Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120236875 | Slotted Channel Access Techniques in Network Communications - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing slotted channel access techniques in network communications are described. In some embodiments, a method may include selecting one of a plurality of time slots within a contention access period (CAP), each of the plurality of time slots having a predetermined duration, and transmitting a packet during the selected time slot. For example, the time slot may be selected randomly or based on a round-robin algorithm. In some implementations, the duration of each of the plurality of time slots may correspond and/or be equal to: (a) a duration of a data packet of maximum size, (b) a sum of durations of a request-to-send packet, an interframe space, and a clear-to-send packet, and/or (c) a duration of a guaranteed time slot (GTS) or contention free period (CFP) request packet, as prescribed by a given communication protocol or standard. | 09-20-2012 |
20120236876 | MAC PROTOCOLS WITH SUBBANDING - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing media access control (MAC) protocols with subbanding are described. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving a beacon packet during one of a plurality of beacon slots of a superframe, each beacon slot corresponding to one of a plurality of different downlink subbands. The method may also include identifying, based on the received beacon packet, contention access periods following the beacon slots, each of the contention access periods corresponding to one of a plurality of different uplink subbands. The method may further include transmitting an information packet over each of the plurality of uplink subbands during the contention access periods. Then, the method may include receiving, during a guaranteed time slot following the contention access periods, an indication of a selected one of the plurality of uplink subbands to be used in a subsequent communications. | 09-20-2012 |
20120257639 | Communications in Beacon-Enabled Networks - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing communications in beacon-enabled networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, a method may include identifying one of a plurality of orthogonal superframes. The identified superframe may include beacon slots and contention access period (CAP) slots. The beacon slots may follow a sequence of two or more frequency subbands, and the CAP slots may follow the same sequence of two or more frequency subbands. Also, the sequence of two or more frequency subbands may be distinct from other sequences of two or more frequency subbands followed by other beacon slots and CAP slots within others of the plurality of available superframes. The method may then include communicating with another device using the identified superframe. | 10-11-2012 |
20120263189 | Beacon-Enabled Communications for Variable Payload Transfers - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing beacon-enabled communications for variable payload transfers are described. In various embodiments, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, a method may include implementing a superframe having a plurality of beacon slots, a plurality of intermediate slots following the beacon slots, and a poll-based Contention Free Period (CFP) slot following the intermediate slots. Each of the beacon slots and each of the intermediate slots may correspond to a respective one of a plurality of frequency subbands, and the poll-based CFP slot may correspond to a combination of the plurality of frequency subbands. The method may also include receiving a poll request over a first of the plurality of frequency subbands during the poll-based CFP slot, and then transmitting a data packet over a second of the plurality of frequency subbands during the poll-based CFP slot. | 10-18-2012 |
20120275326 | Non-Beacon Network Communications Using Frequency Subbands - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing non-beacon network communications using frequency subbands are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include transmitting a beacon request message over a given one of a plurality of frequency subbands, receiving a plurality of beacons in response to having transmitted the beacon request message, each of the plurality of beacons received over a respective one of the plurality of frequency subbands, and calculating a downlink quality report based, at least in part, upon the received beacons. The method may also include transmitting the downlink quality report over each of the plurality of frequency subbands and receiving a subband allocation command in response to having transmitted the downlink quality report, the subband allocation command indicating a downlink subband assignment and an uplink subband assignment. | 11-01-2012 |
20120281716 | Hybrid Communication Networks - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing hybrid communication networks are described. In various embodiments, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, one or more of the techniques disclosed herein may include methods to coordinate medium-to-low voltage (MV-LV) and low-to-low voltage (LV-LV) PLC networks when the MV-LV network operates in a frequency subband mode and the LV-LV network operates in wideband mode (i.e., hybrid communications). In some cases, MV routers and LV routers may have different profiles. For instance, MV-LV communications may be performed using MAC superframe structures, and first-level LV to lower-level LV communications may take place using a beacon mode. Lower layer LV nodes may communicate using non-beacon modes. Also, initial scanning procedures may encourage first-to-second -level LV device communications rather than MV-to-first-level LV connections. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281717 | Superframe Coordination in Beacon-Enabled Networks - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing superframe coordination in beacon-enabled networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include implementing a Media Access Control (MAC) superframe using a communication device. The MAC superframe may include a plurality of beacon slots, a plurality of Contention Access Period (CAP) slots following the plurality of beacon slots, a Contention Free Period (CFP) poll access slot following the plurality of CAP slots, a CFP slot following the CFP poll access slot, an inactivity period following the CFP slot, a beacon region following the inactivity period, and a communication slot following the beacon region. The method may also include communicating with another communication device using the MAC superframe. | 11-08-2012 |
20120294377 | Beacon Selection in Communication Networks - Systems and methods for beacon selection in communication networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, using a terminal device deployed in a communications network, receiving a beacon transmitted by a switch device within the communications network and, in response to the terminal device having had a previous connection with the switch device, determining a connection time of the previous connection. The method may also include performing at least one of: adding the switch device to a blacklist in response to the connection time being smaller than a first threshold value, or selecting the switch device for subsequent communication in response to the connection time being greater than a second threshold value. | 11-22-2012 |
20120300700 | EVENT-BASED KEEP ALIVE TIMES IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - A method of communicating in a network having a plurality of nodes including a base node (BN), and a plurality of service nodes (SNs) having at least one switch node (SW) and at least one terminal node (TN). The method includes at least one of a) a first SN from the plurality of SNs receiving (i) a data/ALV_B/ACK frame from the BN or (ii) a beacon from the BN or SW, and restarting a first KA timer at the first SN upon (i) or (ii), and b) restarting an ALV_S timer at the BN for the first SN upon receiving a data/ALV_S/ACK frame from the first SN. | 11-29-2012 |
20120314744 | PHY PAYLOAD OVER MULTIPLE TONE MASKS USING SINGLE TONE MASK PHY HEADER INFORMATION - A method of powerline communications (PLC) includes compiling a data frame for physical layer (PHY) by a first communications device at a first communications node on a powerline of a PLC network. The data frame includes a single tone PHY header portion and a data payload portion in a set of tones including at least one tone having a frequency different from a frequency of the single tone. The PHY header portion includes tone mask identification information identifying the set of tones. The first communications device transmits the data frame over the powerline to a second communications device at a second communications node on the powerline. The second communications device receives the data frame, and decodes the data payload using the tone mask identification information in the PHY header portion. | 12-13-2012 |
20120320931 | DYNAMIC SELECTION OF MAC INTERFRAME PARAMETERS IN PLC NETWORKS - A method of powerline communications (PLC) in a PLC network having a plurality of nodes including a first node and a second node. A first node receives a PLC signal from the second node. The first node decodes a media access control (MAC) frame of the PLC signal to determine a frame size of the MAC frame. Based on the frame size, dynamic selection of a Response Inter-Frame Space (RIFS) value from at least two candidate RIFS values and a Contention Inter-frame Space (CIFS) value from at least two candidate CIFS values is provided. | 12-20-2012 |
20120320932 | DATA FRAME FOR PLC HAVING DESTINATION ADDRESS IN THE PHY HEADER - A method of powerline communications including a first node and at least a second node on a PLC channel in a PLC network. The first node sends a physical layer (PHY) data frame on the PLC channel including a preamble, PHY header, a MAC header and a MAC payload. The PHY header includes a destination address field having a destination address therein. The second node receives the data frame. The second node compares its network address to the destination address before decoding the MAC header and MAC payload, providing power savings by allowing the second node to not decode the MAC header or MAC payload if its network address does not match the destination address in the PHY header of the data frame. | 12-20-2012 |
