Power line communication device and method

• US 7,804,763 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkman, William H., Boot, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mattis, Jason E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEDNASH, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US11/462,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 370/208, 370/229, 370/299, 370352-357, 370/469, 370/294, 455/402, 455/574, 709/222, 709/249, 340/310.1, 340/538.11, 340/693.1, 340/310.03
• US Class Current: 370/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2863 Arrangements for combining access network resources elements, e.g. channel bonding modem pooling H04L25/14; routing of packets H04L45/00; multichannel or multilink protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801

Abstract

A power line communication device for communicating data signals over a power line is provided. One example embodiment comprises a conditioning circuit configured to be coupled to the power line and a modem communicatively coupled to the conditioning circuitry to transmit and receive data signals over the power line via the conditioning circuitry. The modem may be configured to transmit and receive orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data signals that comprise a plurality of sub-carriers, wherein the modem is adapted to vary the transmit power for each of a plurality of subsets of the plurality of sub-carriers from substantially zero power to a plurality of increments above zero power. The modem also may be adapted to transmit and receive data signals with the transmit power for each of a plurality of subsets of the plurality of sub-carriers being different and to transmit and receive using a different modulation scheme at different sub-carriers.

Claims

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

a conditioning circuit configured to be coupled to the power line;

a first modem integrated circuit communicatively coupled to said conditioning circuitry;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to transmit and receive orthogonal frequency division multiplexed data signals that comprise a plurality of sub-carriers;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit controls the transmit power of each sub-carrier of the plurality of sub-carriers on an individual basis from zero power to a plurality of increments above zero power for a particular data signal;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to supply data signals with the transmit power to said conditioning circuitry;

wherein said conditioning circuitry is configured to amplify the transmit power of the supplied data signals and to couple the amplified data signals to the power line;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to output at least some data signals to said conditioning circuit having a first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers at a transmit power that is different than the transmit power for a second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers;

wherein said conditioning circuit comprises a frequency translation circuit configured to downband the sub-carriers of the data signals received from said first modem integrated circuit;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to process received data signals having a delay spread of ten microseconds; and

wherein the data signals coupled to the power line by said conditioning circuit are compatible with an IEEE 802.16 (e) standard signal set.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing in which said first modem integrated circuit is disposed; and

a second modem integrated circuit disposed in said housing and communicatively coupled to said first modem integrated circuit and configured to provide communications to one or more user devices.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit power for the first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers is zero and the transmit power for the second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers is not zero.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first subset of sub-carriers are disposed at one or more frequencies that are between frequencies of those of the second subset of sub-carriers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is adapted to transmit two data signals and wherein the transmit power for the majority of the sub-carriers of each data signal is different.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to provide Quality of Service.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the power line comprises a medium voltage power line.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the power line comprises a low voltage power line.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is adapted to change the modulation used for a subset of the plurality of sub-carriers.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is adapted to output a data signal by modulating a third subset of the plurality of sub-carriers using a first modulation scheme and by modulating a fourth subset of the plurality of sub-carriers using a second modulation scheme.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said first modulation scheme provides a higher data rate than said second modulation scheme and said first modem integrated circuit is configured transition from said first modulation scheme to said second modulation scheme for the fourth subset of sub-carriers.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said transition is based upon determining an increased error rate.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein said transition is based upon determining a reduced data rate.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna communicatively coupled to said first modem integrated circuit.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and to use a different subset of sub-carriers to transmit data signals to each of the remote devices.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is adapted to vary the number of the sub-carriers used to transmit data signals.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which said first modem integrated circuit is disposed;

and

a router disposed in said housing and communicatively coupled to said first modem integrated circuit.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a second modem disposed in said housing and communicatively coupled to said router.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to output data signals compatible with an IEEE 802.16 (e) standard signal set.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate via Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA).

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and is adapted to change the subset of sub-carriers used for communications with each of the remote devices.

