DETECTION OF INBOUND SIGNALS IN THE VOLTAGE DOMAIN OF AN ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

摘要

A method of two-way communications over a power distribution network in which outbound communication signals (O) and an inbound communication signals (I) modulate a time-varying waveform propagated through the network, on the low voltage side of the network. An outbound signal waveform is detected at a customer location (C) with remote communication equipment (RCE) at the customer location then producing a return or inbound communication signal. A corresponding inbound signal is produced in an associated voltage waveform and this signal is detected and processed by a distribution concentrator unit (DCU) at the sending end of the network. The transmission and detection of signals on the low voltage side of the network requires less energy than the generation, propagation, detection, and processing of signals on the high voltage side thereof.

主权项

1. A method of two-way communications over a power distribution network in which an outbound signal is transmitted from a sending location over the network to a customer site and a reply, inbound communication is transmitted from the customer site over the network back to the sending location, comprising:
at the sending location, modulating a time-varying waveform with the outbound signal in the voltage domain; transmitting the resulting modulated waveform through the network to the customer site in the current domain; at the customer site, detecting the outbound signal in the voltage domain and then processing the detected signal to determine the outbound signal's contents; further at the customer site, modulating a time-varying waveform with an inbound signal in the voltage domain; transmitting the resultant modulated waveform through the network back to the sending location in the current domain; and, at the sending location, detecting the inbound signal in the voltage domain and processing the detected inbound signal to determine the inbound signal's contents whereby the energy required to detect and process the respective outbound and inbound signals in the voltage domain requires relatively less energy than if the respective outbound and inbound signals were detected and processed in the current domain.