20120320996 | PREAMBLE SEQUENCE EXTENSION - A method of powerline communications between a plurality of nodes on a powerline communications (PLC) channel including a first node and a second node. At least one communication quality measure is determined for the PLC channel. Based on the communication quality measure, a preamble of a data frame is dynamically switched between a reference preamble having a reference symbol length including a reference number of syncP symbols and a reference number of syncM symbols and at least a first extended preamble having an extended symbol length that is greater than (>) the reference symbol length. The data frame is then transmitted on the PLC channel. | 12-20-2012 |
20120324322 | POWERLINE COMMUNICATION FRAMES HAVING CRC WITHIN HEADER - A method of powerline communications including a first node and at least a second node on a powerline communications (PLC) channel in a PLC network. The first node sends a physical layer (PHY) data frame on the PLC channel including a preamble, a PHY header, a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC header includes a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) field (MH-CRC field). The second node receives the data frame, parses the MAC header to reach the MH-CRC field, and performs CRC verification using the MH-CRC field to verify the MAC header. If the CRC verification is successful, (i) the second node parses another portion of the MAC header to identify a destination address of the data frame and (ii) to determine whether the data frame is intended for the second node from the destination address. | 12-20-2012 |
20120327770 | FLOW CONTROL FOR POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS - A method of powerline communications in a powerline communications (PLC) network including a first node and at least a second node. The first node transmits a data frame to the second node over a PLC channel. The second node has a data buffer for storing received information. The second node runs a flow control algorithm which determines a current congestion condition or a projected congestion condition of the data buffer based on at least one congestion parameter. The current congestion condition and projected congestion condition include nearly congested and fully congested. When the current or projected congestion condition is either nearly congested or fully congested, the second node transmits a BUSY including frame over the PLC channel to at least the first node. The first node defers transmitting of any frames to the second node for a congestion clearing wait time. | 12-27-2012 |
20130034110 | BROADCAST TRANSMISSION FOR MULTI-TONE MASK MODE OPERATION - A method of Multi-Tone Mask (MTM) mode communications in a PLC network including a first router associated with a plurality of nodes. A super-frame spanning a time period is received within the subnetwork. The super-frame includes beacon frames in beacon slots within a beacon period, with each beacon frame in one of N TMs, a contention access period (CAP) including a plurality of CAP slots provided for each TM, and a poll-based contention-free period (CFP). The beacon frames provide time assignments within the super-frame including time assignments for the CAP slots and for the CFP, and TM assignments for the TMs in the CAP slots. One of nodes, another router in the subnetwork, or a router in another subnetwork transmits a broadcast frame on the PLC channel. The first router forwards the broadcast frame on the PLC channel in each of the N TMs within the time period. | 02-07-2013 |
20130070781 | PROBABILISTIC CONTENTION WINDOW MANAGEMENT - Method and apparatus for communicating via a network. In one embodiment, a device for communicating via a network includes a medium access controller (MAC). The MAC is configured to apply a contention window for collision avoidance on the network, and to determine whether the network is free for use on expiration of a time value of the contention window. The MAC is also configured to initiate a transmission based on a determination that the network is free for use. The MAC is further configured to increase, in accordance with a predetermined probability value, the time value of the contention window based on: the transmission being successful; and the time value of the contention window being a minimum contention window time value. The probability value establishes the likelihood of the MAC increasing the time value of the contention window with respect to successful transmissions with the minimum contention window time value. | 03-21-2013 |
20130070790 | SUPERFRAME FORMAT FOR MV-LV COMMUNICATION IN MULTI TONE-MASK PLC NETWORKS - A method for multi-tone mask communication including generating, by a power line communication router, a superframe to include a plurality of beacons corresponding to a plurality of tone masks. Each beacon also defining a plurality of tone masks, a contention access region, a contention free period, an inter router communication slot. The superframe also includes at least one of the beacons also defining an idle time during which nodes receiving the superframe are to transition to a low power mode. Transmitting the superframe to a power line communication node. | 03-21-2013 |
20130094459 | Beacon Slot Allocation in Prime - Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots. | 04-18-2013 |