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

receiving data;

processing the data via a modem integrated circuit to output one or more modulated data signals comprised of a plurality of sub-carriers;

wherein a transmit power of each sub-carrier of the plurality of sub-carriers can be controlled by the modem integrated circuit on an individual basis from zero power to a plurality of increments above zero power for each data signal of the one or more data signals;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to process received data signals having a delay spread of ten microseconds;

wherein the transmit power for each sub-carrier of the plurality of sub-carriers of different data signals can be varied by the modem integrated circuit over a plurality of increments above zero power;

frequency shifting the one or more modulated data signals to a lower frequency band;

amplifying the transmit power of the one or more modulated data signals;

coupling the amplified frequency shifted modulated data signals to the power line; and

wherein the amplified frequency shifted modulated data signals coupled to the power line are compatible with an IEEE 802.16 (e) standard signal set.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first modem integrated circuit is configurable to output a power per carrier for a first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers that is at a first power level and a power per carrier for a second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers that is at a second power level and wherein in a first modem configuration the first power level and the second power level are different and non-zero power.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein in a second modem configuration the power per carrier for the first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers is zero and the power per carrier for the second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers is not zero.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the sub-carriers of the first subset are disposed at one or more frequencies that are between frequencies of the sub-carriers of the second subset.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate via Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA).

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing Quality of Service with the modem integrated circuit.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the power line comprises a medium voltage power line.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the power line comprises a low voltage power line.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising changing the modulation scheme used for a subset of the plurality of sub-carriers over time while not changing the modulation scheme used for a different subset of the plurality of sub-carriers.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising outputting a data signal via the modem integrated circuit by modulating a first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers using a first modulation scheme and by modulating a second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers using a second modulation scheme and wherein the first and second subsets of the plurality of sub-carriers are coupled to the power line simultaneously.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said first modulation scheme provides a higher data rate than said second modulation scheme and the modem integrated circuit is configured to transition from said first modulation scheme to said second modulation scheme for the second subset of sub-carriers.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said transition is based upon determining an increased error rate.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said transition is based upon determining a reduced data rate.

35. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing an antenna coupled to the modem integrated circuit.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and to use a different subset of sub-carriers for data signals transmitted to each of the remote devices.

37. The method of claim 22, further comprising varying the number of the sub-carriers used to provide data signals over time.

38. The method of claim 22, further comprising frequency shifting the sub-carriers of the data signals to a lower frequency band.

39. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the received data.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein receiving data comprises demodulating a received data signal.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein the received data is received from one or more user devices.

42. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a plurality of data signals via the modem integrated circuit and wherein the transmit power for the majority of the sub-carriers of different data signals is different.

43. The method of claim 22, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and to vary the subset of sub-carriers used for communications with each of the remote devices.

49. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more modulated data signals output by the modem integrated circuit are compatible with an IEEE 802.16 standard signal set.

44. A method of communicating over a power line, comprising:

receiving data from a user device;

determining a destination for the data;

modulating the data via a modem integrated circuit to output one or more data signals comprised of a plurality of sub-carriers;

wherein a transmit power of each sub-carrier of the plurality of sub-carriers can be controlled by the modem integrated circuit on an individual basis from zero power to a plurality of increments above zero power for each data signal of the one or more data signals;

wherein the transmit power for each subcarrier of the plurality of sub-carriers of different data signals can be varied by the modem integrated circuit over a plurality of increments above zero power;

wherein said first modem integrated circuit is configured to process received data signals having a delay spread of ten microseconds;

conducting the one or more data signals from the modem integrated circuit to a conditioning circuit;

frequency shifting the plurality of sub-carriers of the one or more data signals with the conditioning circuit;

amplifying the transmit power of the frequency shifted plurality of sub-carriers of the one or more data signals with the conditioning circuit;

coupling the amplified data signals to the power line; and

wherein the amplified data signals coupled to the power line are compatible with an IEEE 802.16 (e) standard signal set.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configurable to output a power per carrier for a first subset of the plurality of sub-carriers that is at a first power level and a power per carrier for a second subset of the plurality of sub-carriers that is at a second power level and wherein in a first modem configuration the first power level and the second power level are different and non-zero power.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and is adaptable to vary the subset of sub-carriers used for communications with each of the remote devices.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote devices and to use a different subset of sub-carriers for data signals transmitted to each of the remote devices.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the one or more data signals output by the modem integrated circuit are compatible with an IEEE 802.16 standard signal set.