Power line communications during selected time intervals
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsANAND G. DABAK, GANG XU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of power line communications includes obtaining timing information for an AC mains signal transmitted on a power line in a power line communication (PLC) system that includes at least one receiver and at least one other device connected on the power line which provides variable loading during cycles of the AC mains signal. A first loading interval within at least a first cycle of the cycles having lower loading and at least a second loading interval within said first cycle having higher loading are identified using the timing information. At least one data packet is transmitted only during the first loading interval over the power line to the receiver.
Claims19
A method of power line communications, comprising:
- obtaining timing information for an AC mains signal transmitted on a power line in a power line communication (PLC) system that includes at least one receiver and at least one other device connected on said power line which provides variable loading during cycles of said AC mains signal;
- identifying a first loading interval within at least a first cycle of said cycles having lower loading and at least a second loading interval within said first cycle having higher loading using said timing information, and
- transmitting only during the first loading interval at least one data packet over said power line to said receiver.
A power line communication (PLC) device, comprising:
- a processor, and
- a memory coupled to said processor,
- wherein said memory is configured to store program instructions executable by said processor to cause said PLC device to:
- identify a first loading interval having lower loading and at least a second loading interval having higher loading within at least a first cycle of an AC mains signal transmitted on a power line in a power line communication (PLC) system that includes at least one receiver and at least one other device connected on said power line which provides variable loading during cycles of said AC mains signal using timing information for AC mains signal, and
- transmit only during the first loading interval at least one data packet over said power line to another PLC device on said power line.
A tangible computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a power line communication (PLC) device, cause said PLC device to:
- identify a first loading interval having lower loading and at least a second loading interval having higher loading within at least a first cycle of an AC mains signal transmitted on a power line in a power line communication (PLC) system that includes at said PLC device, at least one receiver and at least one other device connected on said power line which provides variable loading during cycles of said AC mains signal using timing information for AC mains signal, and
- transmit only during the first loading interval at least one data packet over said power line to said receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.