Patent ID: 8549340

Claim:
A method for controlling a Power Line Communication, PLC, apparatus, comprising: acquiring a working state and a network state of the PLC apparatus; switching the working state of the PLC apparatus in accordance with the working state and the network state of the PLC apparatus, wherein, the switching of the working state of the PLC apparatus in accordance with the working state and the network state of the PLC apparatus comprises: when the network state of the PLC apparatus is idle by having the PLC apparatus ceasing from all Power Line Communication to an external network through a utility power line while the PLC apparatus stays connected electrically to the utility power line, and when the working state of the PLC apparatus is in a normal working state: switching the PLC apparatus to a sleep state to be powered only by an internal battery; when the network state of the PLC apparatus is busy by having the PLC apparatus resuming the Power Line Communication to the external network through determining network traffic in the utility power line, and when the working state of the PLC apparatus is in the sleep state: switching the PLC apparatus from the sleep state to the normal working state to be powered only by a main power source; wherein during the normal working state of the PLC apparatus: the main power source converts an Alternating Current (AC) from a utility power line into a working voltage required by the PLC apparatus, and the main power source charges the internal battery of the PLC apparatus at the same time, or a chip of the PLC apparatus is in a maximum power consumption mode and the PLC apparatus is powered by the main power source, which charges the internal battery of the PLC apparatus at the same time, wherein during the sleep state of the PLC apparatus: the main power source stays electrically connected to the utility power line, which is utilized by the PLC apparatus for resuming the Power Line communication to the external network and for resuming providing power to the PLC, the PLC apparatus is powered only by the internal battery; or the chip of the PLC apparatus is in a standby mode indicating that the PLC apparatus is being powered only by the internal battery, and the PLC apparatus stays idle while electrically connected to the external network.