GB2441798A

GB2441798A - Adaptor for power lines communication

Info

Publication number: GB2441798A
Application number: GB0621597A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Antony Cant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-31
Filing date: 2006-10-31
Publication date: 2008-03-19
Also published as: GB2441798A9; GB2446274A9; GB2446274A; GB0801526D0; GB0621597D0

Abstract

An adapter 20, 40 having at least one socket portion 22, 42 and a connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected with said adapter. The adapter is provided with an electronics module which is powered by said mains power and also separates a digital signal therefrom, said digital signal being transmitted in conjunction with said mains power signal and the adapter provides at least one separate outlet 30, 44, 46 for transmitting the digital signal. The adaptor is particularly useful for power lines communication systems such as Ethernet over power, where network signals can be transmitted over mains wiring. The adaptor provides a mains socket 22 in addition to the digital output 30 so the adaptor is still capable of serving mains appliances. The connector means of the adaptor may be a plug (26, fig.3c) or may be hard wired to the mains wiring such as in a wall mounted socket outlet (fig.4). Preferable both an Ethernet socket 30, 44 and a wireless transceiver 46.

Description

1 2441798

Power Socket Adapter

This invention relates to a power socket adapter, and more specifically to a power socket adapter having additional functionality.

5

BACKGROUND

Mains power socket adapters have been in existence for many years, and indeed nowadays there are a myriad of different types of adapter. Figure 1 hereof provides an 10 indication of perhaps the simplest type of adapter 1 which can be plugged into a conventional wall socket to increase the number of available sockets by one. As can be seen in the Figure, a pair (and optionally more) sockets are provided in the faces 2,4 of the adapter shown, and conventional plugs attached to appliances or the like may simply be inserted thereinto.

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Figure 2 shows an alternative adapter 6 which not only provides a socket 8 into which the plug of an appliance may be inserted, but also includes a sensor 10 which in this case is an infra-red sensor for detecting human movement, such as a PIR sensor. By incorporating electronics inside the adapter 6, additional functionality can be provided by 20 allowing for the power supply to the socket 8 to be activated or de-activated internally of the adapter, for example, when human motion is detected in front of the sensor 10. In this case, the electronics inside the adapter (not shown, but of entirely standard configuration) is not only powered by the mains supply derived from the connection between the adapter plug portion shown generally at 12 and the wall or other power 25 socket (not shown) into which it is inserted, but said electronics also provides an automatic switch function for the adapter.

In terms of the additional functionality which domestic and commercial premises power cables can provided, it is already known to piggy-back a variety of different signals on 30 top of such cables. In general, while domestic power cables are intended to carry only a standard 120/240V 50/60Hz AC sinusoidal power signal, such are actually capable of carrying, among other things, data signals, and it is known to utilise exiting domestic wiring networks to provide Ethernet networks throughout such premises. Intellon Corporation of USA has established itself as one of the main suppliers of products 35 facilitating the provision of such networks internally of domestic, commercial, office and other spaces through their power cabling loops.

2

However, one of the fundamental difficulties perceived by the inventors herefor is that the use of Intellon's equipment necessarily utilises at least one of the sockets of a conventional socket wall plate, and in most cases, and particularly in the case of 5 computer equipment to which an Ethernet connection will usually nowadays always be required, many power supplies are required. Typically, this has resulted in the somewhat dangerous overloading of wall sockets by using many of the devices shown in Figure 1 to provide power sources for various devices, such as monitors, printers, modems, and computer base units.

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It is an object of this invention to provide an enhancement to existing socket adapters, and in a particular embodiment of the invention, the sockets themselves which takes account of the above disadvantages.

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BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to the present invention there is provided an adapter having at least one socket portion and connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to 20 or connected with said adapter, characterised in that said adapter is further provided with an electronics module which is not only powered by said mains power but effectively separates a digital signal therefrom, said digital signal being transmitted in conjunction with said mains power signal, and further characterised in that said adapter provides at least one separate outlet, discrete from the socket portion by means of which the mains 25 power signal received at the connector means is transmitted.

Preferably, connector means are in the form of conventionally arranged pins capable of being inserted into a standard socket wall plate provided in domestic or office premises.

30 Preferably, the separate outlet is a socket capable of accepting an Ethernet cable connector, said electronics module effectively stripping the Ethernet signal from said mains power signal and delivering the Ethernet signal to said socket.

In a preferred embodiment, the adapter is a socket wall plate provided with an outlet 35 being an Ethernet socket and an electronics module incorporated into the wall plate, said

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connector means being ports provided on the rear face of said wall plate into which mains power cables may be fed and in which they may be conductively secured.

Preferably, the discrete outlet of the adapter is chosen to be one of: an Ethernet socket, 5 a wi-fi port, a USB port, a video signal connector, an IEEE1394 outlet, and in each case, the electronics module is configured to strip a particular requisite signal carried by said power signal and deliver the stripped signal to the respective outlet.

In a preferred arrangement, the adapter is provided with a plurality of outlets comprising 10 at least one Ethernet outlet and at least one wi-fi outlet.

By providing a combination of suitable electronics, suitable digital signal outlets, and at least one conventional mains supply socket portion, the adapter of the current invention provides enhanced functionality.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an adapter of prior art configuration,

20 Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an alternative adapter of prior art configuration,

Figures 3a, 3b, 3c show two perspective views and an end elevation of an adapter according to the present invention, and

25 Figure 4 shows a perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

30

Referring to Figures 3a, b, c there is shown an adapter 20 having a socket portion 22 and a mains connector portion 24, in the form of conventionally arranged pins 26. A plug 28 can be inserted into the socket portion in identical manner to that whereby the plug might be inserted into a conventional socket wall plate (not shown).

