Systems and methods for use in providing local power line communication

• US 7,813,842 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAMI, TEJAL
• Application Number:
  US11/373,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20070213879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 700/292, 700/293, 324/522, 324/424, 307/31
• US Class Current: 700/292
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• 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: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

The present embodiments provide systems and methods for implementing and controlling local power line communication (PLC) networks. Some embodiments include a central controller communicationally coupled with a PLC power line, a sensor adaptor coupled between the PLC power line and a consumer product, with the sensor adaptor comprising a current detector that detects a current usage level passed through the sensor adaptor, a PLC interface through which the current usage level is communicated over the PLC power line to the central controller, and an adaptor switch that interrupts current flow to the consumer product in response to a command received over the PLC power line from the central controller when the current usage through the sensor adaptor has a predetermined relationship to a first threshold.

Claims

1. A local power line communication network, comprising:

a central controller communicationally coupled with a local power line communication (PLC) power line;

a sensor adaptor coupled between the local PLC power line and a consumer product, the sensor adaptor comprising;

a current detector that detects a current usage level passed through the sensor adaptor to the consumer product;

a PLC interface communicationally coupled with the local PLC power line, wherein the current usage level is communicated through the PLC interface and over the local PLC power line to the central controller; and

an adaptor switch that is opened interrupting current flow to the consumer product in response to an interrupt command received over the local PLC power line from the central controller when current usage through the sensor adaptor has a predetermined relationship to a first threshold and is closed resuming current flow to the consumer product in response to a reconnect command received over the local PLC power line from the central controller while the switch is open;

wherein the central controller generates a warning message when the central controller determines that the current usage through the sensor adaptor has a predetermined relationship to a second threshold that is less than the first threshold.

2. The local PLC network of claim 1, wherein the sensor adaptor further comprises an adaptor controller coupled with the PLC interface, the current detector and the adaptor switch;

wherein the adaptor controller communicates, over the local PLC power line and through the PLC interface, with the central controller to transmit the current usage level through the sensor adaptor and receive the command to interrupt the current flow to the consumer product, and the adaptor controller activates the adaptor switch to interrupt the current flow to the consumer product in response to receiving the command to interrupt the current flow.

3. The local PLC network of claim 2, wherein the sensor adaptor further comprises a PLC coupler communicationally coupled with the local PLC power line, wherein the PLC coupler couples PLC signal data between the adaptor controller and the local PLC power line, and blocks AC power from the local PLC power lines from the adaptor controller.

4. The local PLC network of claim 1, wherein the sensor adaptor includes a plug to connect with an outlet of the local PLC power line, and a receptacle to receive a plug from the consumer product.

5. The local PLC network of claim 1, wherein the central controller comprises:

a PLC interface coupled with the local PLC power line; and

a controller coupled with the PLC interface through which the controller receives the current usage level from the local PLC power line and through which the command to interrupt current to the consumer product is communicated from the controller to the local PLC power line when the controller determines that the current usage level has the predetermined relationship to the first threshold and the command to resume current flow to the consumer product is communicated from the controller over to local PLC power line.

6. The local PLC network of claim 5, wherein the central controller further comprises a user interface through which the controller receives user input and supplies local PLC network statistics.

7. The local PLC network of claim 1, further comprising:

a PLC circuit breaker coupled with the local PLC power line, the PLC circuit breaker comprising a breaker switch coupled with the local PLC power line that interrupts power to the local PLC power line when open, and a breaker PLC coupler coupled across the breaker switch maintaining a PLC signal path between the local PLC power line and another local PLC power line when the breaker switch is open.

8. The local PLC network of claim 7, wherein the PLC circuit breaker further comprises a breaker controller coupled with a PLC interface further coupled with the local PLC power line providing PLC communication between the breaker controller and the central controller to receive a breaker command from the central controller such that the breaker controller controls the opening of the breaker switch.