# US 10,374,642 B2 · Power line communication method and device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,642 B2 - Document ID: US10374642B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/555,939 - Filed: 2015-03-06 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Wei Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374642B2 ## CPC - H04B 1/04: Circuits - H03M 1/66: Digital/analogue converters ({H03M1/001 – } H03M1/10 take precedence) - H04B 3/54: Systems for transmission via power distribution lines - H04B 3/56: Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals - H04B 2203/5408: using protocols - H04B 2203/5454: Adapter and plugs - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention disclose a power line communications device, and the power line communications device includes a USB interface, a protocol conversion module, a signal conversion module, a coupler, and a power line interface. A first end of the USB interface is connected to a first end of the protocol conversion module, a second end of the protocol conversion module is connected to a first end of the signal conversion module, a second end of the signal conversion module is connected to a first end of the coupler, and a second end of the coupler is connected to a first end of the power line interface. During implementation of the embodiments of the present invention, the USB interface may be used to provide a network signal for a terminal device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power line communications device, comprising: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a protocol conversion module, a first signal conversion module, a coupler, and a power line interface, wherein: a first end of the USB interface is connected to a first end of the protocol conversion module, a second end of the protocol conversion module is connected to a first end of the first signal conversion module, a second end of the first signal conversion module is connected to a first end of the coupler, and a second end of the coupler is connected to a first end of the power line interface; the power line interface is configured to: connect to a power line, receive a first electrical signal sent by the power line, and send the first electrical signal to the coupler; the coupler is configured to: obtain a second electrical signal from the first electrical signal, and send the second electrical signal to the first signal conversion module, wherein the second electrical signal is an electrical signal in a preset frequency band; the first signal conversion module is configured to: convert the second electrical signal into a first network signal, and send the first network signal to the protocol conversion module; the protocol conversion module is configured to: convert the first network signal of an Ethernet protocol into a first network signal of a USB protocol, and send the converted first network signal to the USB interface; and the USB interface is configured to: connect to a terminal device by using a data cable, and send the converted first network signal to the terminal device for triggering the terminal device to access a network by using the converted first network signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power line communications device according to claim 1, comprising: a second signal conversion module having a first end connected to the second end of the first signal conversion module and having a second end connected to the first end of the coupler, and wherein the second signal conversion module is configured to: receive the second electrical signal sent by the coupler; convert the second electrical signal from an analog signal into a digital signal; and send the converted second electrical signal to the first signal conversion module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power line communications device according to claim 2, wherein: the USB interface is further configured to: receive a second network signal sent by the terminal device by using the data cable, and send the second network signal to the protocol conversion module; the protocol conversion module is further configured to: convert the second network signal of the USB protocol into a second network signal of the Ethernet protocol, and send the converted second network signal to the first signal conversion module; the first signal conversion module is further configured to: convert the converted second network signal into a third electrical signal, and send the third electrical signal to the second signal conversion module; the second signal conversion module is further configured to: convert the third electrical signal from a digital signal into an analog signal, and send the converted third electrical signal to the coupler; the coupler is further configured to: send the converted third electrical signal to the power line interface; and the power line interface is further configured to: send the converted third electrical signal to the power line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power line communications device according to claim 3, further comprising: an amplifier having a first end connected to a third end of the second signal conversion module and having a second end connected to a third end of the coupler, wherein the amplifier is configured to: receive the converted third electrical signal sent by the second signal conversion module; amplify the converted third electrical signal; and send the amplified third electrical signal to the coupler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power line communications device according to claim 1, wherein: the power line communications device further comprises a power supply module having a first end connected to a second end of the power line interface and having a second end connected to a second end of the USB interface, and wherein the power supply module is configured to: receive the first electrical signal sent by the power line interface, and send the first electrical signal to the USB interface; and the USB interface is further configured to: send the first electrical signal to the terminal device by using the data cable for triggering the terminal device to be charged by using the first electrical signal. ### Claim 6 A power line communications device, comprising: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a protocol conversion module, a first signal conversion module, a second signal conversion module, an amplifier, a coupler, and a power line interface, wherein: a first end of the USB interface is connected to a first end of the protocol conversion module, a second end of the protocol conversion module is connected to a first end of the first signal conversion module, a second end of the first signal conversion module is connected to a first end of the coupler, and a second end of the coupler is connected to a first end of the power line interface; the USB interface is configured to: connect to a terminal device by using a data cable, receive a first network signal sent by the terminal device, and send the first network signal to the protocol conversion module; the protocol conversion module is configured to: convert the first network signal of a USB protocol into a first network signal of an Ethernet protocol, and send the converted first network signal to the first signal conversion module; the first signal conversion module is configured to: convert the converted first network signal into a