System and method for connecting electrical devices using fiber optic serial communication
First Claim
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1. An electrical metering device for measuring an amount of electrical power usage of a power distribution system comprising:
- an input channel for receiving a light signal;
light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the light signal from the input channel and converting the light signal to a first voltage signal;
a processor for receiving the first voltage signal, processing the first voltage signal and outputting results of the processing as a second voltage signal wherein said processor is configured to determine the amount of electrical power usage measured by the electrical metering device;
gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the first voltage signal from the LVC circuitry, a second input for receiving the second voltage signal including the output results from the processor, and circuitry for generating an output signal corresponding to a signal received at one of the first and second inputs, wherein receipt of the first and second voltage signals are staggered for preventing data collisions;
voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the output signal from the gate circuitry and converting the received signal to a light signal; and
an output channel for outputting the light signal from the VLC circuitry.
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Abstract
A system and method for communicating between serially connected electrical devices of a network is provided. The network includes a series of electrical devices, and fiber optic connectors between electrical devices of the series of electrical devices forming a closed communication ring in which output of each electrical device is communicatively connected to input of a subsequent electrical device of the series of electrical devices.
32 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An electrical metering device for measuring an amount of electrical power usage of a power distribution system comprising:
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an input channel for receiving a light signal; light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the light signal from the input channel and converting the light signal to a first voltage signal; a processor for receiving the first voltage signal, processing the first voltage signal and outputting results of the processing as a second voltage signal wherein said processor is configured to determine the amount of electrical power usage measured by the electrical metering device; gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the first voltage signal from the LVC circuitry, a second input for receiving the second voltage signal including the output results from the processor, and circuitry for generating an output signal corresponding to a signal received at one of the first and second inputs, wherein receipt of the first and second voltage signals are staggered for preventing data collisions; voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the output signal from the gate circuitry and converting the received signal to a light signal; and an output channel for outputting the light signal from the VLC circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Circuitry for connecting an electrical device to a closed communication network of connected electrical devices, the circuitry comprising:
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an input channel for receiving a light signal from an output channel of a preceding electrical device of the series of electrical devices; light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the light signal from the input channel and converting the light signal to a first voltage signal and providing the first voltage signal to a processor of the electrical device; gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the first voltage signal from the LVC circuitry, a second input for receiving a second voltage signal including output results from the processor, and circuitry for performing a logical OR operation on signals received at the first and second inputs and generating an output signal which is provided to the VLC circuitry, wherein receipt of the first and second voltage signals are staggered for preventing data collisions; voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the output signal from the gate circuitry and converting the received signal to a light signal; and an output channel outputting the light signal from the VLC circuitry to a subsequent electrical device of the series of electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A network of serially connected electrical devices comprising:
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a series of electrical devices, wherein respective electrical devices of the series of electrical devices comprise;
an input channel for receiving a light signal from an output channel of a preceding electrical device of the series of electrical devices;
light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the light signal from the input channel and converting the light signal to a voltage signal;
a processor for receiving the voltage signal, processing the voltage signal and outputting results of the processing wherein said processor is configured to determine the amount of electrical power usage measured by the respective electrical device;
gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the voltage signal from the LVC circuitry, a second input for receiving the output results from the processor, and circuitry for generating an output signal corresponding to a signal received at one of the first and second inputs, wherein receipt of the signals at the first and second inputs are staggered for preventing data collisions;
voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the output signal from the gate circuitry and converting the received signal to a light signal; and
an output channel for outputting the light signal from the VLC circuitry to a subsequent electrical device of the series of electrical devices; andfiber optic connectors between electrical devices of the series of electrical devices for forming a closed communication ring in which an output of respective electrical devices is communicatively connected to an input of a subsequent electrical device of the series of electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electrical metering device of a plurality of serially connected electrical metering devices, wherein the plurality of serially connected electrical devices form a closed communication ring in which an output of a respective electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices is communicatively connected to an input of a subsequent electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices, the electrical metering device comprising:
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a processor for receiving, processing and outputting signals; circuitry for receiving light signals from a preceding electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices, converting the received light signals into electrical signals and providing the electrical signals to the processor wherein said processor is configured to determine the amount of electrical power usage measured by the electrical metering device; gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the converted electrical signals directly from the circuitry for receiving light signals, a second input for receiving electrical signals output by the processor, and circuitry for generating an output signal corresponding to a signal received at one of the first and second inputs, wherein receipt of the signals at the first and second inputs are staggered for preventing data collisions; and circuitry for receiving the output signal from the gate circuitry, converting received output signal into light signals and providing the light signals to the subsequent electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices;
wherein the light signals are propagated between electrical devices of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices primarily via fiber optic connectors. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of communicating light signals between an electrical metering device and other electrical metering devices of a series of electrical metering devices comprising the steps of:
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communicating with at least one electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices configured in a closed communication ring in which an output channel of respective electrical metering devices of the series of electrical metering devices is communicatively connected by a fiber optic connector to an input channel of a subsequent electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices; receiving a light signal in an electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices from a preceding electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices; converting the received light signal to an electrical signal; processing the converted electrical signal; performing a logic OR operation on the converted electrical signal and the processed converted electrical signal, wherein receipt of the converted electrical signal and processed converted electrical signal are staggered due to the processing of the converted electrical signal for preventing data collisions; converting at least a signal including results of the logic OR operation into a light signal; and transmitting the converted light signal to a subsequent electrical metering device of the series of electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification