Power Line Communication Device and Method Of Using The Same

1 . A method of communicating data over a low voltage power line, comprising:

receiving first data via the power line from a first user device disposed in a customer premises;

decrypting the first data using a first encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted first data using a second encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted first data over the power line.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first encryption key based on information included in the first data.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein said selecting is based on information of a port included in the first data.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising storing information for selecting encryption keys in a memory.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving second data via the power line;

decrypting the second data using the second encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted second data using the first encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted second data over the power line.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the second data is received from a power line communication device configured to provide communication services to the first user device.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving second data via the power line from a second user device disposed in the customer premises;

decrypting the second data using the first encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted second data using the second encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted second data over the power line.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving third data via the power line from a power line communication device configured to provide communication services to the first and second user devices;

decrypting the third data using the second encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted third data using the first encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted third data over the power line.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting a destination device for the first data.

10 . A method of communicating data over a low voltage power line, comprising:

receiving data via the low voltage power line;

selecting one of a plurality of encryption keys to decrypt the received data;

decrypting said received data with the selected encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted data with a second encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over the power line.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least some of the plurality of encryption keys are used for communicating with different communication devices.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the received data includes information of a port and said selecting is based on the information of the port.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said selecting is based on information included in the received data.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the received data is received from a user device disposed in a customer premises.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the received data is received from a power line communication device configured to provide communications to a plurality of user devices disposed in a plurality of customer premises.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the received data includes utility data.

17 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising storing information for selecting the one of the plurality of encryption keys in a memory.

18 . A method of providing communications between a first and second device over a low voltage power line, comprising:

receiving first data from the power line from the second device;

selecting a first encryption key from a plurality of encryption keys;

decrypting the received first data using the first encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted first data using a second encryption key;

transmitting the encrypted first data over the power line for reception by the first device;

receiving second data from the power line from the first device;

decrypting the received second data using the second encryption key;

encrypting the decrypted second data using the first encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted second data over the power line for reception by the second device.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first encryption key is selected based on information included in the first data.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the information included in the first data includes port information.

21 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first data is received from a power line communication device configured to provide communications to a plurality of user devices disposed in a plurality of customer premises

22 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of encryption keys is associated with different communication devices than other encryption keys.

23 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first data is received from a user device disposed in a customer premise.

24 . A device for communicating data over a power line, comprising:

a modem communicatively coupled to the power line; and

wherein said modem is configured to:

receive first data from the power line;

decrypt received first data using a first encryption key of a plurality of encryption keys;

encrypt the decrypted first data using a second encryption key of the plurality of encryption keys; and

transmit the encrypted first data over the power line.

25 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein the first encryption key is selected based on information included in the received data.

26 . The device according to claim 25 , wherein the information included in the received data includes port information.

27 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein said modem is configured to:

receive second data from the power line;

decrypt received second data using the second encryption key;

encrypt the decrypted second data using the first encryption key; and

transmit the encrypted second data over the power line.

28 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein at least some of the plurality of encryption keys are associated with different communication devices.

29 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises data from a power line communication device configured to provide communications to a plurality of user devices disposed in a plurality of customer premises.

30 . The device according to claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises data from a user device disposed in a customer premise.

31 . The device according to claim 24 , further comprising a routing module in communication with said modem and including information to determine the encryption key to be used by said modem.

32 . A device for communicating data over a power line, comprising:

a modem configured to be communicatively coupled to the power line;

wherein said modem is configured to:

receive first data from the power line;

use one of a plurality of encryption keys to decrypt received first data;

use a different one of the plurality of encryption keys to encrypt the decrypted first data; and

transmit the encrypted first data over the power line; and

a routing module in communication with said modem and including information to determine an encryption key to be used by said modem.

33 . The device according to claim 32 , wherein the encryption key used by said modem to decrypt the first data is based on information included in the received first data.

34 . The device according to claim 33 , wherein the information included in the received first data includes port information.

35 . The device according to claim 32 , wherein at least some of the plurality of encryption keys are associated with different communication devices.