encrypting the decrypted data using a second encryption key;

if decryption of the data using the first encryption key is not successful performing steps a through c;

(a) attempting to decrypt the received data using a second encryption key,

(b) determining whether decryption of the received data using the second encryption key is successful,

(c) if decryption of the data using the second encryption key is successful, encrypting the decrypted data using the first encryption key, and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

28. A method of communicating data over a power line, the method comprising:

receiving data from the power line;

selecting one of a plurality of encryption keys to decrypt the received data;

decrypting said received data with said selected encryption key;

encrypting said data with a second encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said selecting comprises attempting to decrypt said data with said one of said plurality of encryption keys.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said selecting comprises attempting to decrypt said data with said plurality of encryption keys.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said selecting further comprises determining whether said attempting to decrypt said data with said one of said plurality of encryption keys is successful.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said selecting further comprises:

if said attempting to decrypt said data with said one of said plurality of encryption keys is not successful, attempting to decrypt said data with another of said plurality of encryption keys.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein at least some of said plurality of encryption keys are associated with different communication devices in different subscriber premises.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising translating a network address of said received data.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said received data includes information of a port.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of transmitting comprises differentially transmitting a data signal representing the encrypted data on a first power line conductor and a second power line conductor.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first power line conductor is an energized conductor and the second power line conductor is an energized conductor.

38. A device for communicating data over a power line, the device comprising:

a first modem communicatively coupled to the power line, wherein said first modem is configured to decrypt first data received from the power line using a first one of a plurality of encryption keys, to encrypt the first data using a second one of said plurality of encryption keys, and to communicate the encrypted first data to the power line; and

said encryption key used to encrypt said first data is determined based on a destination address associated with the data.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein said first modem is configured to decrypt second data received from the power line using the second one of said plurality of encryption keys, to encrypt the second data using the first one of said plurality of encryption keys, and to communicate the encrypted second data to the power line.

40. The device of claim 39,

wherein the destination address corresponds to one of a plurality of different communication devices in different subscriber premises.

41. The device of claim 38, wherein the destination address corresponds to one of a plurality of different communication devices in different subscriber premises.

42. A method of communicating data over a power line, the method comprising:

receiving data from the power line;

attempting to decrypt the received data using a first encryption key;

determining whether decryption of the received data using the first encryption key is successful;

if decryption of the data using the first encryption key is successful, encrypting the decrypted data using a second encryption key;

if decryption of the data using the first encryption key is not successful performing steps a and b;

(a) decrypting the received data using a second encryption key,

(b) encrypting the decrypted data using the first encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising translating a network address of said decrypted data.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said data includes information of a port.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said transmitting comprises differentially transmitting a data signal representing said encrypted data on a first power line conductor and a second power line conductor.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first power line conductor is an energized conductor and the second power line conductor is an energized conductor.

47. A method of providing communications to a first and second device in a power line communications system having a power line, comprising:

receiving first data from the power line;

encrypting first data using a first encryption key;

transmitting said encrypted first data over the power line for reception by the first device;

receiving second data from the power line;

encrypting second data using a second encryption key; and

transmitting said encrypted second data over the power line for reception by the second device.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising at the first device:

receiving said encrypted second data;

attempting to decrypt said encrypted second data with the first encryption key; and

determining that said attempt to decrypt said encrypted second data was unsuccessful.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising at the first device:

receiving said encrypted first data;

attempting to decrypt said encrypted first data with the first encryption key; and

determining that said attempt to decrypt said encrypted first data was successful.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising at the first device:

receiving said encrypted first data;

attempting to decrypt said encrypted first data with the first encryption key; and

determining that said attempt to decrypt said encrypted first data was successful.