Coupling broadband modems to power lines

• US 6,809,633 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ambient S A
• Inventors: Cern, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/082,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.07, 340/310.06, 340/310.01, 340/310.08, 340/310.05, 340/318, 375/258, 375/259
• US Class Current: 375/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

A method and system are given for a coupling a data signal over a power distribution system. An inductive signal coupler has two windings. The first winding is in series with a line conductor of the power distribution system. A capacitor is connected between the first line conductor and a second line conductor of the distribution system such that the capacitor presents a high impedance to a power signal and a low impedance to a data signal. A communication device is connected to the second winding so that a data signal can be coupled between the communication device and the distribution system.

Claims

1. A method for coupling a data signal over a power distribution system, the method comprising:

installing a series inductive coupler on a transformer secondary line conductor of a power distribution system adjacent to a secondary winding of a distribution transformer; and

connecting a communication device to the inductive coupler so that a data signal can be coupled between the communication device and the power distribution systems,

wherein the inductive coupler includes a split magnetic core clamped over the transformer secondary line conductor, and an inductive winding is wound over the core so that a portion of the transformer secondary line conductor within the core couples the data signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the installing an inductive coupler further places the coupler adjacent to the secondary winding of the distribution transformer within {fraction (1/10)} wavelength of a highest used frequency of the data signal.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

connecting a capacitor across two terminals of the transformer secondary winding such that the capacitor presents a high impedance to a power signal and a low impedance to a data signal.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transformer secondary line conductor is a neutral conductor.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a spread-spectrum modem.

6. A data signal system for a coupling a data signal over a power distribution system, the signal system comprising:

a series inductive coupler installed on a transformer secondary line conductor of a power distribution system adjacent to a distribution transformer; and

a communication device connected to the inductive coupler so that a data signal can be coupled between the communication device and the power distribution system,

wherein the inductive coupler includes a split magnetic core clamped over the transformer secondary line conductor, and an inductive winding is wound over the core so that a portion of the transformer secondary line conductor within the core couples the data signal.

7. A signal system according to claim 6, wherein the inductive coupler is installed adjacent to the secondary winding of the distribution transformer within {fraction (1/10)} wavelength of a highest used frequency of the data signal.

8. A signal system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a capacitor across two terminals of the transformer secondary winding such that the capacitor presents a high impedance to a power signal and a low impedance to a data signal.

9. A signal system according to claim 6, wherein the first line conductor is a neutral conductor.

10. A signal system according to claim 6, wherein the communication device is a spread-spectrum modem.

11. A method for coupling a data signal over a power distribution system, the method comprising:

connecting a series inductive coupler to a first line conductor of a power distribution system, wherein the inductive coupler includes a split magnetic core clamped over the first line conductor;

connecting a shunt capacitance coupler between the first line conductor and a second line conductor; and

providing a communication device having parallel first and second interfaces, one interface being connected to the inductive coupler and the other of said first and second interface being connected to the capacitance coupler, to enable coupling of a data signal between the communication device and the power distribution system.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first line conductor is a neutral conductor.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the communication device is a spread-spectrum modem.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the distribution system includes a distribution transformer and the inductive coupler is connected adjacent to a secondary winding of the transformer within {fraction (1/10)} wavelength of a highest used frequency of the data signal.

15. A data signal system for coupling a data signal over a power distribution system, the signal system comprising:

a series inductive coupler connected to a first line conductor of a power distribution system, wherein the inductive coupler includes a split magnetic core clamped over the first line conductor;

a shunt capacitive coupler connected between the first line conductor and a second line conductor; and

a communication device having parallel first and second interfaces, the first interface being connected to one coupler and the second interface being connected to the other coupler, to enable coupling of a data signal between the communication device and the power distribution system.

16. A signal system according to claim 15, wherein the first line conductor is a neutral conductor.

17. A signal system according to claim 15, wherein the communication device is a spread-spectrum modem.

18. A signal system according to claim 15, wherein the distribution system includes a distribution transformer and the inductive coupler is connected adjacent to a secondary winding of the transformer within {fraction (1/10)} wavelength of a highest used frequency of the data signal.

19. A method for coupling a data signal across a low impedance node of a power distribution system, the method comprising:

connecting a capacitor in parallel with a low impedance node of a power distribution system, the capacitor presenting a high impedance to a power signal and a low impedance to a data signal;

connecting a first inductive coupler in series with a line conductor, upstream of the node;

connecting a second inductive coupler in series with the line conductor, downstream of the node; and

operatively connecting the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler to couple the data signal across the node.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein operatively connecting includes connecting a signal amplifier between the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein operatively connecting includes connecting a data router between the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler for selectively routing a data signal between the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the second inductive coupler is one of a plurality of inductive couplers downstream of the node, and wherein the data router selectively routes data signals between the first inductive coupler and the plurality of inductive couplers.

23. A data signal system for coupling a data signal across a low impedance node of a power distribution system, the signal system comprising:

a capacitor connected in parallel with a low impedance node of a power distribution system, and presenting a high impedance to a power signal and a low impedance to a data signal;

a first inductive coupler connected in series with a line conductor, upstream of the node; and

a second inductive coupler connected in series with the line conductor, downstream of the node,

wherein the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler are operably connected to couple the data signal across the node.

24. A data signal system according to claim 23, further comprising a signal amplifier that operably connects the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler.

25. A data signal system according to claim 23, further comprising a data router that operably connects the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler to selectively route a data signal between the first inductive coupler and the second inductive coupler.

26. A data signal system according to claim 23, wherein the second inductive coupler is one of a plurality of inductive couplers downstream of the node, and wherein the data router selectively routes data signals between the first inductive coupler and the plurality of inductive couplers.