Wireless link for power line communications system

• US 7,508,834 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William H., Yaney, David Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US11/156,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 370/277, 370/279, 370/293, 370/315, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention may include of plurality of wireless hops that provide a multi-hop wireless link for facilitating the communication of voice, video, audio, and other data in a packet based network between a broadband power line communications network and a conventional telecommunications link (such as a fiber optic link), which may be connected to another network such as the Internet via a point-of-presence.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a first power line communications system (PLCS) subnet;

an upstream communications device in communication with a point-of-presence;

a multi-hop wireless link providing a communications path between said PLCS subnet and said upstream communication device;

wherein said multi-hop wireless link comprises a first and second wireless hop communicatively coupled to each other via a first wireless link;

wherein said first wireless link includes a wireless downstream link in which data travels from said first wireless hop toward said second wireless hop;

wherein said first wireless link includes a wireless upstream link in which data travels from said second wireless hop toward said first wireless hop;

wherein said wireless upstream link and said wireless downstream link are orthogonal to each other; and

wherein said first wireless link comprises a full duplex wireless link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said PLCS subnet via a second wireless link.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a third wireless link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a second wireless link.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless hop is configured to not demodulate data signals communicated via said first wireless link.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless hop is configured to not perform error detection on data communicated via said first wireless link.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said first and second wireless hops are configured to not perform error detection on data communicated via said first wireless link.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless hops are configured to communicate with each other via an IEEE 802.11 protocol.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless link and said second wireless link are orthogonal to each other.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless hop is coupled to said PLCS subnet via a wired connection and said second wireless hop is communicatively coupled to said upstream communications device via a second wireless link.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless link includes a third wireless hop communicatively coupled to said first wireless hop and said second wireless hop.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless hops are configured to communicate with each other via a Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless link includes a frequency band at about sixty gigahertz.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third wireless hop communicatively coupled to said second wireless hop via a second wireless link; and

wherein said third wireless hop is communicatively coupled to a second PLCS subnet.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between said first wireless hop and said second wireless hop is less than one thousand feet.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless hop is communicatively coupled to a second PLOS subnet and said first wireless hop includes a router.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

18. A system for providing communications over a portion of an electrical distribution network comprising a power line carrying power, comprising:

a first medium voltage interface device (MVID) comprising a backhaul wireless transceiver and a first power line port in communication with said backhaul wireless transceiver and configured to communicate via the power line;

a first wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first MVID via a first wireless link;

a second wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first wireless communications device via a second wireless link;

wherein said second wireless link includes a wireless downstream link in which data travels from said second wireless communications device toward said first wireless communications device;

wherein said second wireless link includes a wireless upstream link in which data travels from said first wireless communications device toward said second wireless communications device;

wherein said wireless upstream link and said wireless downstream link are orthogonal to each other; and

wherein said second wireless link comprises a full duplex wireless link.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a third wireless communications device in wireless communication with said first wireless communications device via a third wireless link.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said second wireless communications device includes a wired port for communications with a second MVID.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said second wireless communications device further comprises a router in communications with said wired port.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said first MVID further comprises a router in communication with said backhaul wireless transceiver.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise unlicensed orthogonal frequency bands.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said first wireless communications device is configured to not demodulate data signals.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a third wireless communications device in wireless communication with said second wireless communications device via a third wireless link; and

wherein said second wireless communications device comprises a router.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said first wireless communications device includes a first radio configured to communicate via said first wireless link, a second radio configured to communicate via said second wireless link;

and a router in communication with said first radio and said second radio.

28. A method of providing communications over an electrical distribution network comprising at least one medium voltage (MV) power line and at least one low voltage power line, the method comprising:

receiving first data from the MV power line at a first device;

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the first device via a first wireless link;

wirelessly receiving the first data transmitted from the first device at a second device;

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the second device via a second wireless link; and

wirelessly receiving the first data transmitted from the second device at a third device;

wherein said second wireless link includes a wireless downstream link in which data travels from said second device toward said first device;

wherein said second wireless link includes a wireless upstream link in which data travels from said first device toward said second device;

wherein said wireless upstream link and said wireless downstream link are orthogonal to each other; and

wherein said second wireless link comprises a full duplex wireless link.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the third device via a third wireless link; and

wirelessly receiving the first data transmitted from the third device at a fourth device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said first and second wireless links are orthogonal to each other.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the second device is configured to not perform error detection of one or more data packets carrying the first data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the third device is configured to not perform error detection of one or more data packets carrying the first data.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the fourth device is configured to not perform error detection of one or more data packets carrying the first data.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising routing the first data at the first device.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising routing the first data at the second device.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the time for data to be communicated from said second device to said fourth device is less than six milliseconds for ninety-nine percent of the data.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein said second communications device is configured to not demodulate received data signals carrying the first data.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the first and second wireless links comprise licensed frequency bands.

39. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving second data wirelessly transmitted from a fourth device at the second device;

wirelessly transmitting the second data from the second device via the second wireless link; and

wirelessly receiving the second data transmitted from the second device at the third device.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising routing the first data and the second data at the second device.