METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR POWERLINE AND RADIO FREQUENCY COMMUNICATIONS

摘要

Disconnected from the powerline, a battery-powered receiver is configured to conserve power. The receiver communicates information between a local controller and a communication network that uses the powerline and a radio frequency (RF) band to propagate messages. An antenna wirelessly detects the presence of the powerline carrier signal that radiates into free space, which indicates a first message encoded onto the powerline. A computer processor wakes up from an inactive state based on the presence of the carrier signal and receives a second message via a second RF signal having a different frequency than the powerline carrier signal, and determines whether the device address in the second message is the assigned address of the receiver. If the message is not addressed to the receiver, the receiver returns to an inactive state.

主权项

1. A battery-powered apparatus operating remotely from a powerline, the apparatus comprising:
a first antenna configured to detect an electromagnetic field generated by a presence of a first radio frequency (RF) signal that is added to a powerline waveform, the first RF signal having a first frequency, the presence of the first RF signal indicating that a first message is encoded onto a powerline, wherein the first antenna is electrically disconnected from the powerline; memory storing an assigned address, wherein the memory is electrically disconnected from the powerline; a second antenna configured to detect a second RF signal having a second frequency different than the first frequency; a computer processor in communication with the memory and configured to wake up from an inactive state based on the detection of the electromagnetic field generated by the presence of the first RF signal on the powerline in order to receive with the second antenna a second message comprising a device address encoded onto the second RF signal, the computer processor further configured to return to the inactive state when the device address is not the assigned address, wherein the computer processor is electrically disconnected from the powerline; and a power supply comprising a battery and configured to supply power to the memory and the computer processor.