BREAKER BOX POWERLINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

1 . A Power Line Communications (PLC) device comprising:

a processing module;

memory coupled to the processing module;

a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to:

receive a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

process the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device; and

transmit the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

2 . The PLC device of claim 1 , wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to:

configure a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configure a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

3 . The PLC device of claim 2 , wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

4 . The PLC device of claim 2 , wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.

5 . The PLC device of claim 1 , further comprising a non-PLC communication interface coupled to the processing module, wherein the processing module is operable to bridge communications between the non-PLC communication interface and the plurality of PLC communication interfaces.

6 . The PLC device of claim 5 , wherein the processing module, the plurality of PLC communication interfaces, and the memory are operable to:

provide Internet access to a first group of devices via a first PLC communication interface; and

provide Internet access to a second group of device via a second PLC communication interface.

7 . The PLC device of claim 5 , wherein the non-PLC communication interface is operable to support a non-PLC communication standard comprising at least one of:

a Local Area Network (LAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication standard;

a coaxial communication standard;

a millimeter wave communication standard;

a cellular telephony communication standard;

a Near Field Communication (NFC) standard;

an infrared communication standard; and

an optical communication standard.

8 . The PLC device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of signal coupling circuits corresponding to the plurality of PLC communication interfaces and operable to couple respective PLC communication signals to respective PLC media segments; and

PLC signal shunt circuitry operable to be coupled to the plurality of PLC media segments on a power feed side to shunt the plurality of respective PLC communication signals.

9 . The PLC device of claim 8 , wherein the PLC signal shunt circuitry comprises a plurality of PLC shunt circuits respective to the plurality of signal coupling circuits operable to preclude back-feeding of PLC communication signals.

10 . A method for operating a Power Line Communications (PLC) device having a processing module, memory coupled to the processing module, and a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, the method comprising:

receiving a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

processing the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device; and

transmitting the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

configuring a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configuring a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising selectively shunting PLC communication signals to preclude back-feeding of the PLC communication signals.

15 . A method for operating a Power Line Communications (PLC) device having a processing module, memory coupled to the processing module, a plurality of PLC communication interfaces coupled to the processing module, each PLC communication interface for coupling to a respective PLC media segment, and a non-PLC communication interface coupled to the processing module, the method comprising:

receiving a PLC communication from a first PLC device via a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

processing the PLC communication to identify a second PLC device;

transmitting the PLC communication to the second PLC device via a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

bridging communications between the non-PLC communication interface and the plurality of PLC communication interfaces.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

providing Internet access to a first group of devices via a first PLC communication interface; and

providing Internet access to a second group of device via a second PLC communication interface.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-PLC communication interface is operable to support a non-PLC communication standard comprising at least one of:

a Local Area Network (LAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) communication standard;

a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication standard;

a coaxial communication standard;

a millimeter wave communication standard;

a cellular telephony communication standard;

a Near Field Communication (NFC) standard;

an infrared communication standard; and

an optical communication standard.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

configuring a first PLC communication interface of the plurality of PLC communication interfaces to communicate with the first PLC device according to a first PLC communication standard; and

configuring a second PLC communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to service communications according to a second PLC communication standard, wherein the first PLC communication standard and the second PLC communication standard are differing and incompatible PLC communication standards.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:

a first one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises a HomePlug communication standard; and

a second one of the differing and incompatible PLC communication standards comprises an ITU home networking (G.hn) communication standard.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:

the first PLC communication standard is a narrowband PLC communication standard; and

the second PLC communication standard is a wideband PLC communication standard.