Digital communication systems and associated methods

A digital communication station, comprising:

• a first coupled inductor including:
• a first winding connected between a first digital communication node and a first power node,
• a second winding connected between a second digital communication node and a second power node, and
• a third winding;
• first driver circuitry configured to drive the third winding to increase respective inductance values of the first and second windings;
• a first digital transceiver communicatively coupled to the first digital communication node and the second digital communication node;
• and
• a controller configured to provide inrush current protection by limiting a slew rate of current flowing through the first and second windings during start-up of the digital communication station.

A digital communication system, comprising:

• a first station, including:
• a first coupled inductor, including:
• a first winding connected between a first digital communication node and a first power node,
• a second winding connected between a second digital communication node and a second power node, and
• a third winding,
• first driver circuitry configured to drive the third winding of the first coupled inductor to increase respective inductance values of the first and second windings of the first coupled inductor, and
• a first digital transceiver communicatively coupled to the first digital communication node and the second digital communication node;
• a second station, including:
• a second coupled inductor, including:
• a first winding connected between the first digital communication node and a third power node,
• a second winding connected between the second digital communication node and a fourth power node, and
• a third winding,
• second driver circuitry configured to drive the third winding of the second coupled inductor to increase respective inductance values of the first and second windings of the second coupled inductor, and
• a second digital transceiver communicatively coupled to the first digital communication node and the second digital communication node;
• an electrical cable connecting (a) the first digital communication node between the first and second stations, and (b) the second digital communication node between the first and second stations.

A method for transmitting digital data and electrical power in a digital communication system, the method comprising:

• providing electrical power to first and second digital communication nodes via first and second windings of a coupled inductor;
• transmitting or receiving digital communication signals via the first and second digital communication nodes using a digital transceiver communicatively coupled to the first and second digital communication nodes;
• and
• driving a third winding of the coupled inductor at least partially based on each of (i) a first signal representing one of a first voltage across the first winding and a first current through first winding and (ii) a second signal representing one of a second voltage across the second winding and a second current through the second winding, to increase respective inductance values of the first and second windings of the coupled inductor.