first electrical signal, and send the first electrical signal to the coupler; the coupler is configured to send the first electrical signal to the power line interface; the power line interface is configured to: connect to a power line, and send the first electrical signal to the power line; a first end of the second signal conversion module is connected to the second end of the first signal conversion module and a second end of the second signal conversion module is connected to the first end of the coupler, wherein the second signal conversion module is configured to: receive the first electrical signal sent by the first signal conversion module; convert the first electrical signal from a digital signal into an analog signal; and send the converted first electrical signal to the coupler; a first end of the amplifier is connected to a third end of the second signal conversion module and a second end of the amplifier is connected to a third end of the coupler, wherein the amplifier is configured to: receive the converted first electrical signal sent by the second signal conversion module; amplify the converted first electrical signal; and send the amplified first electrical signal to the coupler. ### Claim 7 A power line communications device, comprising: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a protocol conversion module, a first signal conversion module, a second signal conversion module, a coupler, and a power line interface, wherein: a first end of the USB interface is connected to a first end of the protocol conversion module, a second end of the protocol conversion module is connected to a first end of the first signal conversion module, a second end of the first signal conversion module is connected to a first end of the coupler, and a second end of the coupler is connected to a first end of the power line interface; the USB interface is configured to: connect to a terminal device by using a data cable, receive a first network signal sent by the terminal device, and send the first network signal to the protocol conversion module; the protocol conversion module is configured to: convert the first network signal of a USB protocol into a first network signal of an Ethernet protocol, and send the converted first network signal to the first signal conversion module; the first signal conversion module is configured to: convert the converted first network signal into a first electrical signal, and send the first electrical signal to the coupler; the coupler is configured to send the first electrical signal to the power line interface; the power line interface is configured to: connect to a power line, and send the first electrical signal to the power line; a first end of the second signal conversion module is connected to the second end of the first signal conversion module and a second end of the second signal conversion module is connected to the first end of the coupler, wherein the second signal conversion module is configured to: receive the first electrical signal sent by the first signal conversion module; convert the first electrical signal from a digital signal into an analog signal; and send the converted first electrical signal to the coupler; the power line interface is further configured to: receive a second electrical signal sent by the power line, and send the second electrical signal to the coupler; the coupler is further configured to: obtain a third electrical signal from the second electrical signal, and send the third electrical signal to the second signal conversion module, wherein the third electrical signal is an electrical signal in a preset frequency band; the second signal conversion module is further configured to: convert the third electrical signal from an analog signal into a digital signal, and send the converted third electrical signal to the first signal conversion module; the first signal conversion module is further configured to: convert the converted third electrical signal into a second network signal, and send the second network signal to the protocol conversion module; the protocol conversion module is further configured to: convert the second network signal of the Ethernet protocol into a second network signal of the USB protocol, and send the converted second network signal to the USB interface; and the USB interface is further configured to: send the second network signal of the USB protocol to the terminal device for triggering the terminal device to access a network by using the second network signal of the USB protocol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power line communications device according to claim 7, wherein: the power line communications device further comprises a power supply module having a first end connected to a second end of the power line interface and having a second end connected to a second end of the USB interface, wherein the power supply module is configured to: receive a second electrical signal sent by the power line interface, and send the second electrical signal to the USB interface; and the USB interface is further configured to: send the second electrical signal to the terminal device by using the data cable for triggering the terminal device to be charged by using the second electrical signal. ### Claim 9 A power line communication method, comprising: receiving a first electrical signal sent by a power line; obtaining, from the first electrical signal, a second electrical signal in a preset frequency band; converting the second electrical signal into a first network signal; converting the first network signal of an Ethernet protocol into a first network signal of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol; and sending the first network signal of the USB protocol to the terminal device for triggering the terminal device to access a network by using the first network signal of the USB protocol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein: after obtaining, from the first electrical signal, a second electrical signal in a preset frequency band, and before converting the second electrical signal into a first network signal, the method further comprises: performing an analog-to-digital conversion on the second electrical signal; and converting the second electrical signal into a first network signal comprises: converting a converted second electrical signal into the first network signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: receiving a second network signal sent by the terminal device; converting the second network signal of the USB protocol into a second network signal of the Ethernet protocol; converting the second network signal of the Ethernet protocol into a third electrical signal; performing a digital-to-analog conversion on the third electrical signal; and sending a converted third electrical signal to the power line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein: after performing a digital-to-analog conversion on the third electrical signal, and before sending a converted third electrical signal to the power line, the method further comprises: amplifying the converted third electrical signal; and sending a converted third electrical signal to the power line comprises: sending the amplified third electrical signal to the power line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising: sending the first electrical signal to the terminal device for triggering the terminal device to be charged by using the first electrical signal.