POWER SUPPLY ARCHITECTURE FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING

Abstract: A computer system for power-line networking provides data signal coupling to the power line through its power supply. The computer system includes power-line network access circuitry coupled to the power supply internally to the computer system. The power supply may receive a data signal from the power-line network access circuitry and provide a modulated data signal carrier to the power line. The power supply also may receive a modulated data signal carrier from the power line and provide data signals to the power-line network access circuitry. The modulated data carrier between the power supply and the power line may or may not be the same as the data signal between the power supply and the power-line network access circuitry. In this day, data signals and a power supply share a single path to a power line.

Description: POWER SUPPLY ARCHITECTURE FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/679,238 filed October 5, 2000. The present invention generally relates to power-line networking and more particularly to power supply data coupling for a power-line networking. There has recently been a growing interest in the use of power lines for high-speed data networking. For instance, the HomePlug™ Powerline Alliance was formed to enable and promote the rapid availability and adoption of cost effective, interoperable and standards- based power-line home networks and products. To date, power-line networking technology delivering 14Mbps networking speeds over residential (home) power lines has been demonstrated. With a high-speed power-line home network, it is expected that virtually any electronic device found in the home may be networked through the power line. A computer having power-line networking capabilities is generally coupled to the power line independently of its primary connection to the power line, which provides the power required to operate the system itself. A secondary connection to the power line is required to couple the high-speed data signal carrier to the power line, independently of the PC power supply connection. Data in a computer system intended for power-line home networking is typically routed from an internal power-line network interface card (NIC), through an external port with a dedicated power cord and connector, to an external data signal coupler to the power line. Similarly, the data signal carrier from a power line is typically routed through the external data signal coupler and the dedicated power cord to the power- line NIC internal to the computer. This approach has required a computer system to support a dedicated data path between the internal power-line NIC and the power line. A computer system, therefore, has not utilized its standard connection from a power supply to the power line to communicate the data signal carrier to or from the power line. Figure 1 shows a prior art computer system 100 for a power-line networking. The computer system 100 includes a power-line NIC 102 internally coupled to a host controller 120. The power-line NIC 102 may include typical power-line network access circuitry such as a media access control (MAC) layer and a physical layer (PHY). The MAC layer is understood to provide certain filtering, addressing and other network functions for home networking, and the PHY layer is understood to provide certain signal processing functions for home networking. The power-line NIC 102, which is typically implemented as a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) card, may also include an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, and an analog front end (AFE) 118 for transmitting and receiving signals to the power line. Power-line NIC 102 provides an interface between the power line and the host controller 120. The host controller 120 may provide typical LAN/modem controller functions. Included in the power-line NIC 102 is an external port 106 to receive or mate with a connector 108 from an external data signal coupler 112 through a dedicated cord 110. The coupler 112 typically includes an integrated plug to connect to a power outlet in a home. The coupler 112 may also include an analog front end and power-line isolating circuitry such as an isolation transformer. The power-line NIC 102 and the external power-line data coupler 112 together provide a data path to a power line for the computer system 100. The power- line NIC 102 may provide data signals to the power line through the port 106, the connector 108, and a dedicated cord 110 respectively to the coupler 112. Similarly, the coupler 112 may provide data signals from the power line through the dedicated cord 110, the connector 108 and the port 106 respectively to the power-line NIC 102. A suitable implementation of the power-line NIC 102 and the coupler 112 is power-line networking technology such as the PowerPacket™ technology available from Mellon Corporation of Ocala, Florida. As shown, the computer system 100 also includes a power supply 104 that is typically a switching power supply. The power supply 104 is connected to a different power outlet in the home through a power connector 122, a power cord 114, and a plug 116 that serve as an exclusive path to the power line for the power supply 104. The computer system 100 thus provides two separate paths or connections to the power line — one for the power supply 104 and the other for the data signal of the power-line NIC 102. This configuration requires a standalone external coupler with a power cord, a plug and an external port for the power-line NIC 102, resulting in a relatively high system cost. Furthermore, the need for two power outlets or a power outlet splitter by the computer system 100 is generally inconvenient to a consumer or user, given the significant number of electronic devices typically powered in the vicinity of the computer system. Briefly, a computer system for power-line networking provides data carrier coupling to the power line through its power supply. The computer system includes power-line network access circuitry coupled to a power supply internally to the computer system. The power supply may receive a data signal from the internal power-line network access circuitry and provide the data signal modulated onto a high frequency carrier to the power line. The power supply also may receive a modulated data carrier from the power line and provide the modulated data carrier to the internal power-line network access circuitry. The modulated data carrier between the power supply and the power line may or may not be the same as the data signal between the power supply and the power-line network access circuitry. In this way, data signals and a power supply share a single path to a power line. A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram of a prior art computer system for power-line networking; and Figure 2 is a diagram of a computer system for a power-line networking with power supply data coupling. The following patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes: Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, Attorney Docket No. 00CXT0508C, entitled "POWER LINE NETWORKING APPARATUS AND METHOD," filed concurrently herewith; Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, Attorney Docket No. 00CXT0276C, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH SMALL-SIGNAL COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," filed concurrently herewith; and Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, Attorney Docket No. 00CXT0267C, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH DIGITAL DATA COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," filed concurrently herewith. Referring to Figure 2, a computer system 200 with power supply data coupling is shown. Power supply data coupling as used herein generally refers to employing a power supply as a gateway for a data signal path between power-line NIC 202 and a power line. In other words, power supply data coupling refers to the coupling of a power-line data carrier to a power line through a power supply. Power-line NIC 202 of the computer system 200 may include network access circuitry such as a MAC layer and a PHY layer. Power-line NIC 202 may be more generally termed power-line network access circuitry. Alternatively, the power- line NIC 202 may be implemented in other ways consistent with power-line networking standards. The power-line NIC 202 may include an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to- analog converter, and a power line AFE. Alternatively, any such components may be incorporated in a power supply 204 as described in detail in the patent applications incorporated above. Whatever the implementation of the power-line NIC 202, at some level it generally transmits or receives data to and from the power supply and processes data for transmission or reception to and from a host controller. The power-line NIC 202, which may be implemented as a power-line networking PCI card, is shown as internally coupled to a host controller 216. The power-line NIC 202 is also internally coupled to the power supply 204. Included in the power-line NIC 202 is an internal connector 206 for connection to the power supply 204 through a coupling wire, circuit or network 208. The coupling circuit 208 carries a data signal between the power-line NIC 202 and the power supply 204. Data signal as used herein generally refers to analog or digital data such as to be provided between the power-line NIC 202 and the power supply 204, which may include control signals and may or may not be modulated onto a data carrier suitable for coupling to the power line. The data signal may include a local data carrier similar to or different from a data carrier used to drive a power line. The power-line NIC 202 uses the coupling circuit 208 to transmit a data signal (or communications signal) to the power supply 204 and to receive a data signal from the power supply 204. In addition, the coupling circuit 208 may be, for example, direct, inductive, capacitive, resistive, optical or a combination thereof. The specific nature of the coupling circuit 208 implemented may depend upon the specific nature of the power-line NIC 202 or the power supply 204. The coupling circuit 208 represents a portion of an exclusive path or connection from the power-line NIC 202 to the power line. It should be understood that the portion of the power-line NIC 202 providing the internal connector 206 and the portion of the power supply 204 coupled to the coupling circuit 208 may vary. In other words, the portion of the power-line NIC 202 to receive or transmit a data signal and the portion of the power supply 204 to receive or transmit the data signal may vary. It is noted that the power-line NIC 202 does not provide or require a port external to the computer system 200. Further, the data signals coupled between the power supply 204 and the power-line NIC 202 may or may not be modulated onto a high-frequency data carrier for transmission over the power line. As such, the power supply 204 may provide data signals demodulated from a power-line high-frequency data carrier to the power-line NIC 202 in analog or digital form. Both the internal connector 206 and the coupling circuit 208 generally refer to any manner of internally coupling or connecting the power-line NIC 202 and the power supply 204. The power supply 204 may be adapted to provide for effective communication of a data signal from the power-line NIC 202 to the power line. Some manners of internally coupling or connecting power-line network access circuitry and a power supply of a computer system and some manners of adapting a power supply for effective communication of a data signal from power-line network access circuitry to the power line are described in the commonly- assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER LINE NETWORKING APPARATUS AND METHOD," previously incorporated herein by reference. Other manners of effectively coupling the network access circuitry and the power line are described in the commonly- assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH SMALL-SIGNAL COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," and the commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH DIGITAL DATA COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," both previously incorporated herein. Turning now to communication between the power supply 204 and the power line, a power cord 210 combined with a connector 218 and a plug 212 for the power supply 204 is shown in Figure 2. The power cord 210 carries a data carrier from a power line to the power supply 204 and carries a data carrier from the power supply 204 to the power line. Data carrier as used herein in the context of driving a data carrier on a power line generally refers to a carrier signal with data modulated for transmission over a power line. The power supply 204 receives a high-frequency data carrier from the power line and provides a data signal modulated on to a high-frequency data carrier to the power line. Since the power cord 210 is also used for providing power (i.e., standard 60 Hz power) to the power supply 204 to power the computer system 200, the power cord 210 provides a single path or connection for both the power-line NIC 202 and the power supply 204 to the power line. Thus, the computer system 200 provides power-line networking and yet supports a single connection to the power line. In accordance with the disclosed power supply data coupling techniques, an external coupler, a power cord, a plug, and a power-line NIC external port are saved for each computer system or other electronic device of a power-line network. Further, since a switching power supply can be noisy, it may be useful to couple a filter between the input terminal of the power supply 204 and a power line node to improve signal-to-noise