GB2446274A

GB2446274A - Adapter for power lines communication

Info

Publication number: GB2446274A
Application number: GB0801526A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Antony Cant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-31
Filing date: 2006-10-31
Publication date: 2008-08-06
Also published as: GB2441798A; GB2441798A9; GB2446274A9; GB0621597D0; GB0801526D0

Abstract

A communications adapter for communicating a digital communications signal over a mains power circuit, said adapter comprising: a mains connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected to the adapter; at least one mains power socket portion 22, 42; an electronics module which is not only powered by said mains power but effectively separates a digital communications signal from the mains power signal; and a wireless data communications circuit for converting said data communications signal to a form suitable for wireless communication. The adapter may comprise pins for plugging into a wall socket outlet or alternatively the adapter may be integral with a wall socket outlet. An Ethernet connector 44 may be provided in addition to the wireless connector which may be an infra-red transceiver or an IEEE 802.11 wireless standard.

Description

POWER SOCKET ADAPTER

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a power socket adapter, and more specifically to a power socket adapter having additional functionality.

Background

Mains power socket adapters have been in existence for many years, and indeed nowadays there are a myriad of different types of adapter. Figure 1 hereof provides an indication of perhaps the simplest type of adapter I which can be plugged into a conventional wall socket to increase the number of available sockets by one. As can be seen in the figure, a pair (and optionally more) of sockets are provided in the faces 2, 4 of the adapter shown, and conventional plugs attached to appliances or the like may simply be inserted thereinto.

Figure 2 shows an alternative adapter 6 which not only provides a socket 8 into which the plug of an appliance may be inserted, but also includes a sensor which in this case is an infra-red sensor for detecting human movement, such as a PIR sensor. By incorporating electronics inside the adapter 6, additional functionality can be provided by allowing for the power supply to the socket 8 to be activated or de-activated internally of the adapter, for example when human motion is detected in front of the sensor 10. In this case, the electronics inside the adapter (not shown, but of entirely standard configuration) is not only powered by the main supply derived from the connection between the adapter plug portion shown generally at 12 and the wall or other power socket (not shown) into which it is inserted, but said electronics also provides an automatic switch function for the adapter.

In terms of the additional functionality which domestic and commercial premises power cables can be provided, it is already known to piggy-back a variety of different signals on top of such cables. In general, while domestic power cables are intended to carry only a standard 120/240 V 50/60 Hz AC sinusodial power signal, such are actually capable of carrying, among other things, data signals, and it is known to utilise existing domestic wiring networks to provide Ethernet networks throughout such premises. Intellon Corporation of USA, has established itself as one of the main suppliers of products facilitating the provision of such networks internally of domestic, commercial, office and other spaces through their power cabling loops.

However, one of the fundamental difficulties perceived by the inventors herefor is that the use of Intellons' equipment necessarily utilises at least one of the sockets of a conventional socket wall plate, and in most cases, and particularly in the case of computer equipment to which an Ethernet connection will usually nowadays always be required, many power supplies are required.

Typically, this has resulted in the somewhat dangerous overloading of wall sockets by using many of the devices shown in figure 1 to provide power sources for various devices, such as monitors, printers, modems, and computer base units.

It is an object of this invention to provide an enhancement to existing socket adapters, and in a particular embodiment of the invention, the sockets themselves which takes account of the above disadvantages.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

According to the present invention there is provided a communications adapter for communicating a digital signal over a mains power circuit, said adapter comprising: at least one mains power socket portion; mains connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected with said adapter characterised in that said adapter is further provided with an electronics module which is not only powered by said mains power but effectively separates a digital communications signal therefrom, said electronics module comprising; a data communications circuit for applying a data communications signal to said electrical connector, and for extracting a digital data signal from said mains electrical connector; and a wireless data communications circuit for converting said data communications signal to a form suitable for wireless communication.

Preferably, said digital communications signal is transmitted in conjunction with said mains power signal.

Preferably, said adapter provides at least one separate outlet, discrete from the socket portion by means of which the mains power signal received at the connector means is transmitted.

Preferably, the connector means are in the form of conventionally arranged pins capable of being inserted into a standard socket wall plate provided in domestic or office premises.

Preferably, the separate outlet is a socket capable of accepting an Ethernet cable connector, said electronics module effectively stripping the Ethernet signal from said mains power signal and delivering the Ethernet signal to said socket.

In a preferred embodiment, the adapter is a socket wall plate provided with an outlet being an Ethernet socket and an electronics module incorporated into the wafl plate, said connector means being ports provided on the rear face of said wall plate into which mains power cables may be fed, and in which they may be conductively secured.

Preferably, the discrete outlet of the adapter is chosen to be one of: an Ethernet socket, a Wi-Fi port, a USB port, a video signal connector, an IEEE 1394 outlet, and in each case, the electronics module is configured to strip a particular requisite signal carried by said power signal and deliver the stripped signal to the respective outlet.

In a preferred arrangement, the adapter is provided with a plurality of outlets comprising at least one Ethernet outlet and at least one Wi-Fl outlet.

By providing a combination of suitable electronics, suitable digital signal outlets, and at least one conventional mains supply socket portion, the adapter of the current invention provides enhanced functionality.

is Said electronics module may be provided in a mains socket wall plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an adapter of prior art configuration, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an alternative adapter of prior art configuration, Figures 3a, 3b, 3c showed two perspective views and an end elevation of an adapter according to the present invention, and Figure 4 shows a perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to figures 3a, 3b, c there is shown an adapter 20 having a socket portion 22 and a mains connection portion 24, in the form of conventionally arranged pins 26. A plug 28 can be inserted into the socket portion in identical manner to that whereby the plug might be inserted into a conventional socket wall plate (not shown).

Inside the adapter 20 is provided an electronics module (not shown, but of standard and known configuration) to which power is fed from the pins 26, or at least corresponding wires inside the adapter connected thereto, and said electronics module also conducts some processing of the mains power signal received through the pins to extract or strip a data or digital signal which is piggy-backed or otherwise carried on top of, or in conjunction with, said power signal.

The extracted data signal is delivered to an Ethernet socket 30 provided in the lower face of the adapter to allow for the connection of a conventional Ethernet cable, and the "cleaned" power signal is simply delivered to appropriate terminals for the socket 22 on the exterior face of the adapter. A pair of LED's 32 is provided to indicate: -the correct functioning of the adapter, and/or -the transfer of data through the Ethernet socket Referring to figure 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention in the form of a conventional socket wall plate 40 which carries a similar electronics module (not shown) to that described above in relation to figure 3. As can be seen, the wall plate 40 is provided with a pair of conventional sockets 42, and Ethernet outlet socket 44, a Wi-Fi outlet or transceiver port 46. Of course, such a port may provide wireless access for a suitably equipped wireless device (not shown) using any one of a number of currently available wireless technologies or protocols, but in any event, the electronics module strips the data signal from the mains power signals and delivers these for transmission through the said port, either wirelessly or through suitable wires, as is the case in Ethernet traffic.

It is also to be mentioned that the electronics module must operate in duplex mode, i.e. be capable to two way data communication, in an ideal embodiment, a house, office or other discrete area within premises would be provided with an incoming source or internet or other network traffic. A central node device, e.g. mains power cable enabled switch, hub, router, or the like, then injects the signal into the mains cable network within the premises in identical manner to that when cat 5 UTP cable is installed and routed to various different locations within the premises when such are being computer network enabled.

Of course, the only difference in this case is that no such cables are installed, and network points are automatically created wherever there is a power socket in any part of the premises. The central node device may of course require some indication of the number of different socket outlets present to determine how many connections via remote network equipment, e.g. computers, PDA's, mobile phones etc are allowed within said premises.

By this arrangement, on the one hand, the data signals can be sent along the power cables to remote socket outlets, whereat adapters of the type described separate the network signals from the power signals and deliver both through separate means, and on the other hand, data signals received from the remote devices can be caused by the electronics module to return to the central node device along the power cables such that network traffic can be distributed, carried and returned through the premises in question.

Finally, it should be mentioned other signals may be carried in conjunction with power signals, such as digital or analogue video signals, and in such cases, a suitable connector and electronics module would be required to be provided in the adapter or socket wall plate.

Claims

Claims: 1. A communications adapter for communicating a digital

communications signal over a mains power circuit, said adapter comprising: at least one mains power socket portion; mains connector means by which a mains power signal can be delivered to or connected with said adapter; characterised in that: said adapter is further provided with an electronics module which is not only powered by said mains power but effectively separates a digital communications signal therefrom, said electronics module comprising; a data communications circuit for applying a data communications signal to said electrical connector, and for extracting a digital data signal from said mains electrical connector; and a wireless data communications circuit for converting said data communications signal to a form suitable for wireless communication.
2. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein said digital communications signal is transmitted in conjunction with said mains power signal.
3. An adapter according to claim I or 2, wherein said adapter means provides at least one separate outlet, discrete from the other socket portion by means of which the mains power signal received at the connector means is transmitted.
4. An adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector means are in the form of conventionally arranged pins capable of being inserted into a standard socket wall plate.
5. An adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the separate outlet is chosen from one of: a socket capable of accepting an Ethernet cable connector, a Wi -Fi, infra-red or other wireless data transfer transceiver port, a physical USB port, a video signal connector, and/or an IEEE 1394 outlet, and in each case the electronics module is configured to strip a particular requisite and appropriate signal carried by said power signal and deliver said strip signal to the respective separate outlet.
6. An adapter according to claim 3, wherein the separate outlet is an Ethernet port.
7. An adapter according to any one of the preceding claims which is provided with a plurality of outlets comprising at least one Ethernet outlet and at least on WI -Fl outlet.
8. An adapter according to any one of the preceding claims in the form of a conventional socket wall plate having a pair of sockets.
9. An adapter according to claim 8 comprising a pair of separate outlets, one being an Ethernet port and the other being a WI -Fl transceiver port.
10. An adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said electronics module is provided in a mains socket wall plate.