Apparatus, systems and methods for power line carrier data communication to DC powered electronic device

An electronic device configured to operate using direct current (DC) power defined by a DC voltage and a DC current, and configured to operate in accordance with first information received from a host electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

• a DC power bus configured to electrically couple to a receptacle connector, wherein the receptacle connector provides the DC power that includes the first information modulated onto the DC voltage,
• wherein the first information is defined by a first series of first binary numbers and second binary numbers,
• wherein each first binary number is defined by a pull up DC voltage, and
• wherein each second binary number is defined by a pull down DC voltage;
• a DC modulator/demodulator coupled to the DC power bus, wherein the DC modulator/demodulator is configured to:
• detect the DC voltage of the received DC power;
• and
• output the first series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers based on detected changes in the DC voltage,
• wherein a transition from the first binary number to the second binary number is determined when the detected change in the DC voltage corresponds to a percentage decrease in the DC voltage that is at least equal to a predefined percentage change, and
• wherein a transition from the second binary number to the first binary number is determined when the detected change in the DC voltage corresponds to the percentage increase in the DC voltage that is at least equal to the predefined percentage change;
• and
• a processor system communicatively coupled to the DC modulator/demodulator, wherein the processor system controls operation of the electronic device in accordance with the information defined by the series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers,
• wherein the electronic device operates in accordance with the first information defined by the first series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers,
• wherein the processor system is further configured to:
• define second information as a second series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers, and
• communicate the second series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers to the DC modulator/demodulator,
• wherein the DC modulator/demodulator is further configured to:
• modulate the received second information into a DC information signal onto the DC power by increasing the DC voltage by a pull up DC voltage value to represent the first binary number,
• modulate the received second information into the DC information signal onto the DC power by decreasing the DC voltage by a pull down DC voltage value to represent the second binary number, and
• wherein a difference between the pull up DC voltage value and the pull down DC voltage value corresponds to at least the predefined percentage change,
• wherein the DC information signal is detected by the receptacle connector, and
• wherein the second information is output by the receptacle connector onto an AC power wiring network.

A communication system that communicates information over an alternate current (AC) power wiring network to a plurality of direct current (DC) powered client devices coupled to the AC power wiring network via a power receptacle, the communication system comprising:

• a host device, comprising:
• a power module configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from the AC power wiring network via an AC power connector, wherein the AC power is defined by an AC voltage and an AC current;
• a processor system configured to define information as a series of first binary numbers and second binary numbers, wherein the information is configured to control operation of at least one of the plurality of DC powered client devices;
• and
• a DC modulator/demodulator coupled to the processor system and the AC power connector, wherein the DC modulator/demodulator is configured to:
• receive the information from the processor system;
• and
• modulate the AC voltage by adding an AC information signal onto the AC voltage;
• wherein the AC information signal corresponds the series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers of the received information,
• wherein each first binary number corresponds to an increase in the AC voltage, and
• wherein each second binary number corresponds to a decrease in the AC voltage,
• a plurality of power receptacles, wherein each power receptacle is coupled to one of the plurality of DC powered client devices and comprises:
• a connector configured to electrically couple to a receptacle of the alternating current (AC) power wiring network, wherein the AC power is drawn from the AC power wiring network by the apparatus to provide DC power to the respective DC powered client device that is coupled to the power receptacle;
• an AC to DC power converter coupled to the connector, wherein the AC to DC power converter is configured to:
• receive the AC power from the AC power wiring network;
• convert the AC power into the DC power, wherein the DC power is defined by a DC voltage and a DC current;
• and
• output the DC power onto a DC connector that couples the power receptacle to the respective DC powered client device;
• an AC modulator/demodulator communicatively coupled to the connector, wherein the AC modulator/demodulator is configured to:
• detect the AC voltage of the received AC power;
• demodulate the AC information signal to determine information, wherein the information is determined based on detected changes in the AC voltage that corresponds to the AC information signal;
• and
• output the determined information;
• and
• a DC modulator/demodulator coupled to the AC modulator/demodulator and the DC connector, wherein the DC modulator/demodulator is configured to:
• receive the information from the AC modulator/demodulator;
• and
• modulate the received information into a DC information signal onto the DC power,
• wherein the DC information signal comprises the series of the first binary numbers and the second binary numbers,
• wherein each first binary number is defined by a pull up DC voltage, and
• wherein each second binary number is defined by a pull down DC voltage,
• wherein the pull up DC voltage increases the DC voltage that is output from the AC to DC power converter to a pull up DC voltage value,
• wherein the pull down DC voltage decreases the DC voltage that is output from the AC to DC power converter to a pull down DC voltage value, and
• wherein a difference between the pull up DC voltage value and the pull down DC voltage value corresponds to at least a predefined percentage change;
• and
• the plurality of DC powered client devices, wherein the plurality of DC powered client devices may receive the DC information signal from the respective power receptacle that it is coupled to.