Power-line communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9495865-B2
Application number	US-201414552154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 24, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products bridge wireless data transmissions with power-line communications. Should a failure occur in alternating current power, a backup battery maintains the power-line communications. Direct current battery power is used to power a wireless transceiver, thus maintaining both wireless data transmissions and communication during power failures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving ,by a wireless transceiver, messages sent from an alarm controller associated with a security system, the messages modulated onto direct current electrical power conveyed along electrical wiring;
energizing, by the wireless transceiver, a bi-modal modem with direct current battery power supplied by an internal backup battery, the bi-modal modem operative using both alternating current electrical power and the direct current battery power;
demodulating, by the wireless transceiver, the messages from the direct current electrical power; and
wirelessly transmitting, by the wireless transceiver, the messages via a cellular network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a failure of the alternating current electrical power.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising connecting to the internal backup battery in response to a failure of the alternating current electrical power.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting the messages from the wireless transceiver using the direct current battery power supplied by the internal backup battery.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modulating the messages using the direct current battery power.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising powering an interface for power-over-Ethernet communications.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transforming the alternating current electrical power into the direct current electrical power.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a bridge unit, alarm messages sent from an alarm controller, the alarm messages modulated onto alternating current electrical power using an interface for power-line communications;
wirelessly transmitting, by the bridge unit, the alarm messages;
determining, by the bridge unit, a failure of the alternating current electrical power;
switching, by the bridge unit, to an internal backup battery in response to the failure of the alternating current electrical power;
energizing, by the bridge unit, the interface for the power-line communications with direct current battery power supplied by the internal backup battery to maintain the power-line communications;
energizing, by the bridge unit, an internal wireless transceiver with the direct current battery power supplied by the internal backup battery; and
determining, by the bridge unit, a strength of a signal received by the wireless transceiver while energized with the direct current battery power supplied by the internal backup battery.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising powering a modem with the direct current battery power to maintain communications with the alarm controller.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising powering an interface for power-over-Ethernet communications between the modem and the internal wireless transceiver.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transforming the alternating current electrical power into the direct current electrical power.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising energizing a conductor in an Ethernet cable with the direct current battery power supplied by the internal backup battery.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising demodulating the alarm messages from the alternating current electrical power.

14. A bridge unit, comprising:
a power circuit;
a cellular data transceiver;
a backup battery;
an enclosure internally housing the power circuit, the cellular data transceiver, and the backup battery;
a processor; and
a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving data sent from an alarm controller, the data modulated onto alternating current electrical power using an interface for power-line communications;
determining a failure of direct current electrical power transformed from the alternating current electrical power by the power circuit;
switching to the backup battery in response to the failure of the direct current electrical power;
powering the cellular data transceiver with direct current battery power supplied by the backup battery, the direct current battery power maintaining cellular communications via the cellular data transceiver; and
powering the interface for the power-line communications with the direct current battery power supplied by the backup battery.

15. The bridge unit of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a strength of a cellular signal received by the cellular data transceiver.

16. The bridge unit of claim 15 , further comprising a visual indicator of the strength of the cellular signal received by the cellular data transceiver.

17. The bridge unit of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a strength of a cellular signal received by the cellular data transceiver while powered by the direct current battery power supplied by the backup battery.

18. The bridge unit of claim 17 , further comprising a visual indicator of the strength of the cellular signal received by the cellular data transceiver.

19. The bridge unit of claim 14 , further comprising a modem internally housed within the enclosure, the modem demodulating the data from the alternating current electrical power.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Hicks Iii John Alson
• Davis Brett
• Howell Glenn
• Thomas Robin
• Worsham James A
• Zimler Randy S

Classifications

• H04B2203/5458

  Monitor sensor; Alarm systems · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H04B3/54

  Systems for transmission via power distribution lines · CPC title

• H04L12/6418

  Hybrid transport · CPC title

• H04L12/10

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title