System and method for communications in a network

• US 8,570,999 B1
• Filed: 12/25/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greenvity Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Greenvity Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hung C., Tero, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US13/337,146
• Time in Patent Office: 674 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/343
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/681 using addresses for wireless personal area networks or wireless sensor networks, e.g. Zigbee addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system connected to power lines in a network includes a wireless component; a wired component interfaced with the power lines; a conversion component coupled to the wireless component and the wired component and performs at least unidirectional conversion of a transmission unit between wireless and wired, the conversion employs only MAC addresses for addressing.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a smart grid wireless component;

a power line communication component configured to interface with power lines;

a conversion component communicatively coupled to the smart grid wireless component and the power line communication component and performs at least unidirectional conversion of a packet between smart grid wireless and a power line communication standards, wherein the conversion employs only MAC addresses for addressing,

wherein the conversion component comprises a processor configured to detect a MAC address of a received packet and process the received packet according to the detection,

wherein the conversion component further comprises a memory configured to store the received packet, the system further comprises a bus coupled to the processor, the memory, a MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component and a MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received power line communication packet when the received power line communication packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received smart grid wireless packet when the received smart grid wireless packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component,

wherein the memory is further configured to store a table retaining a smart grid wireless MAC address and a power line communication MAC address for each power line communication device and each smart grid wireless device in a network,

wherein the processor processes the packet by comparing a destination MAC address of a power line communication packet received from a power line communication device against the table, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the power line communication packet is a smart grid wireless device, the processor further looks up a smart grid wireless MAC address of the power line communication device and a smart grid wireless address of the smart grid wireless device in the table,

wherein the processor further generates a smart grid wireless packet using the smart grid wireless MAC address of the power line communication device stored in association with the power line communication packet as a source MAC address, and uses the smart grid wireless MAC address of the smart grid wireless device stored in association with the power line communication packet as a destination MAC address;

the smart grid wireless component is further configured to send out the generated smart grid wireless packet wirelessly;

the memory is further configured to store the smart grid wireless MAC address of the power line communication device and the smart grid wireless MAC address of the smart grid wireless device.

2. A system, comprising:

a smart grid wireless component;

a power line communication component configured to interface with power lines;

a conversion component communicatively coupled to the smart grid wireless component and the power line communication component and performs at least unidirectional conversion of a packet between smart grid wireless and a power line communication standards, wherein the conversion employs only MAC addresses for addressing,

wherein the conversion component comprises a processor configured to detect a MAC address of a received packet and process the received packet according to the detection,

wherein the conversion component further comprises a memory configured to store the received packet, the system further comprises a bus coupled to the processor, the memory, a MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component and a MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received power line communication packet when the received power line communication packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received smart grid wireless packet when the received smart grid wireless packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component,

wherein the memory is further configured to store a table retaining a smart grid wireless MAC address and a power line communication MAC address for each power line communication device and each smart grid wireless device in a network,

wherein the processor further compares a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a smart grid wireless device against the table, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a power line communication device, the processor further looks up a power line communication MAC address of the smart grid wireless device and a power line communication MAC address of the power line communication device in the table;

the memory is further configured to store the power line communication MAC address of the smart grid wireless device, the power line communication MAC address of the power line communication device in association with the smart grid wireless packet.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor further re-encapsulate the smart grid wireless packet to generate a power line communication packet which uses the power line communication MAC address of the smart grid wireless device stored in association with the received smart grid wireless packet as a source MAC address, and uses the power line communication MAC address of the power line communication device stored in association with the received smart grid wireless packet as a destination MAC address;

the power line communication component is further configured to send out the generated power line communication packet through the power lines.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor obtains a power line communication MAC address for a smart grid wireless device newly discovered in the local area network, and update the table by adding a smart grid wireless MAC address of the discovered smart grid wireless device in association with the obtained power line communication MAC address in the table,

the power line communication component is further configured to announces over the power lines that a new power line communication device having the obtained power line communication MAC address has joined a wired network in the local area network.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor obtains a smart grid wireless MAC address for a power line communication device newly discovered in the local area network, and updates the table by adding a power line communication MAC address of the discovered power line communication device in association with the obtained smart grid wireless MAC address in the table,

the smart grid wireless component is further configured to announces wirelessly that a new smart grid wireless device having the obtained smart grid wireless MAC address has joined a smart grid wireless network in the local area network.

6. A system, comprising:

a smart grid wireless component;

a power line communication component configured to interface with power lines;

a conversion component communicatively coupled to the smart grid wireless component and the power line communication component and performs at least unidirectional conversion of a packet between smart grid wireless and a power line communication standards, wherein the conversion employs only MAC addresses for addressing,

wherein the conversion component comprises a processor configured to detect a MAC address of a received packet and process the received packet according to the detection,

wherein the conversion component further comprises a memory configured to store the received packet, the system further comprises a bus coupled to the processor, the memory, a MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component and a MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received power line communication packet when the received power line communication packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received smart grid wireless packet when the received smart grid wireless packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component,

