Patent US3467263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6998962B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6998962B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power line communication apparatus and method of using the same
Assignee: Current Technologies LLC
•
Filing: 2002-12-10
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Granted: 2006-02-14
•
Expires: 2022-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A communication device for use with a power line communication system is provided. One embodiment forms a bypass device and comprises a low voltage coupler, a low voltage signal conditioner, a controller, a medium voltage modem, a first medium voltage signal conditioner, an isolator, a second medium voltage signal conditioner, and a medium voltage coupler. The controller may provide routing functions to give priority to certain types of data, control access to the network, filter data packets, process software upgrades, and provision new subscriber devices. In addition, the controller may monitor, process, and transmit traffic data, measured power data, errors, and other collected data.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard D. Cope
- 👤 James Douglas Mollenkopf
- 👤 Paul A. Kline
- 👤 II Melvin Joseph White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:57
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/46; G02B6/48; G02B6/483; H; H04; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/54; H04B3/542; H04B3/56; H04B3/58; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/06; H04M11/066; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4246; H04B2203/00; H04B2203/54; H04B2203/5404; H04B2203/5425; H04B2203/5429; H04B2203/5441; H04B2203/5462; H04B2203/5466; H04B2203/5479; H04B2203/5483; H04B2203/5487; H04B2203/5495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A bypass device for communicating data around a transformer, the transformer having a primary winding coupled to a medium voltage power line and a secondary winding coupled to a low voltage power line, the bypass device comprising: a low voltage interface communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line and comprising: a first filter, an first amplifier in communication with said first filter, and a first modem in communication with said first amplifier; a medium voltage interface communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line and comprising: a second filter, a second amplifier in communication with said second filter, a second modem in communication with said second amplifier, and a controller in communication with said medium voltage interface and said low voltage interface and comprising: a memory storing program code therein, and a processor configured to execute said program code.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A bypass device for communicating data around a transformer, the transformer having a primary winding coupled to a medium voltage power line and a secondary winding coupled to a low voltage power line, the bypass device comprising: a low voltage interface communicatively coupled to the low voltage power line and comprising: a first filter, an first amplifier in communication with said first filter, and a first modem in communication with said first amplifier; a medium voltage interface communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line and comprising: a second filter, a second amplifier in communication with said second filter, a second modem in communication with said second amplifier, and a controller in communication with said medium voltage interface and said low voltage interface and comprising: a memory storing program code therein, and a processor configured to execute said program code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein the medium voltage power line carries a power signal and a data signal and said medium voltage interface further comprises a voltage translation circuit for removing the power signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 2 , wherein said voltage translation circuit comprises a high pass filter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply system receiving power from the low voltage power line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 4 , wherein said power supply system includes a battery backup and said power supply system supplies power to said first modem and said second modem.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface further comprises a switch having a data receive configuration for receiving data from the low voltage power line and a data transmit configuration for transmitting data to the low voltage power line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises a coupler disposed between said second filter and the medium voltage power line; said coupler comprising a transformer including a first winding having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first winding being communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line at a first location; and said second end of said first winding being communicatively coupled to the medium voltage power line at a second location.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface further comprises a predistortion circuit for predistorting signals to be transmitted through the low voltage power line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 8 , wherein said predistortion circuit comprises an amplifying circuit for amplifying a first frequency at a first amplification and a second frequency at a second amplification.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises a first analog to digital converter (ADC), a first digital to analog converter (DAC), and a first media access controller; and said low voltage interface further comprises a second ADC, a second DAC, and a second media access controller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface comprises a media access controller.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface comprises a media access controller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface further comprises an encryption module and a decryption module.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface further comprises a source encoder, an error encoder, and a channel encoder.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to restrict unauthorized access to the Internet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a program code section for performing routing of data packets.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein said routing of data packets is based, at least in part, on the subscription level of the user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein said routing is based, at least in part, on the type of data in a data packet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein said routing is based, at least in part, on whether the data packet includes voice data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to store an address for a domain name server received over the medium voltage power line.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises a medium voltage coupling device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 21 , wherein said coupling device comprises a capacitive coupler.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 21 , wherein said coupling device couples data, at least in part, via inductive coupling.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 21 , wherein said coupling device couples data, at least in part, via capacitive coupling.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises a band pass filter and an amplifier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface further comprises a band pass filter and an amplifier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises an isolator providing medium voltage electrical isolation between said second modem and the medium voltage power line.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said first modem is in communication with a utility meter via the second conductor and an address for said utility meter is stored in said memory.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface is in communication with a video presentation system via the low voltage power line and wherein an address for said video presentation system is stored in said memory.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said low voltage interface is in communication with a telephone via the low voltage power line and wherein an address for said telephone is stored in said memory.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein an address for device is stored in said memory.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 1 , further comprising a first address for said first modem stored in said memory and a second address for said second modem stored in said memory.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 32 , wherein said first address and said second address are IP addresses.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
The device of claim 33 , wherein said medium voltage interface further comprises a first memory and having a first MAC address for said first modem stored in said first memory; and said second conductor interface further comprises a second memory and having a second MAC address for said second modem stored in said second memory.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 32 , wherein said first address and said second address are MAC addresses.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 32 , wherein said transformer bypass device communicates telephony data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply system receiving power from the low voltage power line.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein transformer bypass device communicates telephony data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said first modem communicates using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 39 , wherein said second modem communicates using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
49 words
The device of claim 1 , where in said low voltage interface communicates data over the low voltage power line in a first frequency band and said medium voltage interface communicates data over the medium voltage power line in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , further comprising a router in communication with said first modem and said second modem.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 42 , wherein said router is configured to give data packets containing voice data a higher priority for transmission than some data packets containing non-voice data.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to transmit an out of limit voltage notification over the medium voltage power line via said second modem.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to transmit a low voltage power line voltage measurement over the medium voltage power line via said second modem.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a first code segment configured to cause said controller to store new program code receives over the medium voltage power line.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 46 , wherein said program code includes a second code segment configured to cause said controller to execute said new program code.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to transmit data traffic information over the medium voltage power line via said second modem.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to filter data packets communicated over the low voltage power line.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein said program code includes a code segment configured to cause said controller to store an address received over the medium voltage power line.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-02-13 | 2009-08-15 | 2010-02-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-02-13 | 2013-08-15 | 2014-02-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-02-13 | 2017-08-15 | 2018-02-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |