POWER LINE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND LOAD POWER MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD USING SAME

• US 20130200689A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Hyun Soo, Park, Young Jin, Seo, Sung Mok, Shin, Jong Hyun, Choi, Jae Won
• Granted Patent: US 9,838,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• 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

Abstract

A load power monitoring apparatus and method use a power line communication apparatus and method. The power line communication apparatus is capable of performing power line communication through a simple circuit structure by loading a data signal on a current signal supplied over the power line. The power line communication apparatus includes a transmission unit configured to generate a data signal using the current signal, which is supplied through the power line, as a carrier wave, and to transmit the data signal through the power line, and a reception unit configured to receive the data signal, which is generated by the transmission unit, through the power line.

Claims

1. A power line communication apparatus, comprising:

a transmission unit configured to generate a data signal and to transmit the data signal through a power line supplying power including a current signal, the data signal using the current signal supplied through the power line, as a carrier wave; and

a reception unit configured to receive the data signal, which is generated by the transmission unit, through the power line.

2. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data signal is configured to represent status information of a load that is supplied with the power through the power line.

3. The power line communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the status information of the load is at least one of ON/OFF status information of the load, information on an amount of power consumption of the load, and information on a power consumption pattern of the load.

4. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are plural transmission units for plural loads, respectively and each transmission unit is installed to correspond to a respective load.

5. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is coupled between a concentric plug and a plug of the load so as to be electrically connected to the concentric plug and the plug of the load.

6. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are plural loads and the reception unit is installed at a node to which the loads are commonly connected.

7. The power line communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the node to which the loads are commonly connected comprises a distributor configured to supply power to the a loads.

8. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit comprises:

a current sensor configured to detect an amount of current being supplied to a load;

a signal generating unit configured to generate a data signal that represents status information of the load based on the amount of the current detected by the current sensor;

a switch configured to be turned ON/OFF by the data signal that is generated by the signal generating unit; and

a resistor connected in series with the switch so that a current flows through the resistor when the switch is turned ON.

9. The power line communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reception unit comprises:

a current sensor configured to detect the data signal being received through the power line by detecting an amount of current that flows through the power line; and

a signal processing unit configured to restore the data signal based on the amount of the current detected by the current sensor.

10. A load power monitoring apparatus using power line communication,

a transmission unit configured to generate a data signal representing status information of a load, and to transmit the data signal through a power line supplying power including a current signal, the data signal using the current signal supplied through the power line as a carrier wave;

a reception unit configured to receive the data signal, which is generated by the transmission unit, through the power line; and

a control unit configured to determine a status of the load by determining the status information of the load from the data signal received through the reception unit.

11. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the status information of the load is at least one of ON/OFF status information of the load, information on the amount of power consumption of the load, and information on a power consumption pattern of the load.

12. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein there are plural transmissions units for plural loud, respectively and each transmission unit is installed to correspond to a respective load.

13. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transmission unit is coupled between a concentric plug and a plug of the load so as to be electrically connected to the concentric plug and the plug of the load.

14. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein there are plural loads and the reception unit is installed at a node to which the loads are commonly connected.

15. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 14, wherein the node to which the loads are commonly connected comprises a distributor configured to supply power to the loads.

16. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transmission unit comprises:

a current sensor configured to detect an amount of current being supplied to the load;

a signal generating unit configured to generate a data signal that represents the status information of the load based on the amount of the current detected by the current sensor;

a switch configured to be turned ON/OFF by the data signal that is being generated by the signal generating unit; and

a resistor connected in series with the switch so that a current flows through the resistor when the switch is turned ON.

17. The load power monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the reception unit comprises:

a current sensor configured to detect the data signal being received through the power line by detecting an amount of a current that flows through the power line; and

a signal processing unit configured to restore the data signal based on the amount of the current detected by the current sensor.

18. A power line communication method, comprising:

generating a data signal and transmitting the data signal through a power line supplying power including a current signal, the data signal using the current signal supplied through the power line as a carrier wave; and

receiving the data signal through the power line.

19. The power line communication method of claim 18, wherein the data signal is configured to represent status information of a load that operates by being supplied with power through the power line.

20. The power line communication method of claim 19, wherein the status information of the load is at least one of ON/OFF status information of the load, information on the amount of power consumption of the load, and information on a power consumption pattern of the load.

21. A load power monitoring method, comprising:

generating a data signal comprising status information of a load and transmitting the data signal through a power line supplying power including a current signal, the data signal using the current signal supplied through the power line, as a carrier wave;

receiving the data signal through the power line; and

converting the status information of the load from the data signal.

22. The load power monitoring method of claim 21, wherein the status information of the load is at least one of ON/OFF status information of the load, information on the amount of power consumption of the load, and information on a power consumption pattern of the load.