WO2000007304A2

WO2000007304A2 - Electric power supply with a device for coupling data signals to a mains supply

Info

Publication number: WO2000007304A2
Application number: PCT/DE1999/002293
Authority: WO
Inventors: Askold Meusling
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1998-07-27
Filing date: 1999-07-26
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: WO2000007304A3

Abstract

The device (301) has a first terminal (101) in which the first signal (215) may be tapped. The first signal has a carrier frequency signal and a signal (106) to be modulated. A voltage transforming element (102) to transform the first signal into the second signal is connected to the first terminal. A coupling element (105) is also connected to the first terminal for detecting the signal to be modulated from the first signal. The second signal may be tapped in a second terminal (104) that is connected to the voltage transforming element. The signal to be modulated may be tapped in a third terminal (107) that is connected to the coupling element.

Description

description

Device for transforming a first electrical signal into a second electrical signal and device for transforming an electrical signal to be modulated into a first electrical signal

The invention relates to a device for transforming an electrical signal.

Such a device is known from [1]. This device has a connection at which a first electrical signal can be tapped. The first signal has a carrier frequency signal and an electrical signal to be modulated onto the carrier frequency signal. The electrical signal to be modulated represents a communication signal.

The communication signal is to be understood as an electrical signal which enables the transmission of electronic data, for example the transmission of textual data, image data or video data.

In this way it is possible, using a conventional power supply network, which can supply any number of customers, for example with a 3-phase

AC voltage supplied with a frequency of 50 Hz, also to transmit electronic data for communication, which enables the use of an energy supply network in the field of data transmission.

The device known from [1] has a coupling element which is connected to the connection. In a first operating mode, an electrical signal to be modulated is obtained from the electrical signal in the coupling element. In a second operating mode, the modulated signal is modulated onto the carrier frequency signal, whereby the electrical signal is formed. Furthermore, a second connection is provided which is connected to the coupling element. The modulated signal can be tapped or fed at the second connection, depending on the operating mode of the coupling element.

An electrical signal to be modulated, which represents the communication data, is thus present at the second connection or is supplied to it.

Furthermore, it is known from [2] to use such a device in a scenario shown in FIG.

2 shows an energy supply network 201 to which a house 202 is connected.

Furthermore, a base station 203 known from [3] is connected to the energy supply network 201 via an interface 204.

The base station 203 is connected to a communication network 206 via a network interface 205.

The base station 203 has a processor 207 which is connected via a bus 208 to data conversion cards 209 which are also known from [3] and which in turn are connected to the interface 204 via coaxial lines 210. Furthermore, a high-voltage / medium-voltage transformer element 211 is provided in the energy supply network 201.

^" A high voltage is further understood to mean a voltage of several kilovolts (KV), usually 10 KV, and a medium voltage is a normal operating voltage of approximately 220 V.

The house 202 is connected to the energy supply network 201 via a house interface 212. The house interface 212 is connected to the known device described above, which is designated 213 in FIG.

A medium-voltage signal, which is transmitted on energy lines 214 of the energy supply network 201, is modulated onto the base station 203 by a communication signal, hereinafter referred to as the signal to be modulated.

The medium voltage signal is referred to below as the carrier frequency signal. The carrier frequency signal usually has 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.

Thus, a first signal 215, which carries the carrier frequency signal 220 and a communication signal 221 modulated onto the carrier frequency signal and which is generated by the base station 203, is fed to the house 202 via the lines 214.

The first signal is fed via the house interface 212 to the device 213 described above.

In the device 213, the carrier frequency signal 220 is supplied to an electrical counter 214 in a known manner, and the modulated signal 221, which has been demodulated by the carrier frequency signal, is supplied to a first computer 218 and a second computer 219 via a coaxial line 217.

A disadvantage of this scenario is that the coaxial cable 217 must be laid in the house 202 from the device 213 to each computer unit 218, 219, ie in the house 202 new lines must be laid in every room in which a computer is provided, to enable data communication via the power supply network 201. This leads to considerable additional effort when planning the house. ses 202 and it also leads to considerable inflexibility in the planning and furnishing of house 202.

The invention is therefore based on the problem of specifying a further device for transforming a first electrical signal into a second electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and a modulated signal. Furthermore, the invention is based on the problem of specifying a device for transforming a second electrical signal into a first electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and a modulated signal.

The problem is solved by the devices with the features according to an independent claim.

In the device for transforming a first electrical signal into a second electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and a signal to be modulated, a first connection is provided, from which the first signal can be tapped. In addition, a voltage transformation element connected to the first connection for transforming the first signal to the second signal and a coupling element likewise connected to the first connection for determining the signal to be modulated from the first signal are provided. Furthermore, a second connection is provided which is connected to the voltage transformation element and at which second connection the second signal can be tapped. The signal to be modulated can be tapped at a third connection which is connected to the coupling element.

