JP2006319662A - Wiring accessory for power line communication - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a leg or foot from being caught by a power supply cable or a communication cable, even in a state where the surrounding area is dark. <P>SOLUTION: In this wiring accessory, a plug-in port 3a of a modular jack 3 to which a modular plug additionally provided on the end of the communication cable so as to be inserted/withdrawn is connected is exposed at the front face of a housing 1. A pair of plug blades 4 to be connected to an outlet and a communications interface portion 5 are housed in the housing 1. A plurality of light-emitting diodes LD of an illuminating section 13 are housed so as to be arranged in a row in the lower part of the housing 1. Thus, the plug blades 4 provided on the housing 1 eliminates the need for the power supply cable and the leg or foot can be prevented from being caught by the power supply cable, and since the illuminating section 13 illuminates the surroundings of the housing 1, the leg or foot can be prevented from being caught by the communication cable connected to the modular jack 3, even in a state where the surrounding area is dark, such as at night. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power line communication wiring device for performing data communication using a power line wired indoors such as an office or a house.

In recent years, a local area network (LAN) in which a plurality of computers are connected is rapidly spreading in offices and houses. A communication cable (so-called LAN cable) is usually used as a communication medium for connecting computers in such a LAN. However, when a new LAN is introduced into an existing office or house, the labor and cost of wiring work are reduced. In some cases, a radio system using radio waves is employed in consideration (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-79977 A

  By the way, the power line communication (Powre Line Communication) which performs data communication using the indoor wiring (power line) for power feeding has been conventionally proposed. In such power line communication, superposition and separation of power and communication signals are performed. An apparatus (PLC modem) to perform is required, and such a PLC modem is connected to an outlet provided on a wall surface via a power cord and connected to a communication device such as a computer via a communication cable. On the other hand, when installing a PLC modem in a place where people frequently move, such as in a hallway or living room, connect the power cable that connects the PLC modem to an outlet or the PLC modem and a communication device in a dark environment such as at night. There is a risk of the communication cable getting caught in the leg.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power communication wiring device that can prevent a leg from being caught on a power cable or a communication cable even in a dark environment. is there.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a plug blade connected to a power line wired indoors by being plugged into an outlet, and has a substantially box shape and the plug blade protrudes from the back surface. A power line communication modem that modulates and demodulates a signal for power line communication via a power line housed in the housing and connected to the plug blade, and communication that interfaces between the power line communication modem housed in the housing and the communication device Illumination that illuminates the surroundings of the housing by being fed from the power line through the plug blade and a connector that is provided on the surface of the housing so that a communication cable that connects the communication device and the communication interface can be inserted and removed. And a section.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the brightness sensor for detecting the ambient brightness is housed in the housing, and the illumination unit detects that the ambient brightness detected by the brightness sensor is higher than the predetermined brightness. The illumination is performed only when it is dark.

  According to the present invention, since the power supply cable is unnecessary because the plug blade is provided in the housing, the leg is not hooked on the power supply cable. Even in a dark situation, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent the legs from being caught on the communication cable connected to the connector.

(Embodiment 1)
The power line communication wiring device A1 of the present embodiment includes a pair of plug blades 4 and 4 connected to a power line wired indoors by being plugged into an outlet, and is formed in a substantially box shape from the upper center of the back surface. And a housing 1 from which the blades 4 and 4 protrude.

  The housing 1 is formed of a substantially box-shaped synthetic resin molded product. A connector (RJ-45 modular plug) attached to the tip of a communication cable (CAT5 LAN cable) is detachably connected to the front center. The insertion port 3a of the side connector (RJ-45 modular jack 3) is exposed. The insertion port 3a is closed by two doors 3b and 3c that are movable in the vertical direction so as to be opened and closed, and the modular plug is inserted and removed in a state where the doors 3b and 3c are opened. A knob 3d that protrudes to the periphery is provided at the lower end of the lower door 3c. By moving the doors 3b and 3c upward with the knob 3d, the insertion port 3a can be exposed. it can. A plurality of light emitting diodes LD are arranged in a row at the bottom of the housing 1, and a transparent or translucent transparent cover 12 that protects the plurality of light emitting diodes LD and transmits light emitted from the light emitting diodes LD. Is provided at the lower front portion of the housing 1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the power line communication wiring device A1. A pair of plug blades 4 and 4 connected to a power line wired indoors by being plugged into an outlet are connected to a communication interface unit 5 via a DC cut capacitor C and an insulation transformer T and are connected to AC / A power supply unit 6 composed of a DC converter is connected.

  The communication interface unit 5 is connected to the secondary side of the insulation transformer T and is superimposed on the power line with a transmission / reception unit 7 for transmitting / receiving a power line communication signal (hereinafter referred to as a communication signal) to / from the power line. Connected to a modular jack 3 and a PLC modem 8 having a demodulation function for demodulating a data signal from a communication signal of a predetermined format transmitted and a modulation function for modulating transmission data of a communication device such as a computer into a communication signal of a predetermined format The LAN controller 9 for performing data transmission with a communication device via a communication cable in conformity with a standard such as 100BASE-TX, and the CPU as main components, control the communication interface unit 5 as a whole. And a control unit 10. The control unit 10 has a security function such as filtering of data (packets) exchanged between the PLC modem 8 and the LAN controller 9, for example. The communication interface unit 5 is operated by a DC power source created by the power source unit 6.

