Patent ID: 7227310

Claim:
A device for sending data on an AC power line connected to a power line voltage, and which is transporting a power line current through a set of two conductors, said device comprising: a switching device, placed in one of the conductors of said power line, a microcontroller, a first connection between said microcontroller and said switching device, one or more conductors forming a second connection between said microcontroller and at least one of said conductors of said power line, wherein a dummy load circuit is added to the power line, and wherein said microcontroller comprises circuitry for producing a signal for changing a condition of said switching device through said first connection, circuitry for measuring an electric value through said second connection in order to detect a zero crossing of said electric value, and circuitry for introducing a predefined time delay before changing the condition of said switching device, thereby producing an interruption of the power line voltage, wherein the device for sending data further comprises means for activating the dummy load circuit during said interruption, and deactivating said dummy load after the interruption.