Wi-Fi/BPL Dual Mode Repeaters for Power Line Networks

• US 20140286444A1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Au, Alan K., Barzegar, Farhad, Dolan, Edward J., Gerszberg, Irwin, Okoro, Jeremiah A.
• Application Number:
  US14/295,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20140286444A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/74 for increasing reliability, e.g. using redundant or spare channels or apparatus replacing by standby devices for amplifiers H03F1/52, H03F1/542
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A method and apparatus for maintaining network connectivity over power lines is disclosed. Such network connectivity is maintained even if various customers are covered by different power line networks or if one or more power lines in a network are unavailable to transmit data. More particularly, in order to bridge a gap in a power line network, one or more messages are extracted from a first node in a power line network and are then transmitted to a second node via free space transmission, illustratively wireless radio frequency (RF) transmission conforming to one or more of the 802.11a, b or g standards. When those messages are received at the second node, the message is injected back into the power line on the other side of a gap in power line coverage. This method of transmission backup will continue until power line connectivity is restore upon which the preferred method will be selected and used.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information, comprising:

transmitting a message over a first power line segment of a power line network;

performing a cost comparison between wireless transmission of the message and wired transmission of the message; and

transmitting the message via wired transmission to a second power line segment of the power line network in response to the cost comparison indicating that a cost of the wired transmission is less than a cost of the wireless transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the message via wireless transmission to the second power line segment in response to the cost comparison indicating that the cost of the wired transmission is greater than the cost of the wireless transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the cost comparison comprises:

determining whether wireless transmission of the message or wired transmission of the message provides higher data throughput.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the cost comparison comprises:

comparing data transmission errors via wireless transmission of the message and data transmission errors via wired transmission of the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the cost comparison is in response to a detection of an interruption in the power line network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the interruption in the power line network comprises:

a break in data transmission between the first power line segment and the second power line segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power line segment comprises a first radio transceiver and the second power line segment comprises a second radio transceiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message via wired transmission to the second power line segment further comprises:

extracting the message from a first node in the first power line segment; and

transmitting the message via wired transmission to a second node in the second power line segment.

9. A power line network, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

performing a cost comparison between wireless transmission of a message and wired transmission of the message, the message being transmitted over a first power line segment of the power line network; and

transmitting the message via wired transmission to a second power line segment of the power line network in response to the cost comparison indicating that a cost of the wired transmission is less than a cost of the wireless transmission.

10. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting the message via wireless transmission to the second power line segment in response to the cost comparison indicating that the cost of wired transmission is greater than the cost of wireless transmission.

11. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the operation of performing the cost comparison further comprises:

determining whether wireless transmission of the message or wired transmission of the message provides higher data throughput.

12. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the operation of performing the cost comparison further comprises:

comparing data transmission errors via wireless transmission of the message and data transmission errors via wired transmission of the message.

13. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the operation of performing the cost comparison is in response to a detection of an interruption in the power line network.

14. The power line network of claim 13, wherein the interruption in the power line network comprises:

a break in data transmission between the first power line segment and the second power line segment.

15. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the first power line segment comprises a first radio transceiver and the second power line segment comprises a second radio transceiver.

16. The power line network of claim 9, wherein the operation of transmitting the message via wired transmission to the second power line segment further comprises:

extracting the message from a first node in the first power line segment; and

transmitting the message via wired transmission to a second node in the second power line segment.

17. A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

performing a cost comparison between wireless transmission of a message and wired transmission of the message, the message being transmitted over a first power line segment of a power line network; and

transmitting the message via wired transmission to a second power line segment of the power line network in response to the cost comparison indicating that a cost of the wired transmission is less than a cost of the wireless transmission.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting the message via wireless transmission to the second power line segment in response to the cost comparison indicating that the cost of the wired transmission is greater than the cost of the wireless transmission.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operation of performing the cost comparison further comprises:

determining whether wireless transmission of the message or wired transmission of the message provides higher data throughput.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operation of performing the cost comparison further comprises:

comparing data transmission errors via wireless transmission of the message and data transmission errors via wired transmission of the message.