Powerline network system having data relay function

• US 8,248,229 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acbel Polytech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Acbel Polytech Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Che-Cheng, Chiang, Hao-Jan, Shih, Chih-Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/572,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 340/538, 340/12.22, 340/12.32, 340/12.1, 340/12.31, 340/538.16, 340/531, 340/533, 340/310.12, 340/10.34
• US Class Current: 340/538
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/544 Setting up communications; Call and signalling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

A powerline network system having data relay function includes a plurality of power monitoring zones mutually connected with a powerline network and at least one repeater. Each of the power monitoring zones has at least one power monitoring device. The repeater is connected with each power monitoring device in two adjacent power monitoring zones through powerlines and has a first and a second relay units. The first and second relay units employ two different sets of transmitting and receiving bands to fetch data contained in powerline signals transmitted by each power monitor in adjacent power monitoring zones. The data are received by a relay unit are modulated with different transmitting band and then transmitted to powerlines of another power monitoring zone. The repeaters are not required to be serially connected to the powerlines, and incorrect data read can be also eliminated.

Claims

1. A powerline network system having data relay function, comprising:

a plurality of power monitoring zones connected with a powerline network, and each having at least one power monitoring device; and

at least one repeater, each connected with the power monitoring devices in two adjacent power monitoring zones through powerlines and having a first relay unit and a second relay unit;

wherein

the first relay unit is connected with the at least one power monitoring device in one of the two adjacent power monitoring zones to fetch data transmitted from the at least one power monitoring device to powerlines and output the data to the second relay unit, and receives and amplifies the data transmitted from the second relay unit and modulates the data with a first frequency band to transmits the data to powerlines;

the second relay unit is connected with the first relay unit to transmit data thereto and receive data therefrom and is connected with the at least one power monitoring device in the other one of the two adjacent power monitoring zones through powerlines to fetch data transmitted from the at least one power monitoring device to powerlines, receives and amplifies the data transmitted from the first relay unit, and modulates the data with a second frequency band to transmit the data to powerlines, the first frequency band and the second frequency band are not the same.

2. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second frequency bands respectively have two receiving frequencies and two transmitting frequencies.

3. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the first and second relay units has:

a transformer coupled to the powerlines;

a digital signal processor having an input terminal electrically connected to the transformer through a first filter to acquire external data signals of the powerlines, and an output terminal electrically connected to the transformer through a second filter and a power amplifier, so as to process and modulate the data and transmit the data to the powerlines through the transformer coupled to the powerlines; and

a digital communication interface serving to connect with a counterpart having an identical communication standard to receive data therefrom or transmit data thereto.

4. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the first filter of the first relay unit is a band pass filter, and a band pass frequency band thereof corresponds to one of the two receiving frequencies of the first relay unit;

and

the first filter of the second relay unit is a band pass filter, and a band pass frequency of the first filter of the second relay unit corresponds to the two receiving frequencies of the second relay unit.

5. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 4, wherein the digital communication interface is integrated in the digital signal processor.

6. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 5, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

7. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 2, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

8. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 3, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

9. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 4, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

10. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second relay units respectively have

a transformer coupled to powerlines;

a digital signal processor having

an input terminal electrically connected to the transformer through a first filter to acquire a data signal of powerlines; and

an output terminal electrically connected to the transformer through a second filter and a power amplifier, so as to process and modulate the data signal and transmit the data signal to powerlines through the transformer coupled to powerlines; and

a digital communication interface serving to connect digital communication interfaces with an identical communication standard so as to transmit and receive data.

11. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the first filter of the first relay unit is a band pass filter, and a band pass frequency band thereof corresponds to one of the two receiving frequencies of the first relay unit;

and

the first filter of the second relay unit is a band pass filter, and a band pass frequency of the first filter of the second relay unit corresponds to the two receiving frequencies of the second relay unit.

12. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 11, wherein the digital communication interface is integrated in the digital signal processor.

13. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 12, wherein the digital communication interface is one of UART, RS232 and USB interfaces.

14. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first frequency band is in a range of 60-90 kHz, and the second frequency band is in a range of 110-140 kHz.

15. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 14, wherein the two receiving frequencies of the first frequency band are 60 kHz and 70 kHz, the two transmitting frequencies of the first frequency band are 80 kHz and 90 kHz, the two receiving frequencies of the second frequency band are 110 kHz and 120 kHz, and the two transmitting frequencies of the second frequency band are 130 kHz and 140 kHz.

16. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 10, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

17. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 11, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

18. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 12, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.

19. The powerline network system having data relay function as claimed in claim 1, wherein each power monitoring device comprises:

a power status detecting unit coupled to powerlines to acquire and then output analog voltage and current signals therefrom and having an output terminal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output terminal of the power status detecting unit to convert the analog voltage and current signals into digital voltage and current values and output the voltage and current values, and having an output terminal;

a processor connected to the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter to acquire the voltage and current values;

a powerline communication module connected to the processor to acquire the voltage and current values outputted from the processor, modulate the voltage and current values into analog signals with a modulation frequency corresponding to one of the transmitting frequencies of the corresponding relay unit in the pertaining power monitoring zone and transmit the analog signals to the powerlines, receiving analog signals from the powerlines, fetching and outputting data contained therein to the processor; and

a protection circuit serially connected to a powerline and having a control terminal connected to an output terminal of the processor for the processor to switch on or off the protection circuit in accordance with external data received by the processor.