Ultra-wideband communication through local power lines

• US 7,027,483 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pulse-Link Incorporated
• Inventors: Santhoff, John, Moore, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, DON NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US10/456,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/257, 375/259, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/538, 455/402, 455/270
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71632 Signal aspects H04B1/7172 and H04B1/7176 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25751 Optical arrangements for CATV or video distribution adaptations of television systems for optical transmission H04N7/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• 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: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus structured to transmit a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses through an electric power medium is provided. One embodiment of the method comprises an ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses through the electric power medium and an ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses from the electric power medium. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a power supply that provides ultra-wideband communications to devices that obtain power from the power supply. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An electric power supply for communication through an electric power wire, comprising:

at least one electric power outlet structured to provide electric power from the electric power wire;

an ultra-wideband transmitter communicating with the electric power wire and with the at least one electric power outlet; and

an ultra-wideband receiver communicating with the electric power wire and with the at least one electric power outlet.

2. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the electric power supply provides an ultra-wideband communication to at least two devices that are coupled to the electric power supply.

3. The electric power supply of claim 2, wherein one of the at least two devices is directly coupled to the at least one electric power outlet, and the other device is remotely coupled to the electric power supply through the electric power wire.

4. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the electric power supply comprises an electric power strip that includes at least two electric power outlets.

5. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the electric power supply provides an ultra-wideband communication to other electric power supplies through the electric power wire.

6. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the electric power outlet is sized to receive a male connector that provides electric power to a device.

7. The electric power supply of claim 6, wherein the male connector comprises at least two electrically conductive pins.

8. The electric power supply of claim 2, wherein the device is ultra-wideband enabled and is selected from a group of consisting of:

a phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, a laptop computer, a network, a video monitor, a computer monitor, a home appliance, an office appliance, and a device employing ultra-wideband technology.

9. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the transmitter can transmit ultra-wideband signals though a wire medium or a wireless medium.

10. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the receiver can receive ultra-wideband signals though a wire medium or a wireless medium.

11. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises an ultra-wideband pulse modulator that is structured to transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.

12. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises an ultra-wideband pulse demodulator that is structured to receive a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.

13. The electric power supply of claim 1, wherein a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted and received, and each ultra-wideband pulse comprises a pulse of electro magnetic energy having duration between about 0.1 nanosecond and about 1 millisecond.

14. The electric power supply of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ultra wideband pulses is transmitted at a power level ranging between about +30 power decibels, to about −

140 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.

15. An electric power supply structured to transmit a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses through an electric power medium, comprising:

at least one electric power outlet structured to provide electric power from the electric power medium;

an ultra-wideband transmitter communicating with the electric power medium and with the at least one electric power outlet; and

an ultra-wideband receiver communicating with the electric power medium and with the at least one electric power outlet.

16. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses each comprise a pulse of electro magnetic energy having duration between about 0.1 nanosecond and about 1 millisecond.

17. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ultra wideband pulses is transmitted at a power level ranging between about +30 power decibels, to about −

140 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.

18. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises an ultra-wideband pulse modulator that is structured to transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.

19. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises an ultra-wideband pulse demodulator that is structured to receive a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.

20. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the electric power medium is selected from a group consisting of:

an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.

21. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses is used to transmit data selected from a group consisting of:

telephony data, high-speed data, digital video data, digital television data, Internet communication data and audio data.

22. The electric power supply of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses are selected from a group consisting of:

a pulse quadrature amplitude modulated pulse, a pulse position modulated pulse, a pulse amplitude modulated pulse, a pulse transmitted at a fixed pulse rate, a pulse transmitted at a variable pulse rate, and a pulse transmitted at a pseudo-random pulse rate.

23. An ultra-wideband communication system structured to transmit a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses through an electric power medium, comprising:

an ultra-wideband transmitter comprising at least one electric power outlet, the ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses through the electric power medium; and

an ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses from the electric power medium.

24. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses each comprise a pulse of electro magnetic energy having duration between about 0.1 nanosecond and about 1 millisecond.

25. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of ultra wideband pulses is transmitted at a power level ranging between about +30 power decibels, to about −

140 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.

26. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 23, wherein the electric power medium is selected from a group consisting of:

an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.

27. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses is used to transmit data selected from a group consisting of:

telephony data, high-speed data, digital video data, digital television data, Internet communication data and audio data.

28. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses are selected from a group consisting of:

a pulse quadrature amplitude modulated pulse, a pulse position modulated pulse, a pulse amplitude modulated pulse, a pulse transmitted at a fixed pulse rate, a pulse transmitted at a variable pulse rate, and a pulse transmitted at a pseudo-random pulse rate.

29. An electric power supply, comprising:

providing a electric conduit that contains electric power;

means for transferring the electric power to a device;

means for transmitting a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses though the electric conduit to the device;

means for receiving a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses from the device though the electric conduit.

30. The electric power supply of claim 29, wherein the device is ultra-wideband enabled and is selected from a group of consisting of:

a phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, a laptop computer, a network, a video monitor, a computer monitor, a home appliance, an office appliance, and a device employing ultra-wideband technology.

31. The electric power supply of claim 29, wherein the electric conduit is selected from a group consisting of:

an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.