Power meter bypass device and method for a power line communications system
View Patent ↗A passive bypass device for providing a data path around a power meter is provided. The device may be communicatively connected to two low voltage power line energized conductors on a first and a second side of a power meter. The energized power line conductors conduct both the data signals and the power. The bypass device includes a filter that causes the power to pass through the power meter while allowing the data signal to pass around the power meter thereby providing a substantially non-attenuated data signal path. The bypass device may include a first and second data path for the first and second energized conductors and with each path having a high pass filter and a fuse communicatively connected to its respective energized conductor on each side of the power meter.
1. A device for communicating data signals around a power meter coupled to a low voltage power line having a first and a second energized conductor, comprising:
a first conductor configured to be coupled to the first energized conductor on a first side of the power meter and a second conductor configured to be coupled to the first energized conductor on a second side of the power meter, and wherein the first and second conductor form part of a first data path;
a first high pass filter forming part of the first data path;
a third conductor configured to be coupled to the second energized conductor on the first side of the power meter and a fourth conductor configured to be coupled to the second energized conductor on the second side of the power meter, and wherein the third and fourth conductor form part of a second data path;
a second high pass filter forming part of the second data path; and
wherein said first and second data paths permit the data signals to bypass the power meter while inhibiting the flow of power.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said first data path further comprises a first fuse communicatively coupled to said first high pass filter and said second data path further comprises a second fuse communicatively coupled to said second high pass filter.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said first data path further comprises a first inductor communicatively coupled to said first high pass filter and said second data path further comprises a second inductor communicatively coupled to said second high pass filter.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said first high pass filter and said second high pass filter each comprise a capacitor.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to conduct signals transmitted from a power line communications device coupled to a medium voltage power line to a user device.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is a passive device and is configured to conduct signals transmitted from a low voltage repeater coupled to the low voltage power line.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the low voltage repeater is an outdoor low voltage repeater.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the power line further includes a neutral conductor, the device further comprising:
a third data path coupled to the neutral conductor on each side of the power meter and wherein said third data path comprises a fuse.
9. A method for communicating data signals around a power meter coupled to a low voltage power line that carries a power signal and includes a first and a second energized conductor, comprising:
conducting the data signals over a low voltage power line;
coupling a passive bypass device to the power line on each side of the power meter;
filtering the power signal with the bypass device while conducting the data signals around the power meter; and
conducting the power signal through the power meter.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said filtering employs a high pass filter.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising conducting the data signals through a fuse of the passive bypass device.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said filtering employs a capacitor.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data signals are transmitted from a power line communications device coupled to a medium voltage power line.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the passive bypass device includes a first and second data path each having a first and second end and wherein said coupling comprises:
coupling the first and second end of the first data path to the first energized conductor on opposite sides of the power meter; and
coupling the first and second ends of the second data path to the second energized conductor on opposite sides of the power meter.
15. A device for communicating data signals around a power meter coupled to a low voltage power line that supplies power to customer premises, the low voltage power line having a first energized conductor and a second energized conductor, the device comprising:
a first data path comprising a first high pass filter configured to be communicatively coupled to the first energized conductor on a first side of the power meter and on a second side of the power meter, said first high pass filter configured to conduct data signals while substantially preventing the flow of power;
said first data path further comprising a first fuse communicatively coupled to said first high pass filter;
a second data path comprising a second high pass filter configured to be communicatively coupled to the second energized conductor on a first side of the power meter and on a second side of the power meter, said second high pass filter configured to conduct data signals while substantially preventing the flow of power; and
said second data path further comprising a second fuse communicatively coupled to said second high pass filter.
16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first inductor communicatively coupled to said first high pass filter; and
a second inductor communicatively coupled to said second high pass filter.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein first high pass filter comprises a first capacitor and said second high pass filter comprises a second capacitor.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein said device is configured to conduct signals transmitted from a power line communications device coupled to a medium voltage power line to a user device in the customer premises.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the power line further includes a neutral conduct coupled, the device further comprising
a third data path comprising a third high pass filter configured to be communicatively coupled to the neutral conductor on a first side of the power meter and on a second side of the power meter, said third high pass filter configured to conduct data signals; and
said third data path further comprising a first fuse communicatively coupled to said third high pass filter.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein said device is configured to conduct signals transmitted from a low voltage repeater coupled to the low voltage power line.