Device for sending and receiving data through power distribution transformers
First Claim
1. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal, the system comprising:
- (i) a transmitter having a pair of terminals for connection to the power lines, the transmitter comprising;
a carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier frequency modulator by the data signal; and
, a switching circuit connected to the carrier frequency generator for being switched by the carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier signal having said carrier frequency, said switching circuit also being connected to the terminals for providing the carrier signal thereto, the switching circuit comprising at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal; and
, (ii) a receiver for coupling to the power lines, and comprising;
a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal, and a demodulator connected to the filter means for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powerline communication system including a transmitter having a pair of terminals for connection to the power lines. The transmitter comprises a carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier frequency modulated by the data signal and a switching circuit connected to the carrier frequency generator for being switched by the carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier signal having the carrier frequency. The switching circuit is connected to the terminals for providing the generated carrier signal thereto. The switching circuit comprises at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of the carrier signal and providing the stored energy when generating another portion of the cycle of the carrier signal. The system also comprises a receiver coupled to the power lines. The receiver includes a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal and a demodulator connected to the filter means for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal. Both the transmitter and receiver may utilize a digital algorithm in a computing device to synchronize the carrier signal to the power line frequency to adaptively track changes in the power line frequency to minimize interference with power line harmonics and provide accurate frequency alignment between the transmitter and receiver.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal, the system comprising:
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(i) a transmitter having a pair of terminals for connection to the power lines, the transmitter comprising;
a carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier frequency modulator by the data signal; and
, a switching circuit connected to the carrier frequency generator for being switched by the carrier frequency generator for generating a carrier signal having said carrier frequency, said switching circuit also being connected to the terminals for providing the carrier signal thereto, the switching circuit comprising at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal; and
,(ii) a receiver for coupling to the power lines, and comprising;
a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal, and a demodulator connected to the filter means for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal having a power-line frequency, the system comprising:
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling the transmitter to the power lines, and a carrier frequency generator for continuously calculating a carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency, said carrier frequency generator having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines and wherein said transmitter generates a carrier signal having said carrier frequency and provides said carrier signal to said terminals and (2) a receiver for connection to the power lines, the receiver comprising a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power signal, a demodulator for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal, and a synchronization input for connection to the power lines, said receiver continuously generating a carrier decode frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency and for demodulating the carrier signal, wherein both the demodulator and carrier frequency generator utilize a digital algorithm for calculating the carrier frequency and the carrier decode frequency.
- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal having a power-line frequency, the system comprising:
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling the transmitter to the power lines, a switching circuit connected to the pair of terminals for generating a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated with the data signal and a carrier frequency generator for switching the switching circuit at the carrier frequency and for continuously calculating the carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency via a digital algorithm for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency, the carrier frequency generator being connected to the switching circuit and having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines, the switching circuit comprising at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal; and
(2) a receiver, for connection to the power lines, and comprising a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal, a demodulator for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal, and a synchronization input for connection to the power lines, said receiver continuously generating a carrier decode frequency as a function of the power-line frequency via a digital algorithm for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency and for demodulating the carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling the transmitter to the power lines, a switching circuit connected to the pair of terminals for generating a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated with the data signal and a carrier frequency generator for switching the switching circuit at the carrier frequency and for continuously calculating the carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency via a digital algorithm for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency, the carrier frequency generator being connected to the switching circuit and having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines, the switching circuit comprising at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal; and
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34. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal, the system comprising:
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling the transmitter to the power lines, a pair of switches connected across the pair of terminals, for applying a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated with a data signal to the pair of terminals, a resonant circuit including capacitive and inductive elements and connected to said pair of switches for reducing current and voltage transients, and a carrier frequency generator connected to and controlling the pair of switches to control the frequency of the carrier signal; and
(2) a receiver, for connection to the power lines and comprising a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal, and a demodulator connected to the filter means for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling the transmitter to the power lines, a pair of switches connected across the pair of terminals, for applying a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated with a data signal to the pair of terminals, a resonant circuit including capacitive and inductive elements and connected to said pair of switches for reducing current and voltage transients, and a carrier frequency generator connected to and controlling the pair of switches to control the frequency of the carrier signal; and
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39. A transmitter, for transmitting a carrier signal modulated with a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal having a power-line frequency, the transmitter having terminals for connection to power lines and comprising at least two of:
- (1) a first resonant circuit connected to the terminals and being substantially resonant at the frequency of the carrier;
(2) a carrier frequency generator including a synchronization input for connection to the power lines, said generator continuously calculating the carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency via a digital algorithm for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency; and
(3) a switching circuit for generating a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated by the data signal, said switching circuit comprising at least one storage means for storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
- (1) a first resonant circuit connected to the terminals and being substantially resonant at the frequency of the carrier;
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44. A receiver for connection to power lines for receiving a data signal encoded in a carrier signal, the receiver comprising:
- a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal; and
a demodulator connected to the filter means, for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal, said demodulator comprising a computing device having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines for continuously generating a carrier decode frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency and for demodulating the carrier signal, and a phase detector controlled by the computing device, for detecting a phase difference between the carrier decode frequency generated by the computing device and the frequency of the carrier signal, whereby the computing device can switch the carrier decode frequency to the frequency of the carrier signal, thereby to extract the data signal from the carrier signal.
- a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal; and
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45. A method of transmitting a data signal over power lines, the method comprising generating a carrier signal having a carrier frequency modulated with the data signal, applying the modulated carrier signal to the power lines at one location and receiving and demodulating the carrier signal at another location, the method comprising at least two of:
- (1) resonantly coupling the carrier signal to the power lines using a first resonant circuit;
(2) continuously digitally calculating the carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency; and
, (3) generating the carrier signal via a switching circuit, which includes storing energy when generating a portion of a cycle of said carrier signal and providing said stored energy when generating another portion of said cycle of said carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
- (1) resonantly coupling the carrier signal to the power lines using a first resonant circuit;
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57. A power line communication system for transmitting a data signal over power lines carrying a power signal having a power-line frequency, the system comprising:
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling to the power lines, and a carrier frequency generator including a digital computing device for continuously calculating a carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency, the carrier frequency generator having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines and the transmitter generating a carrier signal having the carrier frequency and providing the carrier signal to the terminals; and
(2) a receiver for connection to the power lines, the receiver comprising a filter means for filtering the carrier signal from the power line signal, and a demodulator including a digital computing device for extracting the data signal from the carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60)
- (1) a transmitter comprising a pair of terminals for coupling to the power lines, and a carrier frequency generator including a digital computing device for continuously calculating a carrier frequency as a function of the power-line frequency for adaptively tracking changes in the power-line frequency, the carrier frequency generator having a synchronization input for connection to the power lines and the transmitter generating a carrier signal having the carrier frequency and providing the carrier signal to the terminals; and
Specification