Landis+gyr Technologies, LLC

Hunt Technologies, Inc.

Stuart Haug

Damian Bonicatto

Rolf Flen

Chad K Wolter

Matthew David Ruohoniemi

Verne Olson

Robert Zeppetelle

Roger W Woodruff

Bryce D Johnson

Chad Wolter

Matt Tilstra

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are directed to communications apparatuses and methods thereof that includes a radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry and RF back-end circuitry. The RF front-end circuit receives sets of RF signals concurrently and as transmitted from at least two disparate communication networks. The front-end circuitry includes a tunable radio having at least one antenna feeding signal conditioning and down conversion circuitry, and decimation circuitry. The decimation circuitry filters and decimates data associated with the RF signals into a plurality of digital data streams. The RF back-end circuitry includes a plurality of digital-signal processors (DSPs) that extract raw data packets from the digital data streams and a microprocessor. The microprocessor transmits the plurality of digital data streams to the plurality of DSPs and transmits the extracted raw data packets, received from the plurality of DSPs, to an end-user device.

Apparatuses and methods involving radio configurability for adapting to radio-frequency systems

Power-line communication (PLC) systems collect information over power lines from end-point devices respectively associated with customer sites, for assessment by a central processing circuit operated on behalf of a power utility company. In the PLC system, each of a number of PLC data-collector circuits includes a plurality of data interface units and PLC end-point device data computation circuit. Typically, one data interface circuit is located proximate, and another is distal, the location of the computation circuit. Each data interface unit includes a transformer circuit for selectively receiving data from a subset of the end-point devices via the power lines, a transformer-coupling circuit for selectively sending data to the subset of the end-point devices via the power lines, and a high-throughput data driver circuit for outputting data in accordance with a data-transfer protocol which is common to the other high throughput driver circuits which operate in accordance with the data-transfer protocol.

Power-line communication systems AMD methods having location-extendable collector for end-point data

In one or more embodiments, a plurality of PLC endpoints and a data processing circuit are configured to share information, in the form of data blocks over power lines in a power line communication (PLC) network. A first signal representing a transmitted one of the data blocks is received over a first one of the plurality of different communication channels. A second signal representing the transmitted one of the data blocks is received over a second one of the plurality of different communication channels. Information carried by said one of the data blocks is discerned, as a function of a signal versus noise measure associated with the first signal and the second signal, by combining energy from the first and second signals, and converting the combined energy for generating output data.

Data recovery of data symbols

A system for communicating data over power utility lines includes a plurality of endpoint devices. The endpoint devices can have modulation circuits configured and arranged to modulate data using multiple-orthogonal frequency sub-channels. The endpoint devices can also have a power line interface circuit configured and arranged to transmit the modulated data over a power utility line. A detection module can be configured and arranged to detect undesirable post modulation of a communication from one of the plurality of endpoint devices and to generate a signal responsive to the detected post modulation. The endpoint devices can then set a spacing between the multiple orthogonal frequency sub-channels in response to the signal responsive to the detected post modulation.

Power distribution line communications with compensation for post modulation

In one or more embodiments, a plurality of PLC endpoints and a data processing circuit are configured to share information, in the form of data blocks over power lines in a power line communication (PLC) network. A first signal representing a transmitted one of the data blocks is received over a first one of the plurality of different communication channels. A second signal representing the transmitted one of the data blocks is received over a second one of the plurality of different communication channels. Information carried by said one of the data blocks is discerned, as a function of a signal versus noise measure associated with the first signal and the second signal, by aligning phases of the first and second signals, combining energy from the first and second signals as aligned, and converting the combined energy and therefrom providing output data representing the transmitted one of the data blocks.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward receiver devices and methods of using receiver devices. One such method can include converting, using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and an analog input signal from power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC) to a digital form. This input digital signal can be an oversampled digital signal, where the digital signal is oversampled relative to downstream processing (e.g., FFT-based processing). A processing circuit(s) can then be used to decimate the input digital signal according to a decimation rate. A reference signal can be generated by the processing circuit that is responsive to the decimation rate. The processing circuit can also be used to detect a change in a phase difference between the AC and reference signal and to modify, in response to detecting a change in the phase difference, the decimation rate to counteract the detected change in the phase difference.

Digital signal processing for PLC communications having communication frequencies

Various aspects of the instant disclosure are directed towards communicating symbols over a power line carrying alternating current, based upon frequency variations in the alternating current. In accordance with some embodiments, a line driver couples data-carrying symbols over the power line, via a waveform. Variations in the alternating current are monitored and used for defining data useful for providing steps of the waveform. The accessed data entries are used to drive a line driver for modulating alternating current on the power line to account for the variations.

Power line network system and method

Various aspects of the instant disclosure are directed towards communicating symbols over a power line carrying alternating current, based upon frequency variations in the alternating current. In accordance with some embodiments, a line driver couples data-carrying symbols over the power line, via a waveform. Variations in the alternating current are monitored and used for accessing a lookup table that stores data entries that define data useful for providing steps of the waveform. The accessed data entries are used to drive a line driver with stepped data, and therein modulating alternating current on the power line with the data-carrying symbols at a frequency that is tied to the frequency of the alternating current.

Particular embodiments are directed towards a method for communicating time-based data in a power line communication system. The communication system utilized in the method includes: a command center; a collector device; and a plurality of endpoint devices. The method includes communicating, from the collector device, downstream data to the plurality of endpoint devices. This downstream communication utilizes a communication protocol that is relative to a collector network time, and is over a set of power distribution lines carrying alternating current (AC). The collector network time uses the local oscillator. The AC zero-crossing event can be used as a time base for other versions of the network time. Conceptually, the AC can be thought of as acting as a reference clock for maintaining these other network times, although the clocking function can be carried out in the digital realm, e.g., using a digital-signal processor (DSP).

Time-keeping between devices using power distribution line communications

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting data. In one aspect, a method obtains a baseline data rate for transmissions from a node that are received over a channel of a power line communications system and a set of available modulation techniques for the node. The set of available modulation techniques can include at least two modulation techniques with which the node is configured to encode data that are transmitted over the channel. Using the set of available modulation techniques, a modulation technique that is capable of providing at least the baseline data rate with at least a threshold confidence for the node is selected. In turn, data is provided to the node specifying the selected modulation technique.

Dynamic modulation selection

In one or more embodiments, a data processing apparatus is configured to receive data symbols transmitted from one or more endpoint devices. Each of the data symbols is transmitted in a respective temporal position assigned for communication by one of the plurality of endpoints. The data processing apparatus is configured to recover data from two or more transmission(s)/retransmission(s) (of the same data) that are received in error and have different temporal positions. The corresponding data symbols in error are phase-aligned per a common reference point and energy is accumulated therefrom. The data processing apparatus discerns correct data values from the accumulated energy.

Data recovery of data symbols received in error

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for dynamically selecting symbol periods for communications signals and recovering symbols from the communications signals. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a plurality of communications signals over a plurality of different communications channels and determining symbol period end times for the communications signals. A determination is made that a present time is coincident with an end of a sample period for the communications signals and that an end of the symbol period for the communications signals received over at least one of the communications channels is coincident with the present time. In turn, data are provided that represent a symbol received over each communications channel for which an end of the symbol period is coincident with the present time.

Growing community of inventors

Hackensack, MN, United States of America

Stuart Haug