WO1999048218A1

WO1999048218A1 - Power line carrier data link with embedded modem in base unit

Info

Publication number: WO1999048218A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/006096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Scott R. Bullock; John M. Knab; David B. Bartholomew
Original assignee: Phonex Corporation
Priority date: 1998-03-20
Filing date: 1999-03-19
Publication date: 1999-09-23
Also published as: CA2323513A1; AU767815B2; CN1293836A; KR20010052212A; IL138239A0; JP2002507853A; BR9909662A; EP1062734A4; MXPA00009190A; EP1062734A1; AU3194399A

Abstract

A power line carrier communication device has a high speed modem incorporated or embedded into a base unit (102) of the device to minimize degradation in modem data transfer speed of signal degradation. The apparatus functions in combination with a power line carrier extension unit (107) which while communicating with a user's electronic equipment (110) provides for communicating information to and from electronic equipment (110) over standard telephone lines, via standard AC power lines (105).

Description

POWER LINE CARRIER DATA LINK

WITH EMBEDDED MODEM IN BASE UNIT

Background of the Invention

Field of the Invention. This invention relates to electronic communications systems for remote signaling to a telephone line over available AC power lines. More

specifically, this invention relates to communication modems which are incorporated into the base unit of an AC power line jack to enhance high speed modem

performance.

Description of Related Art. A variety of power line carrier telephone voice and/or data communication systems have been developed and are used to facilitate telephonic communications in locations where little or no availability exists for dedicated telephone wires. While these devices provide a connection to the existing power

lines, they typically do not provide an electronic communications modem incorporated into the base unit or a unit connect to a telephone central office of an AC power line

jack. The incorporation of the modem within the base unit of the AC power line data

link avoids signal degradation and thereby enhances the combined performance of the

modem and the power line jack. Prior systems, which are recommended to the reader for background of power line communications technology, include the following

United States and foreign patent documents: 2,510,273, 2,516,21 1, 2,516,763,

2,535,446, 2,567,908, 2,577,731, 2,654,805, 2,820,097, 2,828,363, 2,932,794,

3,045,066, 3,280,259, 3,334,185, 3,369,078, 3,399,397, 3,400,221, 3,475,561 ,

3,521,267, 3,529,216, 3,659,280, 3,693,155, 3,810,096, 3,818,481, 3,846,638, 2

3,852,740, 3,876,984, 3,91 1,415, 3,922,664, 3,924,223, 3,925,763, 3,925,728,

3,942,168, 3,949,172, 3,967,264, 3,973,087, 3,980,954, 4,012,733, 4,012,734, 4,016,429, 4,057,793, 4,058,678, 4,065,763, 4,107,656, 4,161,027, 4,173,754,

4,174,517, 4,218,655, 4,222,035, 4,239,940, 4,254,403, 4,307,380, 4,321,581,

4,323,882, 4,344,066, 4,357,598, 4,371,867, 4,377,804, 4,386,436, 4,400,688, 4,408,185, 4,408,186, 4,429,299, 4,433,326, 4,442,319, 4,471,399, 4,473,817, 4,475,193, 4,479,033, 4,495,386, 4,514,594, 4,523,307, 4,535,447, 4,538,136,

4,556,864, 4,556,865, 4,556,866, 4,559,520, 4,599,598, 4,609, 839, 4,611,274, 4,633,218, 4,638,298, 4,638,299, 4,641,126, 4,641,322, 4,642,607, 4,644,321 , 4,675,648, 4,701,945, 4,745,391, 4,745,392, 4,746,897, 4,749,992, 4,759,016, 4,763,

103, 4,772,870, 4,774,493, 4,783,780, 4,788,527, 4,809,296, 4,829,570, 4,835,517, 4,845,466, 4,847,903, 4,864,589, 4,866,733, 4,890,089, 4,912,553, 4,962,496, 4,963,853, 4,968,970, 4,988,972, 4,995,053, 5,003,457, 5,032,833, 5,049,876, 5,063,563, 5,065,133, 5,066,939, 5,136,612, 5,151,838, 5,155,466, 5,168,510, 5,187,865, 5,192,231, 5,210,518, 5,241,283, 5,257,006, 5,262,755, 5,274,699, 5,278,862, 5,289,476, 5,319,634, 5,327,230, 5,349,644, 5,351,272, 5,355,1 14,