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4

Inside the adapter 20 is provided an electronics module (not shown, but of standard and known configuration) to which power is fed from the pins 26, or at least corresponding wires inside the adapter connected thereto, and said electronics module also conducts some processing of the mains power signal received through the pins to extract or strip a 5 data or digital signal which is piggy-backed or otherwise carried on top of, or in conjunction with, said power signal.

The extracted data signal is delivered to an Ethernet socket 30 provided in the lower face of the adapter to allow for the connection of a conventional Ethernet cable, and the 10 "cleaned" power signal is simply delivered to appropriate terminals for the socket 22 on the exterior face of the adapter. A pair of LEDs 32 is also provided to indicate:

- the correct functioning of the adapter, and or

- the transfer of data through the Ethernet socket.

15 Referring finally to Figure 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention in the form of a conventional socket wall plate 40 which carries a similar electronics module (not shown) to that described above in relation to Figure 3. As can be seen, the wall plate 40 is provided with a pair of conventional sockets 42, an Ethernet outlet socket 44, a wi-fi outlet or transceiver port 46. Of course, such a port may provide wireless access 20 for a suitably equipped wireless device (not shown) using any one of a number of currently available wireless technologies or protocols, but in any event, the electronics module strips the data signals from the mains power signals and delivers these for transmission through the said port, either wirelessly or through suitable wires, as is the case in Ethernet traffic.

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It is also to be mentioned that the electronics module must operate in duplex mode, i.e. be capable of two way data communication. In an Ideal embodiment, a house, office or other discrete area within premises will be provided with an incoming source of internet or other network traffic. A central node device, e.g. mains power cable enabled switch, 30 hub, router or the like, then injects the signals into the mains cable network within the premises in identical manner to that when cat5 UTP cable is installed and routed to various different locations within the premises when such are being computer network enabled. Of course the only difference in this case is that no such cables are installed, and network points are automatically created wherever there is a power socket in any 35 part of the premises. The central node device may of course require some indication of the number of different socket outlets present to determine how many connections by

5

remote network equipment, e.g. computers, PDAs, mobile phones, etc. are allowed within said premises.

By this arrangement, on the one hand, data signals can be sent along the power cables

5 to remote socket outlets, whereat adapters of the type describe separate the network signals from the power signals and deliver both through separate means, and on the other hand, data signals received from the remote devices can be caused by the electronics module to return to the central node device along the power cables such that network traffic can be distributed, carried and returned through the premises in question.

0

Finally, it should be mentioned other signals may be carried in conjunction with power signals, sch as digital or analogue video signals, and in such cases, a suitable connector and electronics module would be required to be provided in the adapter or socket wall plate.

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6

Claims

1. An adapter having at least one socket portion and connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected with said adapter, characterised in

5 that said adapter is further provided with an electronics module which is not only powered by said mains power but effectively separates a digital signal therefrom, said digital signal being transmitted in conjunction with said mains power signal, and further characterised in that said adapter provides at least one separate outlet, discrete from the socket portion by means of which the mains power signal received at the connector 10 means is transmitted.

2. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the connector means are in the form of conventionally arranged pins capable of being inserted into a standard socket wall plate.

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3. An adapter according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the separate outlet is chosen from one of: a socket capable of accepting an Ethernet cable connector, a wi-fi, infra-red or other wireless data transfer transceiver port, a physical USB port, a video signal connector, and/or an IEEE1394 outlet, and in each case, the electronics module is configured to strip a particular requisite and appropriate signal carried by said power 20 signal and deliver said stripped signal to the respective separate outlet.

4. An adapter according to claim 3 wherein the separate outlet is an Ethernet port.

5. An adapter according to any preceding claim which is provided with a plurality of 25 outlets comprising at least one Ethernet outlet and at least one wi-fi outlet.

6. An adapter according to claim 5, comprising a pair of separate outlets, one being an Ethernet port and the other being a Wi - Fi transceiver port.

6. An adapter according to any preceding claim in the form of a conventional socket wall plate have a pair of sockets.

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7. An adapter according to claim 6 comprising a pair of separate outlets, one being an Ethernet port and the other being a wi-fi transceiver port.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

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• • • • •• • ••• • •

• •tf •

• ♦ • • • • • • •

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Claims:

1. A communications adapter for communicating a digital communications signal over a mains power circuit, said adapter comprising a 5 mains socket wall plate having a face comprising at least one mains power socket, and said adapter comprising connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected with said mains power socket,

said adapter being further provided with an electronics module which is not 10 only powered by said mains power but effectively separates said digital communications signal therefrom, said digital communications signal being transmitted and /or received in conjunction with said mains power signal, and said adapter means provides at least one separate communications outlet, 15 discrete from said mains power socket by means of which the digital communications signal received at the connector means is transmitted and received; and wherein said electronics module is incorporated behind said face of said 20 mains socket wall plate, which is configured to be permanently secured into a wall or other like structure, such that said mains socket wall plate is unobstructed by said electronics module and presents itself substantially as a conventional mains power socket.

25 2. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the separate outlet is chosen from one of:

a socket capable of accepting an Ethernet cable connector;

30

a Wi - Fi, infra-red or other wireless data transfer transceiver port;

a physical USB port,;

a video signal connector, and/or an IEEE 1394 outlet;

and in each case the electronics module is configured to strip a particular requisite and appropriate signal carried by said power signal and deliver said stripped signal to the respective separate outlet.

3. An adapter according to claim 2, wherein the separate outlet is an Ethernet port.

4. An adapter according to any preceding claim which is provided with a plurality of outlets comprising at least one Ethernet outlet and at least one Wi -Fi outlet.

5. An adapter according to any preceding claim in the form of a conventional socket wall plate having a pair of sockets.