Regenerator for an intrabundle power-line communication system

• US 4,475,209 A
• Filed: 04/23/1982
• Issued: 10/02/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pulsar Technologies, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Inventors: Udren, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bookbinder, Marc E.
• Application Number:
  US06/371,090
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 375/3, 375/4, 375/36, 455/14-16, 179/170 J, 178/70 R, 178/70 TS
• US Class Current: 375/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

A regenerator for providing detection, remodulation, and retransmission of a digital data signal propagated in the differential mode over a pair of bundle conductors of a power line. The electric power signal, propagated in the common mode over the same bundle conductors, is conducted through the regenerator and provides a power supply voltage for the regenerator electronics. A series of electrical traps prevent the electric power signal from being conducted into that portion of the regenerator utilized for processing of the data signal. The regenerator also includes bypass switches for by-passing the regenerator electronics when a power supply voltage sufficient to operate the electronics is unavailable.

Claims

1. A regenerator being adapted for connection to a power-line conductor wherein a first differential-mode data signal is propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction toward said regenerator and a second differential-mode data signal, representative of said first data signal, is produced by said regenerator and propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction away from said regenerator, and wherein a common-mode electric power signal is uninterruptedly propagated over said power-line conductor, and wherein said power line conductor comprises first and second bundle conductors separated by an insulator, said regenerator comprising:

coupling means being adapted for connection across the first and second bundle conductors at a first location thereof;

detector means connected to said coupling means for receiving said first data signal;

transmitter means for producing said second data signal in response to said detector means;

first inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at the first location;

second inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at the first location, and the second terminal is connected to the second terminal of the first inductive coil such that said first and second inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors respectively, at the second location;

wherein said first inductive coil means is inductively coupled to said second inductive coil means such that the mutual inductance is negative for the first data signal and positive for the electric power signal, to prevent said first data signal from propagating beyond the first location and to allow said electric power signal to propagate beyond the first location;

and electrical trap means being adapted for connection to said power-line conductor at said second location thereof, wherein said electrical trap means is responsive to said first and second inductive coil means at a first terminal thereof, and responsive to said second data signal at a second terminal thereof, said electrical trap means for coupling said second data signal to said power-line conductor at said second location, for directing propagation of said second data signal away from said regenerator, and for directing propagation of said electric power signal away from said regenerator.

2. The regenerator of claim 1 wherein a power supply voltage for the detector means and the transmitter means is produced by means responsive to the electric power signal.

3. The regenerator of claim 1 wherein the first coupling means includes a first capacitor being adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at the first location and a second capacitor being adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at the first location, wherein said first and said second capacitors cooperate to couple the first data signal from the power-line conductor at the first location thereof to the detector means.

4. The regenerator of claim 1 including:

transformer means having primary and secondary coils, said primary coil disposed between the second terminals of the first and second inductive coil means and the electrical trap means, such that the electric power signal flows through said transformer means;

and power supply means responsive to said secondary coil of said transformer means providing a power supply voltage to the detector means and the transmitter means.

5. The regenerator of claim 4 wherein the transformer means is a saturating current transformer.

6. The regenerator of claim 4 wherein the power supply means includes electrical storage means for providing the power supply voltage when the power-line conductor is deenergized.

7. The regenerator of claim 6 wherein the electrical storage means includes storage battery means.

8. The regenerator of claim 7 wherein the power supply means includes charging means for recharging the electrical storage means when the power-line conductor is energized.

9. The regenerator of claim 4 wherein the power supply means includes detector means for determining the adequacy of the voltage produced by the power supply means.

10. The regenerator of claim 9 wherein the power supply means includes undervoltage detector means responsive to the power supply voltage for determining when the power supply voltage is below a predetermined value and for providing an undervoltage signal in response thereto.

11. The regenerator of claim 10 including first bypass switch means being adapted for disposition between the coupling means and the detector means, whereby said first bypass switch means is responsive to the first data signal, said first bypass switch means also responsive to the undervoltage signal, wherein the detector means is selectively responsive to the first data signal when the undervoltage signal is not present, and wherein the power-line conductor at the second location is selectively responsive to the first data signal when the undervoltage signal is present, whereby when the power supply voltage is below the predetermined value the first data signal is coupled directly to the power-line conductor at the second location thereby bypassing the detector means and the transmitter means.

12. The regenerator of claim 11 including second bypass switch means being adapted for disposition between the electrical trap means and the transmitter means, said second bypass switch means responsive to the undervoltage signal, wherein said second bypass switch means is selectively responsive to the transmitter means when the undervoltage signal is not present, and selectively responsive to the first bypass switch means when the undervoltage signal is present, whereby when the power supply voltage is below the predetermined value the first data signal is coupled directly to the power-line conductor at the second location, thereby bypassing the detector means and the transmitter means.

13. The regenerator of claim 1 wherein the second coupling means includes a first capacitor being adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at the second location, and a second capacitor being adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at the second location, wherein said first and said second capacitors cooperate to couple the second data signal from the transmitter means to the first and the second bundle conductors at the second location.

14. The regenerator of claim 1 wherein the detector means includes:

equalizing amplifier means for providing a frequency-equalized signal in response to the first data signal;

decision-threshold means for providing a decoded signal in response to said frequency-equalized signal, wherein the transmitter means is responsive to said decoded signal.

15. The regenerator of claim 14 wherein a gain of the equalizing amplifier means is dependent on frequency such that said equalizing amplifier means compensates for frequency attenuation characteristics of the power-line conductor.

16. The regenerator of claim 14 wherein the equalizing amplifier means includes an automatic gain control circuit for controlling the gain of said equalizing amplifier means dependent on the magnitude of the first data signal.