5,357,541, 5,404,127, 5,406,248, 5,406,249, 5,410,292, 5,412,369, 5,424,709,

5,448,593, 5,452,344, 5,461,629, 5,463,662, 5,467,011, 5,471,190, 5,504,454, 5,530,737, 5,530,741, 5,550,905, 5,554,968, 5,559,377, 5,630,204, GB 544,243, GB

549,948, GB 553,225, GB 683,265, GB 1,393,424, GB 2,094,598, AU-B 1-12,488/76,

Canada 1057436, Canada 1216689, EPO 0 078 171 A2, EPO 0 555 869 A2,

PCT US83/01717, PCT/US90/02291, PCT/US 90/06701, PC17US92/08510,

PCT/US93/04726, PCT/US94/03110, and PCT US95/00354 each of which is hereby 3

incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material disclosed therein.

Summary of the Invention

It is desirable to provide a modem connection that is able to optimize the use

of high speed modems by avoiding performance degradation. In particular, it is desirable to provide a telephone-data link base unit with an embedded modem, wherein the data link base unit is connected to AC power lines by way of an AC

power outlet and where the data link base unit transfers the data and control signals to and from the modem using the power lines as the communication medium.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a wireless modem power line connection which is embedded in the base unit to avoid performance degradation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wireless data link having the

modem embedded in the base unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a wireless data link extension with a built-in data transceiver.

It is a still further object of this invention is to provide a wireless data link,

having a modem embedded in the base unit, wherein the jack is adapted to transfer data over an AC power outlet for the purpose of connecting to one or more remote

extension units. Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of this invention will

be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to

those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the

practice of this invention. The objects and advantages of this invention may be 4

realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Still other objects of the present invention will

become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description

wherein there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out this invention. As it will be realized, this invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details, and specific electronic circuits, are capable of

modification is various aspects without departing from the scope of this invention.

Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

To achieve the foregoing and other objectives, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, a power line data link extension unit and a power line data link base unit are provided. Each unit has a connection to a wall AC outlet and either a telephone service connection (data link base unit) or a user' s electronic

equipment (data link extension unit).

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a top level block diagram showing the major sections of the

invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the base

unit of invention.

Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the

extension unit of the invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of 5

the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a top level block diagram of the major sections of the invention. In its preferred embodiment, this invention consists of a standard industry

compatible modem 103 embedded in the base unit of a data link 102. The modem 103 is electrically connected, using standard phone cable 108, to a standard RJ-11 compatible telephone outlet 101. The modem 103 transmits and receives data to be

transferred across the telephone lines. The telephone outlet 101 is typically, though

not necessarily, mounted in a wall. The data link base unit 102 is also provided with an A/C power outlet connection 104. The data link base unit 102 communicates with the data link extension unit 107 across A/C power lines 105, typically installed in the walls, via the A/C power outlet connection 104 in the data link base unit 102 and the A/C power outlet connection 106 in the data link extension unit 107. The data link extension unit 107 transmits and receives data across the A/C power lines 105 and communicates with the user's electronic equipment 110. The data link extension 107

is connected electrically 109 to the user's electronics equipment 110. This invention

is adapted to connect electrically 109 to such electronics equipment 110 as including but not limited to a computer, an internet device, a television receiver and a facsimile machine. Further details on the internal components of the data link base unit 102 and

the data link extension 107 are provided below in the discussion of figures 2 and 3

respectively.

