Network distribution using common communication and power
AssigneeSiemens Industry, Inc.
InventorsDaniel S. Iasso, Johnar Maneja
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is described a network distribution system using common communication and power comprising a power line, multiple fire alarm units, and a power line control device. The power line provides alternating current, and the fire alarm units are coupled to the power line. The power line control device is coupled to the power line and a particular fire alarm unit of the plurality of fire alarm units. The power line control device comprises a communication translator to convert between power line and non-power line protocols and a power line core to modulate signals to, and demodulate signals from, the power line.
Claims15
A network distribution system using common communication and power comprising:
- a power line providing alternating current, the power line including a first power line and a second power line;
- a plurality of fire alarm units coupled to the power line;
- a first power line control device coupled to the first power line and a particular fire alarm unit of the plurality of fire alarm units;
- and
- a second power line control device coupled to the second power line and the particular fire alarm unit of the plurality of fire alarm units,
- each of the first and second power line control devices including:
- a communication translator to convert a fire alarm communication between a power line protocol and at least one non-power line protocol and to provide the fire alarm communication in the non-power line protocol to the particular fire alarm unit, wherein the at least one non-power line protocol includes at least one of Arcnet, BACnet, or Controller Area Network;
- and
- a power line core to provide outgoing power line signal to the corresponding power line by modulating the fire alarm communication in the power line protocol from the communication translator and provide the fire alarm communication in the power line protocol to the communication translator by demodulating the incoming power line signal from the corresponding power line.
A power line control device of a network distribution system using common communication and power comprising:
- an I/O component coupled to a non-power communication line and a power line, the non-power communication line conveying a fire alarm communication and the power line conveying alternating current and the fire alarm communication;
- a communication translator to convert the fire alarm communication between a power line protocol and at least one non-power line protocol and to provide the fire alarm communication in the non-power line protocol with the communication line, wherein the at least one non-power line protocol includes at least one of Arcnet, BACnet, or Controller Area Network;
- and
- a power line core to provide an outgoing power line signal to the power line by modulating the fire alarm communication in the power line protocol from the communication translator and provide the fire alarm communication in the power line protocol to the communication translator by demodulating the incoming power line signal from the power line,
- wherein the power line coupled to the I/O component includes a first power line and a second power line, and
- wherein the power line control device is a first power line control device of a fire alarm unit coupled to the first power line, the first power line control device operating in conjunction with a second power line control device of the fire alarm unit coupled to the second power line.
A method for a power line control device of a network distribution system using common communication and power, the method comprising:
- receiving alternating current from a power line, the power line including a first power line and a second power line;
- operating a first power line control device of a fire alarm unit in conjunction with a second power line control device of the fire alarm unit, the first power line control device being coupled to the first power line and the second power line control device being coupled to the second power line;
- generating a fire alarm communication in a power line protocol based on an incoming power line signal of the power line;
- converting the fire alarm communication from the power line protocol to at least one non-power line protocol in response to generating the fire alarm communication, wherein the at least one non-power line protocol includes at least one of Arcnet, BACnet, or Controller Area Network;
- and
- providing the fire alarm communication in the at least one non-power line protocol to a non-power communication line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.