20130094597 | Joining Process for G3 Networks - Systems and methods for routing protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method performed by a PLC device, such as a PLC meter, may include identifying at least one bootstrapping agent and a personal area network (PAN) identifier for one or more networks that are operating within a personal operating space of the PLC device. The device selects a target bootstrapping agent to use for the join process with a target network. The target bootstrapping agent may be selected from a list of bootstrapping agents associated with the target PAN identifier. If the attempt to join the target network fails, then the device further determines if other bootstrapping agents are associated with the target PAN identifier. The device selects an alternate target bootstrapping agent from the other bootstrapping agents that are associated with the target PAN identifier and reattempts the join process. | 04-18-2013 |
20130101003 | Relative Phase Detection in Power Line Communications Networks - Systems and methods for relative phase detection and zero crossing detection for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, both transmit and receive PLC devices detect a zero crossing on an AC mains phase. The devices start a phase detection counter (PDC) by generating a zero crossing pulse within 5% of the actual zero crossing time. When a frame is transmitted, the transmitting device includes a PDC value in the frame control header (FCH). The PDC value corresponds to the start time of the FCH. When the frame is received at the receive PLC device, the receive PLC device measures a local PDC value between the zero crossing and the start of the FCH. The receive device compares the local PDC value to the PDC value in the FCH of the received frame and determines if the devices are on the same phase. | 04-25-2013 |
20130101055 | Sub-Band Power Scaling Reporting and Sub-Band Transmit Power Estimation - Systems and methods for routing protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method performed by a PLC device, such as a PLC meter, may include selecting one or more transmit sub-bands on which to transmit frames, where the transmit sub-bands comprise groups of six carrier frequencies. The PLC device then generates a frame comprising a tone map that indicates which transmit sub-bands are used to carry data for the frame. The tone map using two bits per transmit sub-band to indicate a status of each transmit sub-band. The PLC device then transmits the frame on the selected transmit sub-bands using OFDM. A resolution bit and a mode bit may be used to provide additional information about the transmit sub-bands, such as an amount of power adjustment that has been applied to carrier frequencies and whether dummy bits are transmitted on unused carrier frequencies. | 04-25-2013 |
20130104117 | Data Concentrator Initiated Multicast Firmware Upgrade - Systems and methods for implementing data concentrated initiated multicast firmware upgrade in power line communications (PLC) are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a method performed by a PLC device may include forming a group of PLC devices to receive a transmission of a data set, the group being organized according to a hierarchical structure, transmitting the data set to the group of PLC devices, determining whether a PLC device in the lowest level of the hierarchical structure is missing one or more portions of the data set, and retransmitting at least the missing portions of the data set until the lowest level of PLC devices each have the full data set. | 04-25-2013 |
20130148746 | Scheduling for Charger and Electric Vehicle Communication in Power Line Communication System - Systems and methods for establishing scheduling for charger and electric vehicle communication in a PLC system are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a method performed by a PLC device. In a further embodiment, the PLC device may be configured to operate according to a narrow-band PLC communication protocol. In a further embodiment, the narrow-band PLC communications between PLC devices in the charger and the electric vehicle are conducted over a pilot wire coupling the charger to the electric vehicle. In still a further embodiment, the pilot wire may be one of a standard set of existing wires in a standard cable used for connecting the charger to the electric vehicle. | 06-13-2013 |
20130182719 | Adaptive Sub-Band Algorithm for Point-To-Point Communication in PLC Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive sub-band point-to-point communication are presented. In one embodiment a method includes performing functions using a power line communication (PLC) transmitter device. The method may include generating a first data packet having a first adaptive sub-band information set, the first sub-band information set comprising information to be used by a PLC receiver for determining a sub-band hopping pattern. The method may also include transmitting the first data packet on a first PLC sub-band. Additionally, the method may include hopping to a second PLC sub-band, and generating a second data packet having a second adaptive sub-band information set, the second sub-band information set comprising information to be used by the PLC receiver for determine the sub-band hopping pattern. The method may further include transmitting the second data packet on the second PLC sub-band. | 07-18-2013 |
