US 2006/0033454A1 Mathews Et Al
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
US 20060033454A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0033454A1 Mathews et al. (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 16, 2006 (54) HIGH SPEED DATA INTERFACE TO THE AC (52) U.S. Cl. .............................................................. 315/294 POWER LINE THROUGH A STANDARD LIGHT BULB SOCKET (57) ABSTRACT (76) Inventors: David K. Mathews, Fort Worth, TX (US); Alfred C. Griffin, Hillsboro, TX (US) There is disclosed a data receiving device for coupling to an AC power line through a standard light bulb Socket. A Correspondence Address: Standard medium lamp base is Supported by a frame and Stephen S. Mosher connected to a branch circuit of the AC power line. An Whitaker, Chalk, Swindle & Sawyer, LLP electrical device having Signal terminals and Supported by 3500 City Center Tower II the frame is driven by electrical circuitry having a first input 301 Commerce Street and a first output. The first output is coupled to the Signal Fort Worth, TX 76102-4186 (US) terminals for driving the electrical device. A data receiver has a Second input for receiving both AC power and a data (21) Appl. No.: 10/925,467 Signal from the AC power line. The Second input is coupled to the lamp base and a Second output is coupled to the first (22) Filed: Aug. 25, 2004 input of the electrical circuitry. In another aspect, a data Related U.S. Application Data interface comprising a Standard medium lamp base coupled to a data terminal device having a data receiving and/or (60) Provisional application No. 60/601,074, filed on Aug. transmitting interface circuit therein is threadably engaged 12, 2004. to a Standard medium lamp receptacle connected to the AC power line branch circuit. The data receiving and/or trans Publication Classification mitting interface circuit, or data modem, in the data terminal device is configured for extracting data encoded for trans (51) Int. Cl. mission or encoding data to be embedded and transmitted H05B 37/02 (2006.01) along the AC power line branch circuit. TO "A" STANDARD MEDUM POWER Ele) SUPPLY RECEPTACLE 24 LOUDSPEAKER ASSEMBLY TMS320 48 43 16 DA 180 COUPLER NETWORK AUDO 44 PROCESSOR ISOLATION VR RECEIVER N 30 CIRCUIT 4. 56 AT93C46 WALL-PLATE STANDARD MEDIUM LAMP EEPROM CONTROL BASE FOR COUPLING TO NTERFACE 120 VAC, 50/60 Hz DATARECEIVER 20 Patent Application Publication Feb. 16, 2006 Sheet 1 of 3 US 2006/0033454 A1 --nr- 99 --1 WOH&EE VIVO;?HENHOR! ENIT 77 HBM0d HETdf100 'ZH09/09 08 "(G) OWAOZ|| Patent Application Publication Feb. 16, 2006 Sheet 2 of 3 US 2006/0033454 A1 114 112 Patent Application Publication Feb. 16, 2006 Sheet 3 of 3 US 2006/0033454 A1 US 2006/0033454 A1 Feb. 16, 2006 HIGH SPEED DATA INTERFACE TO THE AC two electrical contacts and is rated for device power require POWER LINE THROUGH A STANDARD LIGHT ments of up to 300 watts. The threaded portion of the base BULB SOCKET or receptacle (the “shell”), is connected to the neutral side of the AC line circuit and the center contact of the base or CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED receptacle is connected to the line or “hot” side of the AC APPLICATION line circuit. 0001. The present U.S. patent application claims priority 0008. There are several advantages of a light bulb socket from earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. as compared to a wall outlet, including (a) no line cord or No. 60/601,074, filed Aug. 12, 2004 and entitled “High plug is required-the device is simply Screwed into the Speed Data Interface To The AC Power Line Through A Socket; (b) the mechanical connection is via a threaded Standard Light Bulb Socket.” connector, not one that relies on Spring tension in the contacts of the connector to maintain a tight, mechanically BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Secure connection; and (c) a light bulb Socket is likely to be located in a wider variety of places and is thus more versatile 0002) 1. Field of the Invention and adaptable to a variety of devices that require both AC 0003. The present invention generally relates to high power and a reliable high Speed data access. Speed data communication via the AC power line and, more particularly, to providing access to a high Speed data com 0009 Loudspeakers are typical of the kind of device that munications network on the AC power line through a ordinarily require wiring to convey the Sound Signals to Standard light bulb Socket or receptacle. them. In the case of So-called “powered speakers, espe cially Suitable for remote or extension Speakers, AC power 0004 2. Background and Description of the Prior Art wiring is also usually required for their operation. Thus, the 0005 The development of the technology for high speed installation of extension Speakers or