Powerline communication (PLC) modem employing an analog electromagnetic transducer

• US 8,031,758 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• 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, Dawson, Thomas Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha; Dac
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guarino; Rahel
• Application Number:
  US11/376,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20070220570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 375/259, 708/111, 708/80, 725 79- 81, 725/111, 340/12.33, 340 1237- 1239, 340/13.23, 340/13.27, 340/12.32, 307/19, 307/82, 307/84, 307/104, 307/126, 307/145
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network

Abstract

A PLC cable modem is provided which includes an analog electromagnetic field transducer for generating an electromagnetic field based on an analog electrical signal and also for generating an analog electrical signal based on an electromagnetic field. The PLC cable modem also includes an analog signal processing unit operatively coupled to the analog electromagnetic field transducer and a digital signal processing unit for processing signals received from (or to be sent to) the analog signal processing unit. An interface port is provided for communicating digital signals to and from a data transmission or receiving device.

Claims

1. A PLC cable modem, comprising:

an analog electromagnetic field transducer for

generating a first electromagnetic field based on an analog electrical signal provided by the PLC cable modem, and for

generating an analog electrical signal based on a second electromagnetic field detected by said transducer, said second electromagnetic field generated by current, modulated by a data signal, conducted on a power line;

an analog signal processing unit operatively coupled to the analog electromagnetic field transducer;

a digital signal processing unit for processing signals received from or to be sent to the analog signal processing unit; and

an interface port for communicating digital signals to and from a data transmission or receiving device.

2. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the interface port comprises a USB port.

3. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the interface port comprises an Ethernet port.

4. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the interface port comprises a 10 or 100 Base-T connector.

5. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the analog and digital signal processing units are HomePlug compliant.

6. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the analog electromagnetic field transducer comprises one or more antennas.

7. The PLC cable modem of claim 1 wherein the analog electromagnetic field transducer comprises a reception antenna and a transmission antenna.