System for power distribution and communication

• US 9,054,552 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zoliex AB
• Original Assignee: Zoliex AB
• Inventors: Merkel, Harald, Herolf, Per, Mangold, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US13/516,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/286, 700/291, 700295-298, 702 60- 62, 340/13.23, 340/286.02, 340/333, 340/425.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/06 Two-wire systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof

Abstract

A system for power distribution and communication over a two-wire network comprises a control unit (dedicated or distributed) configured to receive power from the two-wire network and provided with a transceiver circuitry connected to the two-wire network, a power converter unit having a power converter which converts incoming voltage to a DC-voltage of less than 50 V and feeds the DC-voltage to the two-wire network, and a power fuse unit with a power fuse identity connected between the power converter and the two-wire network. The power fuse unit forwards the DC-voltage to the two-wire network and comprises a transceiver circuitry connected to the two-wire network and a fuse. The system monitors an amount of power consumed in the network and activates a power switch in the power fuse unit when the amount of power consumed in the two-wire network exceeds predetermined limits.

Claims

1. A system for power distribution and communication over a two-wire network, said system comprising:

a control unit configured to receive power from said two-wire network and provided with a transceiver circuitry connected to said two-wire network,

a power converter unit comprising a power converter configured to convert at least one incoming voltage to a predetermined DC-voltage of less than 50 V and to feed said DC-voltage to said two-wire network, and

a plurality of nodes connected to and receiving power from said two-wire network;

wherein said power converter unit further comprises;

a power fuse unit with a unique identity connected between said power converter and said network, wherein said power fuse unit is configured to forward said DC-voltage to the network, a transceiver circuitry connected to said network, and a power switch configured to terminate forwarding of said DC-voltage to the network when activated,

wherein said control unit is a dedicated control unit comprising a microprocessor and a memory in which the unique identity of the power fuse unit is stored, and is configured to communicate with any unit connected to said two-wire network and having a unique known identity stored in said memory;

wherein each of said plurality of nodes comprises a transceiver circuitry connected to said two-wire network and is configured with a unique known identity enabling control of a function of the node, said unique identity is stored in said memory, at least one of said plurality of nodes is configured as a sensor node and at least one of said plurality of nodes is configured as an actuator node, wherein each sensor node is defined as an entity having at least two states and each sensor node is associated with and controls at least one actuator node in response to a current state of the associated sensor node, and the association between each sensor node and the at least one actuator node is stored in the memory; and

wherein said dedicated control unit is configured to monitor an amount of power consumed in the network and is further configured to communicate with the power fuse unit over said two-wire network to activate the power switch when the amount of power consumed in the network exceeds predetermined limits.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said power converter unit further comprises:

an AC/DC converter, and/or

a multi phase AC/DC converter configured to distribute power load over all phases when generating the predetermined DC voltage, and/ or

a DC/DC converter configured to convert any DC voltage to the predetermined DC voltage.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is configured to communicate with the power fuse unit over a housekeeping network implemented as a first superimposed communication channel on said two-wire network.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said control unit is further configured to communicate with each sensor node and each actuator node over the housekeeping network to identify changes in the current state of each sensor node and to control each associated actuator node in response to the identified changes in the current state of each sensor unit.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said system is further provided with a data communication network implemented as a second superimposed communication channel on said two-wire network, and said control unit is further configured to communicate with each node over said data communication network.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said housekeeping network is separated from said data communication network.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein one node is configured to provide Internet access to the data communication network.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said system further is provided with a data communication switch with a unique identity, and said control unit is further configured to:

monitor the housekeeping network, and,

in event of an unauthorized manipulation of the housekeeping network, activate the data communication switch to terminate the Internet access.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the one node is configured to provide Internet access to the data communication network via a gateway connected to said node.

10. The system according to claim 3, wherein each node is configured to monitor the amount of power consumed in the node, and further configured to communicate information regarding the amount of power consumed to the power fuse unit over the housekeeping network.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a sensor unit is connected to each sensor node, and said sensor unit is a light switch;

dimmer;

alarm sensor;

motion sensor;

photo sensor;

sound sensor;

vibration sensor;

moisture sensor;

gas sensor;

integrity sensor;

or temperature sensor.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein an actuator unit is connected to each actuator node, and said actuator unit is a lamp;

lighting system;

alarm system;

motor;

pneumatic system;

or heater.

13. The system according claim 1, wherein said system comprises multiple sensor nodes, each having input variables, and multiple actuator nodes, each having output variables, and the associations between sensor nodes and actuator nodes are logical relations between the input and output variables.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein a function is coupled to each association.

15. A system for power distribution and communication over a two-wire network, said system comprising:

a control unit configured to receive power from said two-wire network and provided with a transceiver circuitry connected to said two-wire network,

a power converter unit comprising a power converter configured to convert at least one incoming voltage to a predetermined DC-voltage of less than 50 V and to feed said DC-voltage to said two-wire network, and

a plurality of nodes connected to and receiving power from said two-wire network;

wherein said power converter unit further comprises;

a power fuse unit with a unique identity connected between said power converter and said network, wherein said power fuse unit is configured to forward said DC-voltage to the network, a transceiver circuitry connected to said network, and a power switch configured to terminate forwarding of said DC-voltage to the network when activated,

wherein said control unit is a distributed control unit;

wherein each of said plurality of nodes comprises a transceiver circuitry connected to said two-wire network and is configured with a unique known identity enabling control of a function of the node, and each said node comprises a processor and a dedicated memory in which said unique identity is stored, and said plurality of nodes are configured to form said distributed control unit, at least one of said plurality of nodes is configured as a sensor node and at least one of said plurality of nodes is configured as an actuator node, wherein each sensor node is defined as an entity having at least two states and each sensor node is associated with and controls at least one actuator node in response to a current state of the associated sensor node, and the association between each sensor node and the at least one actuator node is stored in the dedicated memory; and

wherein said power fuse unit comprises a processor and a memory in which a complete list of nodes in the network is provided, and the power fuse unit is configured to communicate with all of said nodes and receive information regarding consumed power to monitor an amount of power consumed in the network and activate the power switch in the power fuse unit when the amount of power consumed in the network exceeds predetermined limits.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said power converter unit further comprises:

an AC/DC converter, and/or

a multi phase AC/DC converter configured to distribute power load over all phases when generating the predetermined DC voltage, and/ or

a DC/DC converter configured to convert any DC voltage to the predetermined DC voltage.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said control unit is configured to communicate with the power fuse unit over a housekeeping network implemented as a first superimposed communication channel on said two-wire network.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said control unit is further configured to communicate with each sensor node and each actuator node over the housekeeping network to identify changes in the current state of each sensor node and to control each associated actuator node in response to the identified changes in the current state of each sensor unit.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said system is further provided with a data communication network implemented as a second superimposed communication channel on said two-wire network, and said control unit is further configured to communicate with each node over said data communication network.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said housekeeping network is separated from said data communication network.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said system further is provided with a data communication switch with a unique identity, and said control unit is further configured to:

monitor the housekeeping network, and,

in event of an unauthorized manipulation of the housekeeping network, activate the data communication switch to terminate the Internet access.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein one node is configured to provide Internet access to the data communication network.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein the one node is configured to provide Internet access to the data communication network via a gateway connected to said node.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein each node is configured to monitor the amount of power consumed in the node, and further configured to communicate information regarding the amount of power consumed to the power fuse unit over the housekeeping network.

25. The system according to claim 15, wherein a sensor unit is connected to each sensor node, and said sensor unit is a light switch;

dimmer;

alarm sensor;

motion sensor;

photo sensor;

sound sensor;

vibration sensor;

moisture sensor;

gas sensor;

integrity sensor;

or temperature sensor.

26. The system according to claim 15, wherein an actuator unit is connected to each actuator node, and said actuator unit is a lamp;

lighting system;

alarm system;

motor;

pneumatic system;

or heater.

27. The system according claim 15, wherein said system comprises multiple sensor nodes, each having input variables, and multiple actuator nodes, each having output variables, and the associations between sensor nodes and actuator nodes are logical relations between the input and output variables.

28. The system according to claim 15, wherein a function is coupled to each association.