ceiling Speakers or or broadband data communication on the AC power line has Surround Sound Speakers in an existing home environment advanced to the point where it is readily available for use in requires that wiring for the AC power or for the audio signal and with consumer products that can be installed and used or both be installed before the speakers may be used. without having to install wiring and without having to rely Installation of Such wiring is often a difficult and expensive on batteries as a Source of power. The technology is cur task that typically requires the skills of an electrician to rently known as “broadband powerline” or “BPL,” or “pow install the Wiring properly, Safely, and to accommodate local erline communication” or “PLC.” Within these categories, building codes. As a result, to avoid the cost and inconve the technology discussed herein below is the Subcategory of nience, Speakers may often be installed by non-electricians so-called “in-home” or “in-building” BPL or PLC. However, with haphazard wiring, often in unsightly fashion. the apparatus necessary for interfacing consumer products 0010 For example, several solutions exist in the prior art with the AC power line has only been developed to a limited for coupling a powered loudspeaker System to the AC power degree. What is needed are innovative designs for devices line. This includes the traditional one of running the audio that obtain electrical power from the AC power line and Signal wires from the audio Signal Source through the wall or utilize a low cost high Speed data interface in a power line along the wall or baseboard to the extension Speaker. In communications System for Supplying Signals required by another example of a solution disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Such devices. 5,980,057 issued to Borchardt, et al., a speaker assembly 0006 Prior art solutions to this problem typically utilize adapted to be installed in a lightbulb Socket is equipped with a Standard AC plug inserted into a Standard AC receptacle an FM wireless receiver. The FM receiver receives broadcast for interfacing a consumer device to the AC power line. This signals over a modulated RF carrier in the 900 MHz band. works for devices located near the floor (in the typical The FM receiver demodulates the sound signal for play back residence), devices connected to a line cord, or devices that via an amplifier coupled to the loudspeaker. However, the have no limitation as to where access to the AC power line FM receiver must lock to a particular Station or channel, it is provided. However, there is another class of devices that has a limited range because of the restrictions on devices are not well-adapted to this particular line cord and plug/ operating in the 900 MHz band, and is susceptible to receptacle interface, that may be mounted in a ceiling or on interference from broadcast FM Stations operating in the a wall near the ceiling or in which a line cord is not Supplied. Same geographical area. This analog technology for convey Some examples of this class of devices include (a) enter ing the audio signal is also Susceptible to interference in the tainment devices Such as loudspeakers; (b) comfort devices form of electrical noise and transients that are often present Such as HVAC Sensors and controls, air filtering and con on the AC power line. By contrast, the digital modulation ditioning; (c) Security apparatus Such as motion and prox technologies are much more immune to interference that is imity Sensors, Sound Sensors or cameras; (d) communication largely comprised of Such amplitude disturbances in the AC terminal equipment; and the like. waveform. What is needed is a speaker unit that obtains the Signals by a more robust and interference-free System than 0007 Besides the conventional wall outlet or receptacle is available with analog FM modulation of an RF carrier, for accessing the AC power line, the other Standard connec whether the medium is wireleSS broadcast or a power line tion mechanism for connecting a device to the AC power carrier System. line is the lightbulb socket. Light bulb sockets are available in a variety of types and sizes. The most common is the 0011. In another example, disclosed in U.S. patent appli Standard medium lamp receptacle used for installing incan cation No. US 2003/0197807 filed by Wu, a surveillance descent light bulbs having the well-known threaded medium unit is mounted in a light Socket and receives power from the lamp base. The medium lamp base and receptacle provides light Socket. Video data from a camera in the Surveillance US 2006/0033454 A1 Feb. 16, 2006 unit and/or audio data from a microphone may be sent via a encoded and transmitted along the AC power line branch wireleSS transceiver or via a power line network to a control circuit.