Power line communications system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A power line communications system for communicating data over one or more medium voltage overhead power line conductors, comprising:
- a first communication device located at a first distribution transformer and coupled to a medium voltage (MV) power line conductor via a MV power line coupler;
wherein said first communication device is configured to transmit and receive data over the MV power line conductor via said MV power line coupler;
a second communication device connected to a low voltage power line that is electrically connected to a second distribution transformer that is connected to a MV overhead power line conductor and wherein said second communication device is configured to transmit and receive data over the low voltage power line; and
wherein said second communication device is communicatively coupled to said MV overhead power line conductor via the low voltage power line which is electrically connected to the second distribution transformer, which is electrically connected to said MV overhead power line conductor.
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Abstract
A power line communications system (PLCS) that provides communications to one or more user devices by repeating data packets on the power distribution network is provided. The PLCS may employ any or all of the MV power line conductors and/or the neutral conductor and be dynamically and remotely transitioned to one of a plurality of potential configurations.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A power line communications system for communicating data over one or more medium voltage overhead power line conductors, comprising:
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a first communication device located at a first distribution transformer and coupled to a medium voltage (MV) power line conductor via a MV power line coupler; wherein said first communication device is configured to transmit and receive data over the MV power line conductor via said MV power line coupler; a second communication device connected to a low voltage power line that is electrically connected to a second distribution transformer that is connected to a MV overhead power line conductor and wherein said second communication device is configured to transmit and receive data over the low voltage power line; and wherein said second communication device is communicatively coupled to said MV overhead power line conductor via the low voltage power line which is electrically connected to the second distribution transformer, which is electrically connected to said MV overhead power line conductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing power line communications over one or more overhead power line conductors to one or more metering devices, comprising:
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coupling a backhaul device to a backhaul link and to an MV overhead power line conductor via a first MV power line coupler; coupling a first communication devices to an MV overhead power line conductor via a second MV power line coupler; and wherein utility usage data originating from a metering device is communicated over a low voltage power line, through a distribution transformer to an MV overhead power line conductor, over an MV overhead power line conductor to the first communication device, and over an MV overhead power line conductor to the backhaul device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A power line communications system for communicating data to one or more user devices over an electrical power distribution network having one or more medium voltage overhead power line conductors, a neutral conductor, and at least one distribution transformer coupled to one of the medium voltage overhead power line conductors, comprising:
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a backhaul device communicatively coupled to one of the one or more medium voltage overhead power line conductors and to a backhaul link; a first communication device coupled to one of the one or more MV overhead power line conductors and configured to communicate with said backhaul device; a second communication device coupled to the low voltage power line and configured to communicate utility usage data; and wherein said first communication device is communicatively coupled to said second communication device through the low voltage power line, a distribution transformer connected to the low voltage power line, and an MV overhead power line conductor connected to the distribution transformer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification