Device and method for preventing wiretapping on power line

• US 8,223,008 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Kyung Hoon, Hwang, In Ho, Ryu, Seung Kab, Ju, Sea Hoon, Wang, Jin Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/102,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 340/538, 340/506, 340/511, 340/512, 340/538.13, 340/538.14, 340/538.15, 340/538.16, 340/6.1, 340/13.2, 340/13.23, 375/340, 379/7, 380/2, 380/59, 455/133
• US Class Current: 340/538
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/457 with conversion of multifrequency signals into digital signals

Abstract

Provided are a device and method for detecting a wiretapping device using a power line and nullifying the wiretapping device. More particularly, a device and method for preventing wiretapping, which sense a wiretapping signal from a power line and transmit a noise signal to the power line, are provided. The device for preventing wiretapping includes: a signal detector for receiving signals from a power line and filtering the received signals in at least one frequency band; a controller for receiving the filtered signal from the signal detector and determining whether a wiretapping signal exists; and a noise signal output unit for transmitting a noise signal to the power line according to whether or not the wiretapping signal exists. The device can detect wiretapping and simultaneously nullify the function of the wiretapping device by detecting a wiretapping signal from a power line and transmitting a noise signal having a frequency corresponding to a frequency band of the wiretapping signal.

Claims

1. A device for preventing wiretapping, comprising:

a signal detector for receiving signals from a power line and filtering the received signals in at least one frequency band, wherein the at least one frequency band is set by a user'"'"'s input;

a controller for receiving the filtered signal from the signal detector and determining whether a wiretapping signal exists; and

a noise signal output unit for transmitting a noise signal to the power line according to whether or not the wiretapping signal exists.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a setting unit for setting up the at least one frequency band or a power of the noise signal based on a user'"'"'s input,

wherein the noise signal output unit transmits the noise signal according to the power of the noise signal set up by the setting unit.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit for displaying to a user whether the wiretapping signal exists.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one frequency band comprises at least one of 300 Hz to 3000 Hz, 40 kHz to 400 kHz and 3 MHz to 30 MHz.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the noise signal output unit transmits a noise signal having the at least one frequency band.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller calculates signal energy based on the filtered signal, and compares the calculated signal energy with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether the wiretapping signal exists.

7. A method for preventing wiretapping, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving signals from a power line;

(b) filtering the received signals in at least one frequency band, wherein the at least one frequency band is set by a user'"'"'s input;

(c) determining whether a wiretapping signal exists based on the filtered signal; and

(d) transmitting a noise signal to the power line according to whether the wiretapping signal exists.

8. The method according to claim 7, after the step (d), further comprising the step of:

displaying whether the wiretapping signal exists to the user.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one frequency band comprises at least one of 300 Hz to 3000 Hz, 40 kHz to 400 kHz, and 3 MHz to 30 MHz.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the step (d), the noise signal is transmitted in the at least one frequency band.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the step (d), the noise signal is transmitted by the power set by a user'"'"'s input.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the step (c), signal energy is calculated based on the filtered signal, and the calculated signal energy is compared with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether the wiretapping signal exists.