  The power supply unit 6 also supplies power to the illumination unit 13 and the brightness sensor 14. The brightness sensor 14 includes a solar cell or a photoelectric conversion element, and a voltage signal corresponding to the intensity (brightness) of light incident through a window hole 1 a (see FIG. 1C) provided on the upper surface of the housing 1. (Hereinafter referred to as a brightness detection signal). The illumination unit 13 includes a plurality of light emitting diodes LD described above, a light emitting circuit (not shown) that emits light from the light emitting diodes LD using a DC power source supplied from the power source unit 6, and a brightness detection signal output from the brightness sensor 14. Is less than the threshold value, that is, when the surrounding brightness (illuminance) is lower (darker) than the brightness corresponding to the threshold value, the light emitting circuit And a control circuit (not shown) for causing the light emitting diode LD to emit light.

  By the way, the outlet for inserting and connecting the plug blades 4 and 4 of the power line communication wiring device A1 of the present embodiment is an embedded outlet 100 embedded in a construction surface such as a wall as shown in FIG. It is desirable to be. The embedded outlet 100 has a fitting recess 101 that fits into the housing 1 of the power line communication wiring device A1, and a plug connection portion 102 that has a pair of plug blade insertion ports 103 at the bottom of the fitting recess 101. Two are arranged side by side vertically. Here, when attaching the power line communication wiring device A1 to the embedded outlet 100, when the housing 1 is inserted into the fitting recess 101, the plug blades 4 are respectively inserted into the plug blade insertion openings 103 of the upper plug connection portion 102. Then, the communication interface unit 5, the power source unit 6, and the blade receiver 21 connect the plug blade 4 to the power line. Further, since the housing 1 of the power line communication wiring device A1 is attached in a state of being half-embedded in the fitting recess 101 of the embedded outlet 100, the amount of protrusion from the construction surface is reduced, and the construction surface is clean. Moreover, since the peripheral surface of the housing 1 is held by the inner surface of the fitting recess 101, the shakiness of the housing 1 can be eliminated. In this way, by inserting the plug blade 4 into the outlet installed on the construction surface, the communication interface unit 5 can be connected to the power line and perform power line communication, so if it is a place where the outlet is installed, The housing 1 can be attached and used at a desired location.

  As described above, in the power line communication wiring device A1 of the present embodiment, since the power cable is unnecessary because the plug blade 4 is provided in the housing 1, the leg is not caught on the power cable. Since the surroundings of the housing 1 are illuminated, it is possible to prevent the legs from being caught on the communication cable connected to the modular jack 3 even in a dark environment such as at night.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram. However, since the basic configuration of the power line communication wiring device A2 of the present embodiment is substantially the same as that of the power line communication wiring device A1 of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. .

  The present embodiment is characterized in that USB is used as an interface between the communication device and the PLC modem 8 in the communication interface unit 5 instead of 100BASE-TX in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the center of the front surface of the housing 1, instead of the insertion port 3a of the modular jack 3, the insertion side of the USB connector attached to the end of the communication cable (USB cable) (hereinafter referred to as USB plug) The insertion port 15a of the receiving side (hereinafter referred to as a USB jack) 15 of a USB connector to which a connector is detachably connected is exposed. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a USB controller 16 for performing data transmission with a communication device in accordance with the USB standard via a communication cable (USB cable) connected to the USB jack 15 is a LAN controller 9. Is provided in the communication interface unit 5 instead.

  Thus, if the USB jack 15 of the power line communication wiring device A2 of the present embodiment and the USB jack of the personal computer are connected with a USB cable, the personal computers can communicate with each other via the USB cable.

1 shows Embodiment 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a top view. FIG. It is a circuit block diagram same as the above. It is a perspective view of the same as above and an embedding receptacle. It is a perspective view of Embodiment 2 of the present invention and an embedded outlet. It is a circuit block diagram same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 3 Modular jack 4 Plug blade 5 Communication interface part 6 Power supply part 7 Transmission / reception part 8 PLC modem 9 LAN controller 13 Illumination part LD Light emitting diode

Claims (2)

  Plug blade connected to the power line wired indoors by plugging in an outlet, a housing formed in a substantially box shape with the plug blade protruding from the back, and a power line housed in the housing and connected to the plug blade A power line communication modem that modulates and demodulates a signal for power line communication via the communication interface, a communication interface that is housed in the housing and interfaces with the power line communication modem and the communication device, and a communication device and a communication interface provided on the surface of the housing A wiring device for power line communication, comprising: a connector into which a communication cable for connecting a cable is removably inserted; and a lighting unit that illuminates the periphery of the housing by being fed from the power line through the plug blade .   A brightness sensor for detecting ambient brightness is housed in the housing, and the illumination unit performs illumination only when the ambient brightness detected by the brightness sensor is darker than a predetermined brightness. Item 1. A power line communication wiring device according to Item 1.

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