Power line communications device and method of use

• US 7,382,232 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Radtke, William O., Gidge, Brett D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/254,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.03, 340/310.04, 340/310.05, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/310.11, 340/310.17, 340/310.12, 340/310.13, 340/310.14, 340/310.15, 340/310.16, 340/310.18, 340/538.11, 340/538.16, 340/538.17, 324/522, 324/529, 342/373
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0226 Fixed carrier allocation, e.g. according to service
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0227 Operation, administration, maintenance or provisioning [OAMP] of WDM networks, e.g. media access, routing or wavelength allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0232 for downstream transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0246 using one wavelength per ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0247 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/025 using one wavelength per ONU, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0252 Sharing one wavelength for at least a group of ONUs, e.g. for transmissions from-ONU-to-OLT or from-ONU-to-ONU
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/028 WDM bus architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0282 WDM tree architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0283 WDM ring architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems

Abstract

A device and method for providing power line communications via an underground residential distribution power system is provided. One embodiment of the present invention includes a power line bridge having though section and processing section. The through section may include a first and second amplifying circuit for amplifying data signals traveling in opposite directions. The processing section may include a first, a second modem, and a controller that may process commands and perform routing functions. The power line bridge may be co-located with a URD distribution transformer and provide communications to the user devices communicatively coupled to the LV power lines of the distribution transformer.

Claims

1. A device for providing communications to one or more user devices and that communicates over an underground power line comprising a first and second of segment connected in series with each other via a distribution transformer and wherein said underground power line carries a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, comprising:

a first coupler configured to be coupled to the first segment of the underground power line;

a second coupler configured to be coupled to the second segment of the underground power line;

a first amplifying circuit configured to amplify first signals received from said first coupler and to conduct said amplified first signals to said second coupler for coupling to the second segment, wherein the first signals are received from said first coupler and supplied to said second coupler without demodulation;

a first modem communicatively coupled to said first coupler; and

a second modem communicatively coupled to said first modem and configured to provided communications to the one or more user devices.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second amplifying circuit configured to amplify second signals received from said second coupler and to conduct said amplified second signals to said first coupler for coupling to said first segment.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first signals are in a first frequency band and said second signals are in second frequency bands.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said second modem is configured to communicate with the user devices via a third frequency band.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said first modem comprises a modem substantially compatible compliant with a Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS) specification.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a router communicatively coupled to said first modem.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first modem is configured to transmit using time division multiplexing.

8. The device claim 1, wherein said second modem is configured to be communicatively coupled to a low voltage power line to provide communications therethrough to the one or more user devices.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said second modem is configured to differentially transmit data signals over two energized conductors of the low voltage power line.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said first amplifying circuit is coupled to said first coupler via a tunable filter configured to be tuned to plurality of frequency bands.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said wherein said first modem is configured to receive and process a plurality of DOCSIS commands.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said first amplifying circuit is coupled to said first coupler via a first diplexer.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said first amplifying circuit includes a low noise amplifier coupled to a band pass filter.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said first coupler comprises a three port coupler having one port configured to attenuate said first data signals.

15. A method of providing communications to user devices via an underground power line comprising a first and second segment and carrying a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, comprising:

receiving a first data signal in a first frequency band from the first segment of the power line;

amplifying the first data signal;

coupling the amplified first data signal in the first frequency band to a second segment of the power line;

wherein the receiving the first data signal first data signal, amplifying the first data signal, and coupling of the amplified first data signal are performed without demodulation; and

demodulating the first data signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said demodulating provides the first data, and further comprising:

modulating the first data to provide a second data signal; and

transmitting the second data signal to a user device via a low voltage power line.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising routing the first data prior to modulating the first data.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving second data transmitted from a user device; and

transmitting the second data in a second frequency band via the first segment of the power line.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the second data via a low voltage power line signal; and

demodulating the low voltage power line signal to provide the second data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising routing the second data.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving third data from a user device;

prioritizing transmission of the second data and third data; and

transmitting the second data and third data in accordance with said prioritizing.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first data includes a DOCSIS command.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second data signal in a second frequency band from the second segment of the power line;

amplifying the second data signal; and

coupling the amplified second data signal in the second frequency band to the first segment of the power line.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving third data transmitted from a user device; and

transmitting the third data in the second frequency band via the first segment of the power line.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

filtering for data signals from the first segment in the first frequency band;

receiving a command to filter for data signals in a second frequency band; and

filtering for data signals from the first segment in the second frequency band in response to receiving the command.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising attenuating the first data signals traversing the first segment.

27. A method of providing communications to user devices via an underground power line comprising a first and second segment and carrying a power signal having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, comprising:

receiving a first data signal in a first frequency band from the first segment of the power line;

amplifying the first data signal;

coupling the amplified first data signal in the first frequency band to the second segment of the power line;

wherein the received first data signal is amplified and coupled to the second segment without demodulation;

receiving second data transmitted from a user device; and

transmitting the second data in a second frequency band via the first segment of the power line.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a third data signal in the second frequency band from the second segment of the power line;

amplifying the third data signal; and

coupling the amplified third data signal in the second frequency band to the first segment of the power line.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said transmitting is performed via time division multiplexing.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising routing the second data.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the first data signal includes a DOCSIS status request.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving third data from a user device;

prioritizing transmission of the second data and third data;

transmitting the second data in the second frequency band via the first segment of the power line; and

wherein said transmitting of the second data and the third data is in accordance with said prioritizing.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising attenuating the first data signals traversing the first segment.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

filtering for data signals from the first segment in the first frequency band;

receiving a command to filter for data signals in a third frequency band; and

filtering for data signals from the first segment in the third frequency band in response to receiving the command.

35. A device for providing communications over a power line, comprising:

a first port;

a second port;

a first amplifying circuit having an input and an output and configured to amplify data signals in a first frequency band, said output of said first amplifying circuit being communicatively coupled to said first port and said input of said first amplifying circuit being communicatively coupled to said second port;

wherein said first amplifying circuit is configured to amplify data signals received from said second port, and to provide the amplified data signals to said first port without demodulation of said data signals;

a second amplifying circuit configured to amplify data signals in a second frequency band;

said output of said second amplifying circuit being communicatively coupled to said second port and said input of said second amplifying circuit being communicatively coupled to said first port;

wherein said second amplifying circuit is configured to amplify data signals received from said first port, and to provide the amplified data signals to said second port without demodulation of said data signals;

a first modem communicatively coupled to said first port; and

a second modem communicatively coupled to said first modem.

36. The device of claim 35, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to said first modem.

37. The device of claim 35, wherein said first modem comprises a modem substantially compatible with a DOCSIS specification.

38. The device of claim 35, further comprising a router in communicatively coupled to said first modem.

39. The device of claim 35, wherein the first modem is configured to transmit using time division multiplexing.

40. The device claim 35, wherein said second modem is configured to be communicatively coupled to a low voltage power line to provide communications therethrough to the one or more user devices.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein said second modem is configured to differentially transmit data signals over two energized conductors of the low voltage power line.

42. The device of claim 35, wherein said first modem is configured to receive and process a plurality of DOCSIS commands.

43. The device of claim 35, wherein said output of said first amplifying circuit and said input of said second amplifying circuit are coupled to said first port via a first diplexer.

44. The device of claim 35, wherein said first amplifying circuit includes a low noise amplifier coupled to a band pass filter.