17. A regenerator being adapted for connection to a power-line conductor wherein a first differential-mode data signal is propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction toward said regenerator and a second differential-mode data signal, representative of said first data signal, is produced by said regenerator and propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction away from said regenerator, and wherein a common-mode electric power signal is uninterruptedly propagated over said power-line conductor, and wherein said power line conductor comprises first and second bundle conductors separated by an insulator, said regenerator comprising:

electrical trap means being adapted for connection to said power-line conductor at said first location, said electrical trap means responsive to said first data signal for preventing propagation of said first data signal beyond said first electrical trap means, and for allowing propagation of said electric power signal beyond said first electrical trap means;

detector means responsive to said first data signal via said electrical trap means;

wherein said electrical trap means prevents propagation of said electric power signal into said detector means;

transmitter means for producing said second data signal in response to said detector means;

coupling means being adapted for connection across the first and second bundle conductors at said second location, wherein said coupling means is responsive to said second data signal for injecting said second data signal onto the first and second bundle conductors at said second location;

first inductive coil means having first and second terminals wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at said second location;

second inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at said second location, and the second terminal is connected to the second terminal of the first inductive coil means, such that said first and second inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors, respectively, at said second location, and wherein the second terminals of said first and second inductive coil means are connected to said electrical trap means;

wherein said first inductive coil means is inductively coupled to said second inductive coil means such that the mutual inductance is negative for the second data signal and positive for the electric power signal, to allow said second data signal and said electric power signal to propagate away from said regenerator.

18. A repeater being adapted for connection to a power-line conductor wherein a differential-mode data signal is propagated over said power-line conductor, and wherein a common-mode electric power signal is propagated over said power-line conductor, and wherein said power-line conductor comprises first and second bundle conductors separated by an insulator, said repeater comprising:

first coupling means being adapted for connection across the first and second bundle conductors at a first location thereof, wherein said first coupling means is responsive to said data signal;

amplifier means responsive to said data signal via said coupling means;

said amplifier means being adapted to receive and process said data signal;

first inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at said first location;

second inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at said first location and the second terminal is connected to the second terminal of the first inductive coil, such that said first and second inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors, respectively, at said first location;

wherein said first inductive coil means is inductively coupled to said second inductive coil means such that the mutual inductance is negative for the data signal and positive for the electric power signal, to prevent said data signal from propagating beyond said first location and to allow said electric power signal to propagate beyond said first location;

second coupling means being adapted for connection across the first and second bundle conductors at a second location thereof, wherein said second coupling means is connected to said amplifier means for reinjecting said data signal onto the first and second bundle conductors at said second location thereof;

third inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the first bundle conductor at said second location;

and fourth inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to the second bundle conductor at said second location, and the second terminal is connected to the second terminal of the third inductive coil means, such that said third and fourth inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors, respectively, at said second location, and wherein the second terminals of said third and fourth inductive coil means are connected to the second terminals of the first and second inductive coil means;

wherein said third inductive coil means is inductively coupled to said fourth inductive coil means such that the mutual inductance is negative for said data signal and positive for said electric power signal, to allow said data signal and said electric power signal to propagate away from said repeater.

19. A regenerator being adapted for connection to a power-line conductor wherein a first differential-mode data signal is propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction toward said regenerator and a second differential-mode data signal, representative of said first data signal, is produced by said regenerator and propagated over said power-line conductor in a direction away from said regenerator, and wherein a common-mode electric power signal is uninterruptedly propagated over said power-line conductor, and wherein said power line conductor comprises first and second bundle conductors separated by an insulator, said regenerator comprising:

first coupling means including a first capacitor being adapted for connection to said first bundle conductor at a first location thereof, and including a second capacitor being adapted for connection to said second bundle conductor at said first location, whereby said first and said second capacitors of said first coupling means cooperate to receive said first data signal;

detector means responsive to said first coupling means for producing a third signal in response thereto;

transmitter means responsive to said third signal for producing said second data signal in response thereto;

first electrical trap means including first inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to said first bundle conductor at said first location, and including second inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to said second bundle conductor at said first location wherein the second terminal of said first inductive coil means is connected to the second terminal of said second inductive coil means, such that said first and second inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors, respectively, at said first location, and wherein said first inductive coil means of said first electrical trap means is inductively coupled to said second inductive coil means of said first electrical trap means such that a mutual inductance of said first electrical trap means is negative for the first data signal and positive for the electric power signal, said first electrical trap means for preventing propagation of said first data signal beyond said first electrical trap means, for allowing propagation of said electric power signal beyond said first electrical trap means, and for preventing propagation of said electric power signal into said detector means;

transformer means including a primary coil having first and second terminals, and a secondary coil, wherein said first terminal is connected to the second terminals of said first and second inductive coil means;

power supply means responsive to said secondary coil of said transformer means for providing a power supply voltage to said detector means and said transmitter means;

second coupling means responsive to said transmitter means, said second coupling means including a first capacitor being adapted for connection to said first bundle conductor at a second location thereof, and including a second capacitor being adapted for connection to said second bundle conductor at said second location, whereby said first and said second capacitors of said second coupling means cooperate to couple said second data signal to said power-line conductor at said second location;

and second electrical trap means including first inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to said first bundle conductor at said second location, and including second inductive coil means having first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is adapted for connection to said second bundle conductor at said second location, wherein the second terminal of said first inductive coil means is connected to the second terminal of said second inductive coil means, such that said first and second inductive coil means are in series with the first and second bundle conductors, respectively, at said second location and wherein said first inductive coil means of said second electrical trap means is inductively coupled to said second inductive coil means of said second electrical trap means such that a mutual inductance of said second electrical trap means is negative for the second data signal and positive for the electric power signal, said second electrical trap means for directing propagation of said second data signal away from said regenerator, and for directing propagation of said electric power signal away from said regenerator.