Patent ID: 7245625
Filing Date: 2007-07-17
Classification: H04B,H04L

Abstract:
1. A communications apparatus for communicatively coupling a first power line data communications network to at least a second power line data communications network, wherein each of the first and second networks is for interconnecting a plurality of electronic communications devices and is on a same network branch of a utility electric power distribution system, wherein the branch includes utility electric power conveying media and is isolated from a portion of the power distribution system by at least one of a step-up and a step-down power transformer, the apparatus comprising: a connection means for coupling to the power conveying media; and a transceiver communications interface coupled to the connection means and including a controller, wherein the controller includes a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory includes network identification codes corresponding to at least one of the first and second networks, and wherein the processor is adapted to utilize a network identification encoding and decoding protocol for processing encoded data communications signals containing a target network identification code transmitted by a source electronic communications device to a target electronic communications device, wherein the processor generates a target data communications signal based on the encoded data communications signals transmitted by the source device, and wherein the target signal includes a predetermined encoded network identification code corresponding to a power line data communications network designated by the target network identification code, such that data communications is achieved over the power conveying media between the target device and the source device, wherein each of the source and target devices is in the first or second network.