The device for transforming an electrical signal to be modulated into a first electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and the modulated signal, contains a first connection from which the first signal can be tapped. Furthermore, one with the Most connected voltage transformation element is provided for transforming the first signal to a second signal. A coupling element for forming the first signal from the signal to be modulated and the carrier frequency signal is connected to the first connection. Furthermore, a second connection is provided, which is connected to the voltage transformation element, the second signal being able to be tapped at the second connection. The signal to be modulated can be supplied to a third connection which is connected to the coupling element.

The invention can be seen clearly in the fact that a voltage transformation element and the coupling element are contained in one device.

It is thus possible to provide the coupling element directly in a power supply unit, and thus the signal to be modulated or the supply of the signal to be modulated can be formed directly in the power supply unit.

Preferred developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

In one embodiment it is provided that the coupling element is connected to a modulation / demodulation unit which is set up in such a way that

- In a first operating mode of the modulation / demodulation unit, a demodulated digital signal can be determined from the signal to be modulated, and - In a second operating mode of the modulation / demodulation unit, the signal to be modulated can be formed from a supplied digital signal.

This further development ensures that a digital signal can already be tapped or applied at an output of the device. The digital signal can be in a format in accordance with any predetermined communication protocol, for example in accordance with the protocol format of the Ethernet or the Universal Serial Bus (USB) or any other protocol format, for example of a local communication network (Local Area Network LAN).

A protective element is preferably contained in the coupling element for protection against interference, e.g. against overvoltages in order to protect the coupling element and further circuit parts connected to the coupling element from damage.

The protective element is preferably overvoltage protection.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the figures and is explained in more detail below.

Show it

Figure 1 is a sketch of the device according to a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a sketch of an energy supply network with a base station and a house connected to the energy supply network with a device according to

State of the art;

Figure 3 is a sketch of an energy supply network with a base station and a house connected to the energy supply network with a device according to

Embodiment;

Figure 4 is a sketch of a device according to another embodiment.

3 shows the same as FIG. 2 when using the same reference symbols for the same components, the base station 203, which is connected to the power supply network 201 via the interface 204. Furthermore, the house 202 is connected to the energy supply network 201 via the house connection 212.

In contrast to the prior art, the signal to be modulated is not coupled or decoupled at the house connection 212, at the counter 216 or in between, but the first signal is first transformed into the second signal in a power supply unit 301 described below and the one to be modulated Signal is also coupled in or out in the power supply 301.

The first signal 215, which contains the carrier signal 220 and the signal 221 to be modulated, is fed directly to a power supply unit 301, which is contained in a computer 300.

The structure of the power supply 301 is shown in detail in Fig.l.

The first signal 215 thus has the carrier frequency signal and the signal to be modulated.

The first signal 215 is fed to the power supply 301 of the computer 300 via a first connection 101. A voltage transformation element 102 is connected to the first connection 101, with which the first signal 215, which represents a 220 V voltage signal with a frequency of 50 Hz, is transformed to a 5 V voltage signal 103, which is connected to a second connection 104 is connected to the voltage transformation element 102, can be tapped off.

Furthermore, a coupling element 105 is connected to the first connection 101, which is set up in such a way that the modulated signal 106 is determined by demodulating the first signal 215 and can be tapped via a third connection 107 connected to the coupling element 105. The power supply 301 thus clearly has both the voltage transformation element 102 and the coupling element 105.

The third connection 107 is designed as a coaxial connection for the transmission of the modulated signal.

Thus, a digital signal 305 can be formed from the signal 217 to be modulated via a modem card 303, which is connected to the third connection 107 via a coaxial cable 304 is connected, can be processed.

A memory 308 of the computer 300 is also connected to the bus 307.

Via an input / output interface 309, likewise connected to the bus 307, a screen 311 is provided via a first line 310 and a screen via a second line 312

Keyboard 313 and a computer mouse 315 connected to computer 300 via a third line 314.

In this way it is possible to do so without further measures in a house directly via a network connection, i.e. a connector to tap the electronic data which has been modulated onto the energy signal in order to then separate them from the energy signal, i.e. demodulate the first electrical signal and thus the electronic data, i.e. To be able to process text, speech, images or data.

FIG. 1 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the power supply unit 301 from FIG. 1.

A first connection 402 is provided in the power supply unit 401, to which the first signal 215 can be supplied. With the first arrival Termination 402 is the voltage transformation element 404 connected. With the voltage transformation element, a low-voltage signal of the size 5 V 404, the first signal 215 with 220 V AC voltage is formed and can be tapped via the second connection 405, which is connected to the voltage transformation element 403.

