Data communication over a power line
AssigneeCurrent Technologies, LLC
InventorPaul A. Kline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Data signals are communicated between a power line and a computer, wherein the power line provides power to the computer via a distribution transformer and the computer is in communication with a wireless communication path. A first data signal is communicated with the power line. A conversion is made between the first data signal and a second data signal capable of being communicated wirelessly. The second data signal is wirelessly communicated with the wireless communication path.
Claims74
A system for communicating over a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power line forming part of a power distribution system that supplies power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, the system comprising:
- a first device comprising:
- a coupler configured to couple data to and from the power line;
- a first modem configured to communicate data over the power line via said coupler;
- and
- a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to said first modem and configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of utility devices disposed at a plurality of customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines.
A method of communicating data over a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power line forming part of a power distribution system that supplies power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, the method comprising:
- receiving first data in a first data signal from the power line;
- demodulating the first data signal;
- wirelessly transmitting the first data to a utility device disposed at a customer premises thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines;
- wirelessly receiving second data from a utility device disposed at a customer premises to thereby bypass the external low voltage power line;
- modulating one or more carriers with the second data to form a second data signal;
- and
- coupling the second data signal onto the power line.
A method of communicating data over a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power line forming part of a power distribution system that supplies power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, the method comprising:
- receiving a downstream data packet with first data from the power line;
- determining a destination the downstream data packet, wherein the destination includes one or more utility devices at one or more customer premises;
- and
- wirelessly transmitting the first data of the downstream data packet to the one or more utility devices thereby bypassing the external low voltage power lines.
A device for communicating over a power line having a voltage greater than one thousand volts, the power line forming part of a power distribution system that supplies power to a plurality of customer premises via a plurality of external low voltage power lines, the device comprising:
- a coupler configured to couple data to and from the power line;
- a first housing;
- first circuitry disposed in said first housing and configured to transmit and receive data over the power line via said coupler;
- a second housing;
- second circuitry disposed in said second housing and configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of remote utility meters, each of the pluralitv of remote utility meters configured to meter one of the plurality of customer premises;
- and
- wherein said first circuitry is communicatively coupled to said second circuitry via a data path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.