Power-line communication device
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorSatoshi Endo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power-line communication device in which a control signal is superimposed on a power line between a switching power supply and a unit to be controlled to which an output of the switching power supply is supplied, so that the control signal is transmitted to the unit. At the same time, a switching noise generated by the switching power supply is monitored and communication is started by using the switching noise, as a synchronizing signal. Subsequently, communication can be performed during the intervals between the switching noises so that erroneous signal detection is reduced.
Claims17
A power-line communication device incorporated in an electronic apparatus, the power-line communication device comprising:
- a switching power supply configured to supply electric power by performing ON/OFF control for at least one switching element;
- a power line;
- a load unit which receives the electric power transmitted from the switching power supply via the power line;
- a communication unit provided between the switching power supply and the load unit and communicating with the load unit;
- a control unit configured to generate a control signal to be transferred to the load unit;
- and
- a detection unit which detects a time when the switching power supply generates switching noise and externally transmits a detection signal,
- wherein the communication unit superimposes the control signal transmitted from the control unit on the power line in synchronization with the detection signal.
A power-line communication method used for an electronic apparatus including a switching power supply which supplies electric power by performing ON/OFF control for at least one switching element, and a load unit which receives the electric power transmitted from the switching power supply via at least one power line, the power-line communication method comprising the steps of:
- generating a control signal that is to be transferred to the load unit;
- detecting time when switching noise of the switching power supply is generated, so as to externally transmit a detection signal;
- and
- performing communication so that the control signal is superimposed on the power line in synchronization with the detection signal.
A power-line communication device comprising:
- a switching power supply configured to supply electric power by performing ON/OFF control for at least one switching element;
- a power line;
- a load unit which receives the electric power transmitted from the switching power supply via the power line;
- a communication unit provided between the switching power supply and the load unit and communicating with the load unit;
- and
- a control unit configured to generate a control signal to be transferred to the load unit,
- wherein the communication unit superimposes the control signal on the power line so that the control signal is not split across an ON period and an OFF period of the switching element.
A power-line communication device comprising:
- a switching power supply configured to supply electric power by performing ON/OFF control for at least one switching element;
- a power line;
- a load unit which receives the electric power transmitted from the switching power supply via the power line;
- a communication unit provided between the switching power supply and the load unit and communicating with the load unit;
- and
- a control unit configured to generate a control signal to be transferred to the load unit,
- wherein the communication unit superimposes the control signal on the power line so that a single communication is completed only during an ON period of the switching element and/or another single communication is completed only during an OFF period of the switching element.
A method for controlling a power-line communication device configured to superimpose a control signal on a power line between a switching power supply incorporated in an apparatus and a load unit to which at least one output transmitted from the switching power supply is supplied, and transmit the control signal to the load unit, the control method comprising the steps of:
- generating a detection signal indicating that switching noise is generated in the switching power supply;
- and
- performing communication so that the control signal is superimposed on the power line by using the detection signal, as a synchronizing signal.
A method for controlling a power-line communication device configured to superimpose a control signal on a power line between a switching power supply incorporated in an apparatus and at least one unit to be controlled to which at least one output transmitted from the switching power supply is supplied, and transmit the control signal to the unit, the control method comprising the steps of:
- generating a switching signal used for turning on and/or off a switching element provided in the switching power supply;
- and
- performing communication so that the control signal is superimposed on the power line by using the switching signal, as a synchronizing signal.
A method for controlling a power-line communication device configured to superimpose a control signal on a power line between a switching power supply provided in an apparatus and at least one unit to be controlled to which at least one output transmitted from the switching power supply is supplied, and transmit the control signal to the unit, the control method comprising the steps of:
- controlling switching ON/OFF a switching element provided in the switching power supply;
- and
- performing communication so that the control signal is superimposed on the power line so that a single communication is completed only during an ON period of the switching element and/or another single communication is completed only during an OFF period of the switching element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.