The coupling element 406 is also connected to the first connection 402, the signal 106 to be modulated being determined from the first signal 215 by the coupling element 406 by demodulation.

The third connection 408 in the power supply 401 also connects the modem card 409 with which the signal 407 to be modulated is converted into the digital signal 410. The digital signal 410 can be tapped directly via a fourth connection of the power supply unit 411. The modem card 409 is also connected to the second connection 405, via which the low-voltage signal of size 5 V 404 can be fed to the modem card 409.

In this embodiment, the processor 306 can thus be connected to the power supply 301, 401 via the bus 307.

The exemplary embodiments described above assume that the communication to the computer 300 takes place.

However, if data is fed into the power supply network 201 from the computer 300, the digital signal 410 in the modem card 303, 409 is correspondingly fed to the coupling element 105, 406 as a signal 217, 407 to be modulated via the third connection 107, 408.

In this operating mode of the power supply 301, 401, the signal 217, 407 to be modulated is modulated onto the carrier frequency signal in the coupling element 105, 406 and is fed directly to the power supply network 201 via the house connection 212 via the first connection 101, 402 of the power supply 301, 401. This means that bidirectional communication is possible using the device, so that the device is designed such that both a modulation of the signal to be modulated onto the carrier frequency signal and a demodulation of the signal to be modulated from the first signal is provided in the coupling element , depending on the desired direction of communication.

It should also be emphasized that any type of modulation can be used.

Both amplitude modulation, frequency modulation and phase modulation can be used.

It should also be noted that the power supply 301, 401 does not necessarily have to be contained in a computer 300, but it can also be used directly with another technical device, e.g. connected to a television, a washing machine or a heating controller or a network computer.

As communication protocol for the transmission of digital data, any communication protocol, e.g. the Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) can be used.

In an alternative of the exemplary embodiments described above, it is provided that any number of further connections are provided on the power supply unit, the further connections being connected to the voltage transformation element and further voltage signals being tapped off at the further connections, e.g. a 10 V DC voltage or voltages of other specifiable values.

Furthermore, it is provided in an alternative that only a part of the functional modules of the modulation-demodulation unit, for example a unit for the analog module tion signal processing is included and other parts of the modulation demodulation unit is realized in an electrical device connected to the device. It is also possible to use function modules for the modulation / demodulation unit which are already contained in the electrical device, for example electronic assemblies for signal processing or processors.

The following publications have been cited in this document:

[1] GB 2 272 350 B

[2] D. Clark, Powerline Communications:

Finally ready for prime time ?, IEEE Internet Computing,

January, February 1998, pages 10-11, 1998

[3] brochure of Northern Telekom and Norweb,

Digital PowerLine: a major new business opportunity for power Utilities worldwide, Communications Digital Power Line, published March 18, 1998

Claims

claims

1. Device for transforming a first electrical signal into at least one second electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and a signal to be modulated, a) with a first connection from which the first signal can be tapped, b) with a voltage transformation element connected to the first connection for transforming the first signal to the second signal, c) having a coupling element connected to the first connection for determining the signal to be modulated from the first signal, d) having a second connection which is connected to the voltage transformation - Mation element is connected, at which second connection the second signal can be tapped, and e) to a third connection, which is connected to the coupling element, at which third connection the signal to be modulated can be tapped.

2. Device according to claim 1,

in which the coupling element is set up in addition to forming the first signal from the signal to be modulated and the carrier frequency signal,

- The signal to be modulated can be fed to the third connection.

3. Device for transforming a modulated electrical signal to a first electrical signal, the first signal having a carrier frequency signal and a signal to be modulated, a) with a first connection, at which the first signal can be tapped, b) with one voltage transformation element connected to the first connection for transforming the first signal to at least one second signal, c) with a coupling element connected to the first connection for forming the first signal from the signal to be modulated and the carrier frequency signal, d) with a second connection connected to the voltage transformation element, at which second connection the second signal can be tapped, and e) with a third connection, which is connected to the coupling element, to which third connection the signal to be modulated can be supplied.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the signal to be modulated is a communication signal.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, with a connected to the coupling element modulation / demodulation unit, which is set up in such a way that

a demodulated digital signal can be determined from the signal to be modulated in a first operating mode of the modulation / demodulation unit,

- In a second operating mode of the modulation / demodulation unit, the signal to be modulated can be formed from a supplied digital signal

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coupling element contains at least one protective element for protecting the coupling element from interference.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the protective element is a surge protector.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which at least one further connection is provided, which is connected to the voltage transformation element and from which a further electrical signal can be tapped.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, used in an electrical device.