Wi-Fi/BPL dual mode repeaters for power line networks

• US 7,852,837 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Okora, Jeremiah A., Au, Alan K., Dolan, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones; Prenell P
• Application Number:
  US11/016,140
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 370/503, 370/465, 370/272, 370/310, 370/475, 370/442, 370/485, 370/464, 370/244, 370/241, 370/254, 370/352, 370/252, 370/251, 370/389, 370/395, 370/277, 370/342, 370/441, 370/522, 455/402, 455/103, 455/569, 455/351, 455/345, 455/99, 455/553, 455/465, 455/561, 375/259, 375/258, 375/220, 375/276, 340/310, 340/538, 340/288, 340/539, 340/7.6, 340/572, 340/573, 340/825, 702/62, 705/1, 705/412, 705/400, 705/10, 705/37, 709/223, 709/243, 725/23, 348/211, 707/10, 398/127
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/74 for increasing reliability, e.g. using redundant or spare channels or apparatus replacing by standby devices for amplifiers H03F1/52, H03F1/542
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A method and apparatus for maintaining network connectivity over power lines is disclosed. Such network connectivity is maintained even if various customers are covered by different power line networks or if one or more power lines in a network are unavailable to transmit data. More particularly, in order to bridge a gap in a power line network, one or more messages are extracted from a first node in a power line network and are then transmitted to a second node via free space transmission, illustratively wireless radio frequency (RF) transmission conforming to one or more of the 802.11a, b or g standards. When those messages are received at the second node, the message is injected back into the power line on the other side of a gap in power line coverage. This method of transmission backup will continue until power line connectivity is restore upon which the preferred method will be selected and used.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information over a power line network, the method comprising:

transmitting a message using a first node in a first power line network;

extracting the message from the first node in the first power line network;

transmitting the message via wireless transmission;

receiving the message at a second node;

injecting the message into a second power line network;

prior to the extracting, detecting an interruption between the first node and the second node and performing a cost comparison between the wireless transmission of the message and a wired transmission of the message over a wired portion of the first power line network; and

determining that the wireless transmission of the message is lower in cost than the wired transmission of the message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cost comparison comprises determining whether at least one of wireless transmission of the message and the wired transmission of the message provides higher data throughput to a user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cost comparison comprises determining whether at least one of wireless transmission of the message and the wired transmission of the message provides fewer data transmission errors.

4. The method of claim 1

wherein the detecting an interruption further comprises detecting that a gap exists between the first node and the second node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first power line network comprises the second power line network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first node comprises a first radio transceiver.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first radio transceiver comprises a first wireless access point complying with at least a first 802.11 standard.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second node comprises a second radio transceiver.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second radio transceiver comprises a second wireless access point complying with a least a second 802.11 standard.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least the second 802.11 standard is compatible with the at least the first 802.11 standard such that data may be communicated by the first radio transceiver and received by the second radio transceiver.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first node is separated from the second node by a gap in the power line network.

12. A first node in a power line network comprising:

means for transmitting data in a first power line network;

an extractor for extracting the data transmitted across the first power line network;

a radio transceiver for transmitting the data to a second node in a second power line network;

means for detecting an interruption between the first node and the second node; and

a computer for performing, prior to the extracting, a cost comparison between transmitting the message by the radio transceiver and transmitting the message over a wired portion of the first power line network, the computer determining that the wireless transmission of the message is lower in cost than a wired transmission of the message.

13. The first node of claim 12 wherein the power line network comprises the first power line network and the second power line network.

14. The node of claim 12 wherein the extractor comprises the radio transceiver.

15. The node of claim 14 wherein the radio transceiver conforms to at least a first 802.11 standard, the standard compatible with at least a second 802.11 standard at the second node.

16. A first power line network comprising:

means for transmitting data in a first power line network;

an injector for injecting the data onto the first power line for transmission to a desired network destination;

an extractor for extracting the data from the first power line;

a first wireless transceiver for transmitting the data;

a second wireless transceiver for receiving the data from the first wireless transceiver;

means for detecting, prior to the extracting, an interruption between the first node and the second node; and

means for performing, prior to the extracting, a cost comparison between transmitting the message by the first wireless transceiver and transmitting the message over a wired portion of the first power line network, the means determining that a wireless transmission of the message is lower in cost than a wired transmission of the message; and

means for injecting the data into at least a second power line, the second power line in a second power line network physically separated form the first power line.

17. The first power lone network of claim 16 wherein the first power line network comprises the second power line network.

18. The power line network of claim 16 wherein the first wireless transceiver conforms to at least a first 802.11 standard and the second wireless transceiver conforms to at least a second 802.11 standard.

19. The power line network of claim 18 wherein the at least the first 802.11 standard comprises at least the second 802.11 standard.