Computer system having a power supply for coupling signals to a power line network and transmitting infrared signal to at least one peripheral card

• US 6,668,328 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: GlobespanVirata, Inc. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bell, Russell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US09/574,945
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 713/310, 713/300, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 710/100, 709/249, 709/250
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a computer system having novel circuitry for coupling peripheral cards to a power line network. In this regard, the computer includes a switching power supply having coupling circuitry for coupling an electrical signal with a power line, a filter circuit electrically connected to the coupling means for receiving an electrical signal from the coupling means and filtering the received signal, and an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the filter circuit for amplifying the filtered signal. The computer system also includes at least one peripheral circuit (e.g., PC card). An infrared transmitter is coupled to the amplifier circuit for transmitting an infrared signal. Finally, the computer includes an infrared receiver coupled to the peripheral circuit for receiving the scattered infrared signal. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a power line adapter is provided for communicating signals between a power line and a computer. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for coupling a power line with a peripheral card in computer system. The method operates by coupling an electrical signal, within a switching power supply, with the power line, transmitting the electrical signal through an infrared transmitter disposed at the on the switching power supply, diffusing the signal transmitted from the infrared transmitter, and receiving the diffused signal through an infrared receiver disposed on a peripheral card.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a switching power supply having coupling circuitry for coupling an electrical signal with a power line, a filter circuit electrically connected to the coupling means for receiving an electrical signal from the coupling means and filtering the received signal, and an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the filter circuit for amplifying the filtered signal;

at least one peripheral circuit;

an infrared transmitter coupled to the amplifier circuit for transmitting the amplified signal;

a diffuser disposed to receive the infrared signal output from the infrared transmitter, the diffuser operative to scatter the infrared signal in multiple directions; and

an infrared receiver coupled to the peripheral circuit for receiving the scattered infrared signal.

2. The computer system as defined in claim 1, further including a second infrared transmitter coupled to the at least one peripheral circuit for transmitting an infrared signal.

3. The computer system as defined in claim 2, further including a second infrared receiver coupled to the switching power supply for receiving infrared signals transmitted from the second infrared transmitter.

4. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral circuit includes a plug-in type circuit card.

5. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a piece of glass curved at a wide angle.

6. The computer system as defined in claim 1, further including a plurality of plug-in type circuit cards, each having an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter.

7. The computer system as defined in claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of circuit cards is configured to evaluate the signal at its infrared receiver to ensure that no other infrared communications are taking place before sending an electrical signal to its infrared transmitter.