Communication apparatus, integrated circuit, and communication method

• US 7,924,990 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Koga, Hisao, Kodama, Nobutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/545,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.07, 379/93.36, 370/330, 370/310.1, 370/336, 370/342, 370/347, 370/447, 370/461, 370/462, 370/468
• US Class Current: 379/93.36
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/542 using zero crossing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001

Abstract

A communication apparatus repeatedly outputs a first multi-carrier signal SS during predetermined periods T1, T2, T3, . . . , and outputs a second multi-carrier signal RS whose phase vector is different from that of the first multi-carrier signal SS, at a predetermined timing based on the first multi-carrier signal SS. The communication apparatus further detects the second multi-carrier signal RS output from another communication apparatus, which uses a different communication method from the communication apparatus. Accordingly, both communication apparatuses can differentiate the first multi-carrier signal SS from the second multi-carrier signal RS without performing relatively cumbersome modulation and other processes.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus for connecting to a power line connected to at least a first communication device and a second communication device, the first communication device being configured to perform a data transmission with said communication apparatus, and the second communication device being incapable of performing the data transmission with said communication apparatus, said communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a multi-carrier signal including a plurality of sub-carriers from the second communication device;

a carrier detector for detecting predetermined data in the signal;

a channel setting unit for setting at least one of time and frequency band used for the first communication device in response to the carrier detector detecting the predetermined data, the time or the frequency band used for the first communication device being different from a time or a frequency band used for the second communication device;

a transmitter for performing the data transmission with the first communication device in at least one of the time and the frequency band used for the first communication device; and

a phase rotator for rotating phase of the plurality of sub-carriers with a phase vector, the phase vector representing a predetermined rotation degree, wherein the carrier detector detects the predetermined data in the multi-carrier signal including the plurality of sub-carriers the phase of which is rotated with the phase vector.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver receives further a multi-carrier signal from the first communication device, the phase vector used by the first communication device is different from the phase vector used by the second communication device.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein frequency band used by the first communication device is different from frequency band used by the second communication device.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein there is a relation of a PN sequence between the phase vector used by the first communication device and the phase vector used by the second communication device.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the PN sequence is an M sequence.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver receives further a synchronization signal, and the phase vector corresponding to the synchronization signal is different from the phase vector corresponding to the multi-carrier signal.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein frequency band of the synchronization signal is different from frequency band of the multi-carrier signal.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein there is a relation of a PN sequence between the phase vector corresponding to the synchronization signal and the phase vector corresponding to the multi-carrier signal.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the PN sequence is an M sequence.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver receives further a synchronization signal, the multi-carrier signal is output in a predetermined time based on the synchronization signal.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time point detector for detecting a time point where alternating voltage transmitted to the power line reaches a predetermined voltage value, the multi-carrier signal is output in a predetermined time based on the time point.

12. An integrated circuit for connecting to a power line connected to at least a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, the first communication apparatus being configured to perform a data transmission with said integrated circuit, and the second communication apparatus being incapable of performing the data transmission with said integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising:

a receiver for receiving a multi-carrier signal including a plurality of multi-carriers from the second communication apparatus;

a carrier detector for detecting predetermined data in the signal;

a channel setting unit for setting at least one of time and frequency band used for the first communication apparatus in response to the carrier detector detecting the predetermined data, the time or the frequency band used for the first communication apparatus being different from a time or a frequency band used for the second communication apparatus;

a transmitter for performing the data transmission with the first communication apparatus in at least one of the time and the frequency band used for the first communication apparatus; and

a phase rotator for rotating phase of the plurality of sub-carriers with a phase vector, the phase vector representing a predetermined rotation degree, wherein the carrier detector detects the predetermined data in the multi-carrier signal including the plurality of sub-carriers the phase of which is rotated with the phase vector.

13. A communication method for controlling data transmission that a communication apparatus performs through a power line connected to at least a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, the first communication apparatus being being configured to perform the data transmission with said communication apparatus, and the second communication apparatus being incapable of performing the data transmission with said communication apparatus, said communication method comprising:

receiving a multi-carrier signal including a plurality of multi-carriers from the second communication apparatus;

detecting predetermined data in the signal;

setting at least one of time and frequency band used for the first communication apparatus in response to the carrier detector detecting the predetermined data, the time or the frequency band used for the first communication apparatus being different from a time or a frequency band used for the second communication apparatus;

performing the data transmission with the first communication apparatus in at least one of the time and the frequency band used for the first communication apparatus; and

rotating phase of the plurality of sub carriers with a phase vector, the phase vector representing a predetermined rotation degree, wherein the detecting operation includes detecting the predetermined data in the multi-carrier signal including the plurality of sub-carriers the phase of which is rotated with the phase vector.