Power line communications device and method

{
  "publication_number": "US2005169056A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Power line communications device and method",
  "abstract": "In one embodiment, a power line communication system network element is provided that provides communications to one or more user devices. The device may also receive data from one or more sensors, such as current sensors, a voltage sensor, a video camera, a temperature sensor, a barometer, a motion sensor, a level sensor, and/or a vibration sensor. The device may include a controller that receives commands that relate to the collection and transmission of the sensed data via a medium voltage power line.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A communications device for communicating over a medium voltage power line, comprising: a coupler configured to be communicatively coupled to the power line; a controller; a first modem in communication with said controller and communicatively coupled to said coupler; a sensor in communication with said controller; wherein said controller is configured to receive sensor data from said sensor; and wherein said controller is configured to cause said first modem to transmit said sensor data over the power line. 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second modem in communication with said controller and configured to wirelessly transmit data to one or more user devices. 3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second modem in communication with said controller and configured to be communicatively coupled to a low voltage power line to transmit data to one or more user devices. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a voltage sensor and said sensor data includes voltage measurement data. 5. The device of claim 4, further comprising an electric current sensor in communication with said controller and said sensor data further includes electric current measurement data. 6. The device of claim 4, wherein further comprising: a plurality of electric current sensors; wherein each of said plurality of electric current sensors is configured to be coupled to a different low voltage power line to thereby measure the current being supplied to a customer premises therethrough; and said sensor data includes voltage measurement data and current sensor data. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a video camera. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes an audio input device. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a motion sensor. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a barometer. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a temperature sensor. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein said temperature sensor is configured to be coupled to distribution transformer to measure the temperature thereof. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a vibration sensor. 14. A method of using a power line communications device coupled to a medium voltage power line, comprising: receiving user data via the medium voltage power line; transmitting the user data to a user device; receiving sensed data; and transmitting the sensed data over the medium voltage power line. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting of the user data includes wireless transmitting the user data. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting of the user data includes transmitting the user data via a low voltage power line. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes video data transmitted from a camera. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes low voltage measurement data. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed data further includes current measurement data. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed data further includes current measurement data received from a plurality of electric current sensors; and wherein each of the plurality of current sensors is coupled to a different low voltage power line to thereby measure the current being supplied to a customer premises therethrough. 21. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes audio data. 22. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data indicating a detected motion. 23. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes atmospheric pressure data. 24. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes temperature data. 25. The device of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data representing a vibration. 26. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensed data includes data indicating whether a utility pole is perpendicular to the ground. 27. A communications device for communicating over a medium voltage power line and a low voltage power line, comprising: a first port configured to be coupled to the medium voltage power line; a second port configured to be coupled to the low voltage power line; a controller communicatively coupled to said first port and said second port; a sensor in communications with said controller; wherein said controller is configured to receive sensor data from said sensor; wherein said controller is configured to transmit said sensor data over the medium voltage power line; and wherein said controller is configured to receive commands via the medium voltage power line."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "G02B 6/483",
    "G02B 6/4246",
    "H04B 2203/5425",
    "H04B 2203/5441",
    "H04B 2203/5466",
    "H04B 2203/5479",
    "H04B 2203/5487",
    "H04B 2203/5495",
    "H04B 3/54",
    "H04B 3/542",
    "H04B 3/56",
    "H04B 3/58",
    "H04M 11/066"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2005-04-04",
  "publication_date": "2005-08-04",
  "priority_date": "2002-12-10",
  "application_number": "US-9715105-A",
  "family_id": "32505883",
  "citations": [
    "US2002002040A1",
    "US2002067171A1",
    "US2002097953A1",
    "US2002105413A1",
    "US2002109585A1",
    "US2002110310A1",
    "US2002110311A1",
    "US2002118101A1",
    "US2003039257A1",
    "US2003052770A1",
    "US2003103307A1",
    "US2004024483A1",
    "US2004032320A1",
    "US2004036478A1",
    "US2004054425A1",
    "US2004061616A1",
    "US2004075535A1",
    "US2004083066A1",
    "US2004110483A1",
    "US2004113756A1",
    "US2004113757A1",
    "US2004135676A1",
    "US2005017825A1",
    "US2005040809A1",
    "US2005046550A1",
    "US2005052906A1",
    "US2005057227A1",
    "US2005063422A1",
    "US2005076148A1",
    "US2005111533A1",
    "US2005128057A1",
    "US2005164666A1",
    "US2006031180A1",
    "US2006045105A1",
    "US2006046766A1",
    "US2006060007A1",
    "US2006106554A1",
    "US2006132299A1",
    "US3445814A",
    "US3641536A",
    "US3656112A",
    "US3810096A",
    "US3900842A",
    "US3942168A",
    "US3942170A",
    "US3944723A",
    "US3967264A",
    "US3973087A",
    "US3973240A",
    "US4012733A",
    "US4016429A",
    "US4268818A",
    "US4433284A",
    "US4442492A",
    "US4569045A",
    "US4580276A",
    "US4608552A",
    "US4642607A",
    "US4644321A",
    "US4652855A",
    "US4675648A",
    "US4686382A",
    "US4724381A",
    "US4749992A",
    "US4749992B1",
    "US4829298A",
    "US4912553A",
    "US5006846A",
    "US5341265A",
    "US5426360A",
    "US5498956A",
    "US5592482A",
    "US5748104A",
    "US5777545A",
    "US5856776A",
    "US5880677A",
    "US5892430A",
    "US5892758A",
    "US5929750A",
    "US5933071A",
    "US6037678A",
    "US6072858A",
    "US6239722B1",
    "US6255805B1",
    "US6278357B1",
    "US6282405B1",
    "US6346875B1",
    "US6373399B1",
    "US6504357B1",
    "US6522650B1",
    "US6611134B2",
    "US6687574B2",
    "US6737984B1",
    "US6778099B1",
    "US6998962B2",
    "US7046882B2",
    "US7061370B2",
    "US7075414B2",
    "US7173935B2",
    "US7173938B1"
  ]
}