ratio. One example of such a filter is described in the commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER LINE NETWORKING APPARATUS AND METHOD," previously incorporated herein. While Figure 2 shows the computer system 200 of the power-line network N, it should be understood that other electronic devices or appliances on a power-line network may provide a similar power supply data coupling architecture. Examples of such other electronic devices include speakers, audio systems, digital audio jukeboxes, terminals, Internet or smart appliances, game machines, security systems, set-top boxes, televisions, video cassette recorders, printers, cameras and the like. Further, the number of electronic devices shown in Figure 2 for the power-line network N is illustrative as power supply data coupling may be employed with any number of electronic devices of the power-line home network N. A data carrier as used herein may, for example, include a plurality of carriers or sub-carriers. Data as used herein may include streaming audio, streaming video, Internet data, telephony content, broadband content or multimedia content, for example. Certain circuitry which may be included in the power-line NIC 202 may instead be provided as part of the power supply 204. For example, the power supply 204 may include an analog front end, an analog-to-digital converter, and a digital-to-analog converter. This sort of power supply architecture is described in more detail in the commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH DIGITAL DATA COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," previously incorporated herein by reference. Another architecture in which a small-signal portion of the AFE resides on the NIC card and a large- signal portion of the AFE resides in the power supply is described in the commonly-assigned U.S. patent application, entitled "POWER SUPPLY WITH SMALL-SIGNAL COUPLING FOR POWER-LINE NETWORKING," previously incorporated herein by reference. The power supply data coupling techniques disclosed herein may take the particular architecture of the power supply 204 into account. For example, depending upon the architecture of the power supply 204, the data signal provided between the power-line network access circuitry 202 and the power supply 204 may be a digital signal or an analog signal which can be modulated or unmodulated. The foregoing disclosure and description are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the details of the power supply, power-line network access circuitry, coupling circuit, data signals, data carriers, coupling techniques and electronic devices, as well as the illustrated apparatus and construction and method of operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims: We claim: 1. A power-line networking system for power-line networking, the system comprising: power-line network access circuitry; and a power supply coupled to the power-line network access circuitry internally to the system, the power supply adapted to receive a data signal from the power-line network access circuitry and to provide the data signal modulated onto a high- frequency data carrier to a power line, the power supply further adapted to receive the high-frequency data carrier from the power line and to provide the data signal demodulated from the high-frequency data carrier to the power-line network access circuitry. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a means for internally coupling the power-line network access circuitry and the power supply to provide the data signal between the power-line network access circuitry and the power supply. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for internally coupling the power-line network access circuitry and the power supply comprises a portion of an exclusive path from the power-line network access circuitry to the power line. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a portion of an exclusive path of the system to the power line. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a coupling circuit to carry the data signal between the power-line network access circuitry and the power supply. 6. A power supply for a power-line networking system, the power supply comprising: a means for receiving a data signal from power-line network access circuitry of the power-line networking system; and a means for transmitting the data signal to the power-line network access circuitry. 7. The power supply of claim 6, further comprising: a means for transmitting the data signal modulated onto a high-frequency data carrier to a power line; and a means for receiving the high-frequency data carrier from the power line. 8. The power supply of claim 7, wherein the means for transmitting the data signal modulated onto a high-frequency data carrier to a power line and the means for receiving the high-frequency data carrier from the power line comprise a portion of an exclusive path of the system to the power line. 9. The power supply of claim 6, wherein the means internal to a system for receiving a data signal from power-line network access circuitry and the means internal to the system for transmitting the data signal to the power-line network access circuitry comprise a portion of an exclusive path from the power-line network access circuitry to a power line. 10. A power-line networking system for power-line networking, the system comprising: a means for transmitting a data signal to a power supply internal to the power- line networking system; and a means for receiving the data signal from the power supply. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for transmitting the data signal and the means for receiving the data signal comprise a portion of an exclusive path of the power-line networking system to a power line. 12. A method of coupling a data signal for a power-line networking system, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a data signal from power-line network access circuitry internal to a power-line networking system to a power supply internal to the power-line networking system; receiving the data signal by the power-line network access circuitry from the power supply; transmitting the data signal from the power supply to the power-line network access circuitry; and receiving the data signal by the power supply from the power-line networking access circuitry. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: transmitting the data signal modulated onto a high-frequency data carrier from the power supply to a power line; and receiving the high-frequency data carrier by the power supply from the power line. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the power-line networking system comprises a computer system.

Inventors: MANTOVANI ALBERTO, RHODES MATTHEW F, SACCA FRANK, MANTOVANI, ALBERTO, RHODES, MATTHEW, F., SACCA, FRANK
Applicants: CONEXANT SYSTEMS INC, CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G08C
IPC codes: H04B3