Power line communication apparatus and method of using the same

• US 20040227621A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Melvin Joseph II, Kline, Paul A., Mollenkopf, James Douglas, Cope, Leonard D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,998,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/483 Installation of aerial type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

The present invention provides a communication device for use with a power line communication system. One embodiment of the present invention forms a bypass device and comprises a LV coupler, a LV signal conditioner, a controller, a MV modem, a first MV signal conditioner, an isolator, a second MV signal conditioner, and a MV coupler. The controller may provide routing functions to give priority to certain types of data, control access to the network, filter data packets, process software upgrades, and provision new subscriber devices. In addition, the controller may monitor, process, and transmit traffic data, measured power data, errors, and other collected data.

Claims

1. A communication device for communicating data around a transformer, the transformer having a first winding coupled to a first conductor and a second winding coupled to a second conductor, the communication device comprising:

a first conductor interface communicatively coupled to the first conductor and comprising a first modem;

a second conductor interface communicatively coupled to the second conductor and comprising a second modem;

a controller communicatively coupled to said first conductor interface and said second conductor interface and comprising a processor and a memory; and

wherein

said first conductor interface and said second conductor interface form at least a portion of a data path between the first conductor and the second conductor bypassing the transformer.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first conductor carries a power signal and a data signal and said first conductor interface further comprises a voltage translation circuit for removing the power signal.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein said voltage translation circuit comprises a high pass filter.

4. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system receiving power from the second conductor.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein said power supply system includes a battery backup and said power supply system supplies power to said first modem and said second modem.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface device further comprises a switch having a data receive configuration for receiving data from the second conductor and a data transmit configuration for transmitting data to the second conductor.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second interface device further comprises a first filter for filtering a first frequency band and a second filter for filtering a second frequency band, said first filter has a first filter output coupled to a first amplifier providing a first amplification and said second filter has a second filter output coupled to a second amplifier providing a second amplification.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface device further comprises a predistortion circuit for predistorting signals to be transmitted through the second conductor.

9. The communication circuit of claim 8, wherein said predistortion circuit comprises an amplifying circuit for amplifying a first frequency at a first amplification and a second frequency at a second amplification.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein

said first conductor interface further comprises a first analog to digital converter (ADC), a first digital to analog converter (DAC), and a first media access controller;

and

said second conductor interface further comprises a second ADC, a second DAC, and a second media access controller.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface comprises a media access controller.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said first conductor interface comprises a media access controller.

13. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface further comprises an encryption module and a decryption module.

14. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface further comprises a source encoder, an error encoder, and a channel encoder.

15. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said memory includes program code stored therein and wherein said program code is executable by said processor.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein said program code includes a program code section for performing routing of data packets.

17. The communication device of claim 16, wherein said routing of data packets is based, at least in part, on the subscription level of the user.

18. The communication device of claim 16, wherein said routing is based, at least in part, on the type of data in a data packet.

19. The communication device of claim 16, wherein said routing is based, at least in part, on whether the data packet includes voice data.

20. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted in a first frequency band on the first conductor and further comprising a frequency translation circuit configured to convert the data received from the first conductor in said first frequency band to a second frequency band.

21. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said first conductor interface further comprises a first conductor coupler comprising a coupling device and a transient suppression circuit.

22. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said coupling device comprises a capacitive coupler.

23. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said coupling device couples data, at least in part, via inductive coupling.

24. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said coupling device couples data, at least in part, via capacitive coupling.

25. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said first conductor interface further comprises a band pass filter and an amplifier.

26. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface further comprises a band pass filter and an amplifier.

27. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an isolator providing electrical isolation along said data path.

28. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second modem is in communication with a utility meter via the second conductor and the communication device further comprises an address for said utility meter stored in a memory therein.

29. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface is in communication with a video presentation system via the second conductor and the communication device further comprises an address for said video presentation system stored in a memory therein.

30. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said second conductor interface is in communication with a telephone via the second conductor and the communication device further comprises an address for said telephone stored in a memory therein.

31. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an address for the communication device stored in said memory.

32. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a first address for said first modem stored in memory and a second address for said second modem stored in memory.

33. The communication device of claim 32, wherein said first address and said second address are IP addresses.

34. The communication device of claim 33, wherein

said first conductor interface further comprises a first memory and having a first MAC address for said first modem stored in said first memory;

and

said second conductor interface further comprises a second memory and having a second MAC address for said second modem stored in said second memory.

35. The communication device of claim 31, wherein said first address and said second address are MAC addresses.

36. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said transformer bypass device communicates telephony data.

37. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said first conductor interface communicates through the first conductor using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing.

38. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system receiving power from the first conductor.

39. A bypass device for communicating data around a transformer, the transformer having a primary winding coupled to a medium voltage power line and a secondary winding coupled to a low voltage power line, the bypass device comprising:

a low voltage interface communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line and comprising;

a first filter,

an first amplifier in communication with said first filter, and

a first modem in communication with said first amplifier;

a medium voltage interface communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line and comprising;

a second filter,

a second amplifier in communication with said second filter,

a second modem in communication with said second amplifier, and

a controller in communication with said medium voltage interface and said low voltage interface and comprising;

a memory storing program code therein, and

a processor configured to execute said program code.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein transformer bypass device communicates telephony data.

41. The device of claim 39, wherein said first modem communicates using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing.

42. The device of claim 39, where in said low voltage interface communicates data over the low voltage power line in a first frequency band and said medium voltage interface communicates data over the medium voltage power line in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band.

43. A communication device for communicating data around a transformer, the transformer having a primary coupled to a medium voltage power line and a secondary coupled to a low voltage power line, the communication device comprising:

a first coupling device communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line;

a first modem in communication with said first coupling device; and

a first media access controller in communication with said first modem.

44. The communication device of claim 43, further comprising:

a second coupling device communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line; and

a second modem in communication with said second coupling device and said first modem.

45. The communication device of claim 44, further comprising:

a second media access controller in communication with said second modem.

46. The communication device of claim 43, further comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor in communication with said memory and configured to execute said program code.

47. The communication device of claim 44, further comprising a router in communication with said first modem and said second modem.

48. A method of using a transformer bypass device to communicate data over a power distribution system comprising a medium voltage power line and a low voltage power line electrically coupled together by a transformer, the method comprising:

receiving a first data packet from the medium voltage power line;

determining a first destination address of said data packet;

comparing said first destination address of said first data packet with at least one address; and

transmitting said first data packet through the low voltage power line if said first destination address corresponds to said address.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising not transmitting the first data packet on the low voltage power line if said first destination address does not correspond to said address.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said step of transmitting is performed if said first destination address matches said address.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein said step of transmitting is performed if said first destination address matches a subnet mask.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein said first destination address corresponds to an Internet protocol address of a user device communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line.

53. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

receiving a second data packet from the low voltage power line;

determining a source address of said second data packet; and

determining whether a device corresponding to said source address is permitted to communicate data over the power distribution system.

54. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

receiving a second data packet from the low voltage power line;

determining the type of data in said second data packet; and

prioritizing transmission of said second data packet based, at least in part, on said type of data in said second at packet.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein data packets containing voice data are given higher priority for transmission than some data packets containing non-voice data.