Figure 2 shows the detailed block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the

base unit 102 of the invention. A telephone line connection 206 from the central 6

office (CO) is provided which connects directly to an embedded modem 201 installed in the base unit 102 of the invention. The data output 207 of the embedded modem

210 is connected to the digital processor 202. The digital processor 202 receives the

data from the embedded modem 201 and formats and processes the data to be sent over the power line data link to the extension unit 107. For incoming data from the embedded modem 201, the processor utilizes a transmitter 203 to modulate the data to be sent over the power lines to the extension unit 107. This data link invention can employ a wide variety of different methods of transmission, including but not limited

to straight data transmissions using simple A D conversions, frequency translations,

and/or FDMA, TDMA, CDMA methods. In order to improve the reliability of the data transmission, the link may use forward error correction (FEC) and spread spectrum methods well known in the art to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the data link. The transmitter 203 sends the desired modulated data signal to the power supply/line interface 205. The receiver 204 demodulates and receives the data link

signal from the extension 107 via the power supply/line interface 205 and sends this data to the digital processor 202 to be processed and reformatted for use by the embedded modem 201. The power supply/line interface 205 provides electrical power

the other base components and as well as providing the connection for the received and transmitted carrier signals to and from the transmitter 203 and the receiver 204

interfacing with the AC power lines 105, via a standard two or three-prong AC power plug. Typically, the AC power lines 105 provide 110 VAC, however, alternative

power systems are compatible with the concept of this invention.

Figure 3 shows the detailed block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the 7

extension unit 107 of the invention. The power supply/line interface 301, in the extension unit 107, provides the power for the other extension unit 107 components as well as the connections for the received and transmitted carrier signals to and from the

transmitter 303 and the receiver 302 interfacing with the AC power lines 105, via a

standard two or three-prong AC plug. Typically, the AC power lines 105 provide 1 10 VAC, however, alternative power systems are compatible with the concept of this

invention. The data link receiver 302 receives and demodulates the data, sending it over to the extension digital processor 304. The extension digital processor 304 processes the received data from the receiver 302 and decodes, processes and retrieves

this data and sends the data over to the device interface unit 305. The device interface unit 305 conditions and processes the data and provides the interface to external electronics equipment, such as digital computer equipment. The device interface unit 305 receives data from the external electronics equipment 306 and sends this received data to the extension digital processor 304, which then processes and conditions the data to be sent out to the transmitter 303. The processor utilizes a transmitter 303 to modulate the data to be sent over the power lines to the base unit 102. This data link

can use different methods of transmission, including but not limited to straight data

transmissions using simple A/D conversions, frequency translations, and/or FDMA, TDMA, CDMA methods of transmission. In order to improve data transmission

reliability, the link may use forward error correction (FEC) and spread spectrum

techniques to further improve the data link signal-to-noise ratio. The transmitter 303

sends the desired modulated signal to the power supply/line interface 301.

The foregoing description is of a preferred embodiment of the invention and 8

has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description of the best mode of the invention currently known to the inventors. It is not intended to be exhaustive or

to limit the invention to the precise form, connections, or choice of components disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible and foreseeable in light of

the above teachings. This embodiment of the invention was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when they are interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.

Claims

9ClaimsWe claim:

1. A power line communication system adapted specifically for communication between electronics equipment and a standard telephone line over standard AC power lines, comprising:

(A) a base unit electrically connected to a standard telephone line, wherein

said base unit further comprises a modem embedded in the circuitry of said base unit, and an interface to AC power lines;

(B) an extension unit electrically connected to electronics equipment and having an interface to AC power lines; and

(C) an AC power line connecting said base unit to said extension unit.

2. A power line communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said base unit further comprises:

(1) digital processor to the control the operation of said base unit and to format the data transmissions;

(2) a transmitter controlled electronically by said control logic for transmitting a signal to said extension unit across said AC power line;

(3) a receiver controlled electronically by said control logic for

receiving a signal from said extension unit across said AC power line; and

(4) a central office line circuit adapted for interfacing said base unit

to a phone line. 10

3. A power line communication system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said extension unit further comprises:

(1) a digital processor to control the operation of said extension unit and to format the data transmissions;

(2) a transmitter controlled electronically by said control logic for transmitting a signal to said base unit across said AC power line;

(3) a receiver controlled electronically by said control logic for receiving, a signal from said base unit across said AC power line; and

(4) a digital interface circuit adapted for interfacing said extension unit to said electronics equipment.

4. An electronic communication device for communicating between a telephone line and a power line communication channel, comprising: (A) a telephone line connection;

(B) a modem embedded in a base unit and electrically connected to said telephone line connection, for modulating and demodulating a signal to be communicated over said telephone line connection; and

(C) a means for communicating with a power line communication channel.