Definitions

• the present invention relates to data communication via power lines. More specifically, it relates to a system of sending signals down the existing power lines to operate such devices as remote controls for VCR's, personal computers, security systems, and the like.
• the possible uses for this invention are endless and it is therefore hard to pinpoint exactly what fields of human endeavor stand to benefit most from the invention.
• Certainly the field of medicine stands to reap substantial benefits because of the increased possibilities of transmission of digitized computer medical information.
• Remote areas, served by electrical power lines but not having telephone lines, may now access all sorts of digital information resources previously unavailable. Marketing and service information for all sorts of products will gain an instant increase in the number of potential buyers by the use of this invention.
• the patented system of controlling power at a remote site includes a two channel modem having a first channel dedicated for transmitting power controlling messages to power control modules and a second channel dedicated to transmitting data messages to computerized equipment.
• the power control modules include a master control module which is plugged into a power line extending through the remote site and one or more slave modules also coupled to the remote site power line for receiving therethrough power control signals transmitted by the master control unit.
• a user located at a site distant from the remote site, may turn power on, off, or dim the power to any of a plurality of appliances which are coupled to the remote power line by way of slave power control units.
• U. S. Patent No. 5,051,720 is hereby incorporated by reference into the instant disclosure.
• the patent teaches how one may control computers, printers, alarm systems, telephone answering machines, lighting, video recorders, magnetic tape recording machines and other remote appliances simply by plugging them in to a power line circuit at a given site.
• the patent does not use the existing power line or power line grid between the local and remote site to transmit the control signals.
• the device of the instant invention uses the main electrical power lines for transmission of the control signals to the various controlled equipment. There is no need to use a conventional telephone line for the operation of this invention.
• the instant invention proposes transmitting coded signals over a line similar to the telephone line used by the above patent and others. However, a major difference is that the transmission is not dependent on the existence of any telephone line or any other sort of link such as radio or microwave.
• the patent shows a line for transmitting electric power, for example, of relatively high voltage and low frequency between two or more points and to a plurality of power consumers, some or all of whom, together with others in the locality through which the line extends, desire telephone service.
• Telephone subscribers stations are coupled to the power line and are adapted to receive and transmit telephone signals on high frequency or carrier waves .
• means are provided for modulating the carrier waves for transmission outgoing from the station or office, and for demodulating a modulated carrier wave incoming to the station or office.
• a single source of carrier wave, common to the system, is located at the central office, or at one of the stations, or may be coupled to the power line at some point along the line outside of a station or the central office. Because the distances between stations and between a station and the central office may be appreciable and will vary with the stations involved in a particular call, there may be phase differences between the carrier wave at the called or calling station and that of the calling or called station. That is to say, there may be phase differences in transmission occurring between the carrier wave employed for modulation and the carrier wave employed for demodulation.
• the device of the instant invention is intended to transmit coded digital signals over existing electric power lines.
• the above mentioned problems of phase difference and potential interference are circumvented.
• the instant invention will be accessible to many simultaneous users on the same electrical power grid.
• the device of the instant invention is intended to transmit coded digital signals over existing electric power lines.
• the above mentioned problems of phase difference and potential interference are circumvented.
• the instant invention will be accessible to many simultaneous users on the same electrical power grid.
• the device of the instant invention is intended to transmit coded digital signals over existing electric power lines.
• the invention conceives the use of electric power lines to send and receive command, control, and data signal structures.
• the transmit and receive sets are equipped with a unique individual coding (for identification and security) to complete the communication links.
• a message signal is sent onto the line the unique code of the sending unit is placed at a predetermined position in the transmitted signal, such as in the header.
• the intended receiving unit code is placed in the message signal.
• an individual receiving network at a given location will be activated only when its unique code has been placed into a message on the line sent by another unit.
• This coding ensures that only the intended location receiver will be able to "trap" the signal.
• the signals sent will be mid to high frequency and will be composed of low level logic/digital bits.
• the Figure is a schematic diagram of the overall system of the invention.
• the present invention consists of a means of communication between a structure 1 and a remote structure 2 connected to one another only by an electric power transmission line 100.
• a transmitter/controller device 10, located at structure 1 is plugged into an outlet 13 in a wall 14 by means of a wire 12.
• Wire 15 further connects outlet 13 to the main structure AC power input box 16.
• Main power line 17 leading from structure 1 leads to an existing local transformer 19.
• Shown at 18 is a schematic representation of the signal in line 17. It demonstrates that the signal is made up of a main AC power signal of low frequency (typically 60 Hz.) plus a superimposed high frequency, pulsing, or "ripple" signal which has been transmitted by transmitter 10.
• the transformer 19 is connected to the standard power transmission lines 100.
• an existing power line transformer 21 such as is normally used to step down the transmission line voltage from a high transmission potential to the commonly used 120 volt household potential. It should be noted that these transformers on both ends of the power transmission line will do nothing to the superimposed "ripple" data signal of this invention except perhaps introduce a slight phase lag into the signal. The phase lag will have no effect on the operation of the equipment contemplated as using the communication signal to be more fully described later.
• a “smart" receiver 20 is located in structure 2.
• the receiver is “smart” in that it is programmed only to capture ripple signals on the incoming power line that have been encoded with a unique destination code which matches that of the receiver. All other ripple signals on incoming power line 22 will be blocked from transmission into structure 22 or otherwise rendered ineffective. In this manner signals being sent to another structure on the power line grid (not shown) cannot enter structure 2 and have no possibility of interfering in any way with the operation of any electrical appliances within structure 2. However, if a packet of information identified as belonging to structure 2 is detected, the receiver will pass through that particular ripple to all the standard electrical wiring outlets 23 in walls 24 of structure 2.
• the various controlled appliance units 25, 26, and 27 of this invention correspond to the combined slave units and appliances of the incorporated patent. It is contemplated that the slave decoding units could either be incorporated into the wall plug outlets of structure 2, incorporated into the appliances themselves, or incorporated into the power cords 28 connecting appliances 25 and 26 or the power cord 29 connecting the appliance 27. Regardless of their location the slave units would operate to control their respective appliances in a manner such as disclosed in the incorporated patent.
• control signals are contemplated by the instant invention and the drawing shows a single example of a possible use for each.
• the simplest is an on off control signal that might be used to turn on a light appliance 25 through line 28.
• Another type of signal could be a full fledged data string of text or graphics information which is represented by wire 29 to computer 26.
• a command control code could be received such as illustrated by signal 30 controlling VCR 27 via standard VCR remote controller 31.
• both structures would contain combined transmit/receive units to make possible two-way communication between any two structures on the electric power grid.

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• Cable Transmission Systems, Equalization Of Radio And Reduction Of Echo (AREA)

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Citations (2)

• 1996
  • 1996-09-07 JP JP10512596A patent/JP2000505969A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-09-07 CA CA002264847A patent/CA2264847C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-09-07 EP EP96932184A patent/EP0931411A4/de not_active Ceased
  • 1996-09-07 AU AU71068/96A patent/AU7106896A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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