wherein the memory is further configured to store a table retaining a smart grid wireless MAC address and a power line communication MAC address for each power line communication device and each smart grid wireless device in a network wherein the processor further compares a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a first smart grid wireless device against the table, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a second smart grid wireless device, and if a preset condition is met, the processor looks up a power line communication MAC address of the first-smart grid wireless device and a power line communication MAC address of the second smart grid wireless device in the table;

the memory is further configured to store the power line communication MAC address of the first smart grid wireless device and the power line communication MAC address of the second smart grid wireless in association with the received smart grid wireless packet.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor re-encapsulates the smart grid wireless packet to generate a power line communication packet which uses the power line communication MAC address of the first smart grid wireless device as a source MAC address, and uses the power line communication MAC address of the second smart grid wireless device as a destination MAC address;

the power line communication component is further configured to send out the generated power line communication packet over the power lines.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the preset condition includes that signal quality between the first and second smart grid wireless devices is below a predetermined signal quality level.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the preset condition includes that the first and second smart grid wireless devices employ non-interoperable information communication technologies.

10. A system, comprising:

a smart grid wireless component;

a power line communication component configured to interface with power lines;

a conversion component communicatively coupled to the smart grid wireless component and the power line communication component and performs at least unidirectional conversion of a packet between smart grid wireless and a power line communication standards, wherein the conversion employs only MAC addresses for addressing,

wherein the conversion component comprises a processor configured to detect a MAC address of a received packet and process the received packet according to the detection,

wherein the conversion component further comprises a memory configured to store the received packet, the system further comprises a bus coupled to the processor, the memory, a MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component and a MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received power line communication packet when the received power line communication packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the power line communication component, the processor detects a MAC address of a received smart grid wireless packet when the received smart grid wireless packet is in the bus or the MAC layer of the smart grid wireless component,

wherein the memory is further configured to store a table retaining a smart grid wireless MAC address and a power line communication MAC address for each power line communication device and each smart grid wireless device in a network wherein the processor further compares a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a first smart grid wireless device against the table, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a second smart grid wireless device, the smart grid wireless component is further configured to relay the smart grid wireless packet wirelessly.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

wherein detecting the addressing information of the packet comprises comparing a destination MAC address of a power line communication packet received from a power line communication device against the table;

the conversion comprises, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the power line communication packet is a smart grid wireless device;

looking up a smart grid wireless MAC address of the power line communication device and a smart grid wireless address of the smart grid wireless device in the table;

re-encapsulating the power line communication packet to generate a smart grid wireless packet which uses the smart grid wireless MAC address of the power line communication device as a source MAC address, and uses the smart grid wireless MAC address of the smart grid wireless device as a destination MAC address;

sending the converted packet comprises sending the generated smart grid wireless packet wirelessly.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing a table at the device which retains a smart grid wireless MAC address and a power line communication MAC address for each power line communication device and each smart grid wireless device in the local area network.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

wherein detecting the addressing information of the packet comprises comparing a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a smart grid wireless device against the table;

the conversion further comprises, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a power line communication device;

looking up a power line communication MAC address of the smart grid wireless device and a power line communication address of the power line communication device in the table;

re-encapsulating the smart grid wireless packet to generate a power line communication packet which uses the power line communication MAC address of the smart grid wireless device as a source MAC address, and uses the power line communication MAC address of the power line communication device as a destination MAC address;

sending the converted packet comprises sending the generated power line communication packet over the power lines.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

wherein detecting the addressing information of the packet comprises comparing a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a first smart grid wireless device against the table;

the conversion further comprises, if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a second smart grid wireless device, and if a preset condition is met;

looking up a power line communication MAC address of the first smart grid wireless device and a power line communication MAC address of the second smart grid wireless device in the table;

re-encapsulating the smart grid wireless packet to generate a power line communication packet which uses the power line communication MAC address of the first Zigbee device as a source MAC address, and uses the power line communication MAC address of the second smart grid wireless device as a destination MAC address;

sending the converted packet further comprises sending the generated power line communication packet over the power lines.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

wherein detecting the addressing information of the packet comprises comparing a destination MAC address of a smart grid wireless packet received from a first smart grid wireless device against the table;

if the comparison indicates that a destination of the smart grid wireless packet is a second smart grid wireless device, relaying the smart grid wireless packet wirelessly.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

obtaining a power line communication MAC address for a smart grid wireless device newly discovered in the local area network;

updating the table by adding a smart grid wireless MAC address of the discovered smart grid wireless device in association with the obtained power line communication MAC address in the table; and

announcing over the power lines that a new power line communication device having the obtained power line communication MAC address has joined a power line communication network in the local area network.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a system connected to power lines in a network;

detecting, by a device, addressing information of the packet;

in case the packet belongs to communication between a power line communication device and a smart grid wireless device, converting the packet by the device to comply with a destination of the packet, wherein the conversion employs only MAC address for addressing;

sending the converted packet to the destination,

obtaining a smart grid wireless MAC address for a power line communication device newly discovered in the local area network;

updating the table by adding a power line communication MAC address of the discovered power line communication device in association with the obtained smart grid wireless MAC address in the table;

announcing wirelessly that a new smart grid wireless device having the obtained smart grid wireless MAC address has joined a smart grid wireless network in the local area network.