Power line communication system and method
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a device for providing communications through power lines comprised of multiple conductors by transmitting the data signals through a plurality of the conductors. One embodiment of the present invention may be comprised of a transmit circuit communicatively coupled to a first energized conductor for applying a first voltage signal representing the data to the first energized conductor; the transmit circuit being communicatively coupled to a second energized conductor for applying a second voltage signal representing the data to the second energized conductor; and wherein the second voltage signal is opposite in polarity to said first voltage signal.
1. A method of providing communications over an electrical power distribution network having first and second medium voltage power line conductors in spaced-apart and substantially parallel relation, comprising:
at a first location:
receiving first data via a backhaul link;
modulating at least one carrier with the first data to provide a first data signal; and
coupling the first data signal to the first medium voltage power line conductor;
at a second location:
receiving the first data signal from the second medium power line conductor;
demodulating the received first data signal to provide the first data; and transmitting the first data to a user device; and
wherein the first data signal cross-couples from the first medium voltage power line conductor to the second medium voltage power line conductor, at least in part, through air.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising routing the first data after demodulating the first data signal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backhaul link is, at least in part, a wireless link.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backhaul link is, at least in part, a fiber optic link.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the first data includes transmitting the first data over a low voltage power line.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the first data includes wirelessly transmitting the first data.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein modulating includes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at the second location:
receiving second data from a user device;
modulating at least one carrier with the second data to provide a second data signal; and
coupling the second data signal to the second medium voltage power line conductor;
at the first location:
receiving the second data signal from the first medium power line conductor;
demodulating the received second data signal to provide the second data; and
transmitting the second data over the backhaul link.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising prioritizing the second data at the second location prior to modulating at least one carrier with the second data.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the second data includes wirelessly receiving the second data.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the second data includes receiving the second data via a low voltage power line.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
at the second location:
receiving third data from a user device;
modulating at least one carrier with the third data to provide a third data signal; and
coupling the third data signal to the second medium voltage power line conductor;
at the first location:
receiving the third data signal from the first medium power line conductor;
demodulating the received third data signal to provide the third data; and
transmitting the third data over the backhaul link.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising prioritizing the second data and third data at the second location.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling includes inductively coupling.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling includes capacitively coupling.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling includes coupling via a coupler having a first and second conductive connection with the first medium voltage power line.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at the second location constructing a data packet that includes at least a portion of the first data and a destination address corresponding to a user device.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the destination address comprises a media access control address of a power line modem.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at the second location:
receiving a plurality of data packets; and
prioritizing transmission of the plurality of data packets.
20. A method of providing communications over an electrical power distribution network having first and second medium voltage power line conductors in spaced-apart and substantially parallel relation, comprising:
at a first power line communications device:
receiving first data from a user device;
modulating at least one carrier with the first data to provide a first data signal; and
coupling the first data signal to the first medium voltage power line conductor;
at a backhaul device:
receiving the first data signal from the second medium power line conductor;
demodulating the received first data signal to provide the first data; and
transmitting the first data over a backhaul link; and
wherein the first data signal cross-couples from the first medium voltage power line conductor to the second medium voltage power line conductor, at least in part, through air.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising at the first power line communications device routing the first data.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the backhaul link is, at least in part, a wireless link.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the backhaul link is, at least in part, a fiber optic link.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein receiving the first data includes receiving the first data via a low voltage power line.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein receiving the first data includes wirelessly receiving the first data.
26. The method of claim 20 , further comprising at the first power line communications device:
constructing a data packet that includes at least a portion of the first data and a destination address corresponding to the backhaul device; and
wherein the first data signal represents the data packet.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the destination address comprises a media access control address.
28. The method of claim 20 , further comprising at the first power line communications device:
receiving a plurality of data packets; and
prioritizing transmission of the plurality of data packets.
29. A method of providing communications over an electrical power distribution network having first, second, and third medium voltage power line conductors in spaced-apart and substantially parallel relation, comprising:
connecting a first power line communications device to the first medium voltage power line conductor;
connecting a second power line communications device to the second medium voltage power line conductor;
connecting a third power line communications device to the third medium voltage power line conductor;
receiving a first data at the first power line communications device;
constructing a data packet that includes at least a portion of the first data and a destination address corresponding to a user device;
wherein the first and third power line communications devices each includes a user device configured to communicate with one or more user devices;
wherein transmissions from the first power line communications device to the second power line communications device traverse at least the first medium voltage power line conductor, and cross-couple through air to the second medium voltage power line conductor; and
wherein transmissions from the third power line communications device to the second power line communications device traverse at least the third medium voltage power line conductor, and cross-couple through air to the second medium voltage power line conductor.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the user device interfaces each include a wireless transceiver.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the user device interfaces are each configured to communicate via a low voltage power line.
32. The method of claim 24 , wherein the second power line communications device wirelessly transmits data received from the first power line communications device.
33. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first and third power line communications devices each includes a router.
34. The method of claim 24 , wherein the destination address comprises a media access control address of a power line modem.
35. A method of providing communications over an electrical power distribution network having first, second, and third medium voltage power line conductors in spaced-apart and substantially parallel relation, comprising:
connecting a first power line communications device to the first medium voltage power line conductor;
connecting a second power line communications device to the second medium voltage power line conductor;
connecting a third power line communications device to the third medium voltage power line conductor;
at the first power line communications device, receiving a plurality of data packets; and
at the first power line communications device, prioritizing transmission of the plurality of data packets;
wherein transmissions from the first power line communications device to the second power line communications device traverse at least the first medium voltage power line conductor, and cross-couple through air to the second medium voltage power line conductor; and
wherein transmissions from the third power line communications device to the second power line communications device traverse at least the third medium voltage power line conductor, and cross-couple through air to the second medium voltage power line conductor.