US7049939B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power line carrier system
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 2003-07-30
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Granted: 2006-05-23
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Expires: 2023-07-30
Abstract
Abstract The power line carrier system provides with a filter in a power branch apparatus removable from an external power line. The filter passes a power line carrier signal in a signal mode for the external power line, and interrupts another power line carrier signal which is in a signal mode different from the mode for the external power line.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Ikeda
- 👤 Yukihiro Fukumoto
- 👤 Satoshi Hasako
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/54; H04B2203/00; H04B2203/54; H04B2203/5429; H04B2203/5445; H04B2203/5454
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A power line carrier system comprising: a power branch device including a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line, a plurality of power outlets, and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets; and at least one electric device configured to be plugged into one of the power outlets, and perform a power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, and the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, wherein the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A power line carrier system comprising: a power branch device including a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line, a plurality of power outlets, and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets; and at least one electric device configured to be plugged into one of the power outlets, and perform a power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, and the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, wherein the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the power branch device supplies power obtained via the power plug from the in-house external power line to the at least one electric device plugged into the one of the power outlets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the power branch device further includes a filter configured to reject a frequency component corresponding to the power line carrier signal in the first signal mode from a signal from the built-in power line to the in-house external power line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the power branch device further includes a route controller configured to transmit the power line carrier signal only to an electric device of destination of the signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the power branch device includes a signal converter configured to convert a signal mode of a power line carrier signal to the second signal mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 5 , wherein the signal converter converts a frequency of the power line carrier signal in the first signal mode to a frequency of the power line signal in the second signal mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 5 , wherein the signal converter converts a power level of the power line carrier signal in the first signal mode to a power level of the power line signal in the second signal mode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal mode is compliant with the ECHONET standard.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , further comprising a blocking filter configured to reject the power line carrier signal in the second signal mode, said blocking filter being placed between the inside and outside of a house.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the electric device has a power code with a shield.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electric device of a power line carrier system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric device selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to the another electric device of destination of the power line carrier signal, said another electric device being plugged into one of the other power outlets of the power branch device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
An electric device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one electric device sends an inquiry to said another electric device in the second signal mode, and selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to the inquiry result.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
An electric device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one electric device selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to a communication route toward said another electric device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
An electric device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one electric device selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to whether to be connected to the same power branch device as said another electric device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
An electric device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one electric device transmits a test signal to said another electric device, and selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to communication conditions obtained by transmitting the test signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electric device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one electric device selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to an error rate of the test signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electric device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one electric device selects the first signal mode or the second signal mode according to an attenuation rate of the test signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
175 words
A power branch apparatus comprising: a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line; a plurality of power outlets; and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets, each of the power outlets configured to be connected to an electric device configured to perform a power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, and the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, wherein the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
175 words
A power branch apparatus comprising: a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line; a plurality of power outlets; and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets, each of the power outlets configured to be connected to an electric device configured to perform a power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, and the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, wherein the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
229 words
A method for performing a power line communication in a power branch device including a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line, a plurality of power outlets, and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets, wherein each of the power outlets is configured to be connected to an electric device configured to perform the power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, and the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line, said method comprising the steps of: deciding to adopt either one of the first signal mode and the second signal mode according to an electric device of destination; and performing the power line communication with the electric device of destination in the decided mode.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
229 words
A method for performing a power line communication in a power branch device including a power plug being removably connected to an in-house external power line, a plurality of power outlets, and a built-in power line for connecting the power plug and the power outlets, wherein each of the power outlets is configured to be connected to an electric device configured to perform the power line communication in a first signal mode and a second signal mode, with another electric device, the first signal mode being for a power line communication between electric devices connected to the built-in power line, the second signal mode being for a power line communication between an electric device connected to the built-in power line and an electric device not connected to the built-in power line via the in-house external power line, and the power branch device controls the power line communication to pass a power line carrier signal in the first signal mode only in the built-in power line, and allow a power line carrier signal in the second signal mode to pass in the in-house external power line, said method comprising the steps of: deciding to adopt either one of the first signal mode and the second signal mode according to an electric device of destination; and performing the power line communication with the electric device of destination in the decided mode.
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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) | 2009-05-22 | 2009-11-21 | 2010-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-05-22 | 2013-11-21 | 2014-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-05-22 | 2017-11-21 | 2018-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |