Hybrid power line/wireless appliance automation system, device, and power monitoring method utilzing the same

A power line communication device communicatively couple-able to a host device, utilized in a hybrid power line/wireless appliance automation system for interfacing between at least one electric power distribution circuit and at least one electronic device, the power line communication device comprising:

• a power line communication module capable of interconversion between data signal and power line signal, adapted to selectively receive and transmit power line signal through the at least one electric power distribution circuit;
• a wireless communication module capable of interconversion between data signal and wireless signal, adapted to selectively receive and transmit wireless signal;
• a monitoring module for detecting at least one operational parameter of the power line communication device;
• a processing module in electrical connection with the power line communication module, the wireless communication module, and the monitoring module, capable of converting the at least one parameter to the data signal and determining whether the at least one parameter exceeds a threshold value, configured to generate a control signal when the at least one parameter exceeds the threshold value;
• and
• a power management module in electrical connection with the processing module, adapted to receive electrical power from the at least one electric power distribution circuit and selectively supply power to the at least one electronic device according to the control signal.

A power monitoring method utilizing a hybrid power line/wireless appliance automation system, which comprises a host device communicatively coupled to at least one power line communication device adapted in at least one electric power distribution circuit and interfacing at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

• detecting at least one parameter of the at least one power line communication device by an onboard monitoring module thereof;
• determining whether the at least one parameter exceeds a threshold value by an onboard processing module of the power line communication device, and when the at least one parameter exceeds the threshold value, a control signal is generated by the processing module;
• and
• selectively supplying power from the at least one electric power distribution circuit to the at least one electronic device by an onboard power management module of the power line communication device according to the control signal.