20130194965 | KEEP ALIVE MESSAGE OVERHEAD REDUCTION FOR COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - A method of communications in a network having plurality of nodes including a base node (BN) and a plurality of levels (i) each including at least one service node (SN). The number (Ni(t)) of SNs registered in each of a plurality of i are determined. The current Keep Alive timer out (KA_TO) value for a KA timer at the BN is dynamically adjusted to an updated KA_TO value based on Ni(t) and i. Dynamically adjusting KA_TO values reduces the KA message overhead the network compared to known KA_TO value implementations. | 08-01-2013 |
20130194975 | Switch Table Update using Demotion Command in PRIME - Embodiments of methods and systems for switch table update using demotion command in PRIME are presented. In one embodiment, the method is performed by a power line communication (PLC) device. For example, the PLC device may be a data concentrator. In such an embodiment, the method may include receiving a request for registration from a node in a PLC network. The method may also include determining whether the node was previously included in the network according to an alternate network topology configuration. Additionally, the method may include issuing a notification to a group of switch nodes in the network instructing the switch nodes to update respective switch tables in response to a determination that the node was previously included in the network according to an alternate network topology configuration. | 08-01-2013 |
20130215885 | Transmission of Segmented Frames in Power Line Communication - Segmented frames of data may be transmitted from a transmitting device using conflict free slots (CFS) within a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol on a noisy media. At a receiver, a segmented frame of data is received. The data is represented by a plurality of tones. If requested by the transmitter, a tone map response command is prepared that specifies a set of optimized tone map parameters by analyzing the received frame of data. Any previously determined tone map response commands to the transmitting device are deleted. A sequence of frame segments may be received in conflict free slots, but only one tone map response is transmitted to the transmitting device after receiving the entire sequence of frame segments. | 08-22-2013 |
20130254615 | Network Throughput Using Multiple Reed-Solomon Blocks - Embodiments of methods and systems are presented for generating PHY frames with multiple Reed-Solomon encoded blocks in PLC networks. In one embodiment, a MAC layer divides a data frame from a higher level into data blocks. The MAC layer may add a MAC header and/or an error-detection code to each data block. The MAC layer then passes the data blocks to a PHY layer to be individually Reed-Solomon encoded and combined into a single PHY frame for transmission on a PLC network. In other embodiments, the MAC layer passes a single data frame to the PHY layer, which divides the MAC data frame into segments to be individually Reed-Solomon encoded. The individual Reed-Solomon encoded segments are combined into a single PHY frame for transmission on a PLC network. | 09-26-2013 |
20130266081 | Support for Multiple Systems Using Different Modulation Schemes in PLC Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for using both new and older modulation schemes in PLC networks—thereby supporting legacy systems—are disclosed. In one embodiment, common frames that need to be understood by all nodes to support the network will be sent two or more times using different modulation techniques. For example, all broadcast frames, such as beacon requests, beacons, and route requests may be transmitted once with differential modulation and once with coherent modulation. In one configuration, the beacons with differential modulation may be transmitted in one beacon period, and the beacons with coherent modulation may be transmitted in another beacon period. In another configuration, the differential and coherent beacons for a particular tone mask are transmitted one after the other and before any other tone mask beacon is transmitted. | 10-10-2013 |
20130279515 | Overlapping Priority Contention Windows for G3 Power Line Communications Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for overlapping priority contention windows in G3-PLC networks are presented. In one embodiment, a Normal Priority Contention Window (NPCW) is allowed to overlap with a High Priority Contention Window (HPCW). The minimum contention window for the normal priority frames (i.e., NPCW) is equal to or longer than the contention window for high priority frames (i.e., HPCW). By making the NPCW longer than the HPCW, the high priority frames will have a better chance than normal priority frames to get access to the channel on transmission reattempts. | 10-24-2013 |
20130301649 | CSMA/CA for Channels in Power Line Communication (PLC) Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) with a random backoff time on a Power Line Communication (PLC) network are disclosed. The CSMA/CA method is independent of the algorithm used to update a contention window, so any contention window algorithm is supported. The PLC node runs an energy detection process first and then uses preamble detection only after energy detection is positive, or the node may run both energy detection and preamble detection simultaneously. Upon detection of a possible transmission on a PLC line due to energy detection, the PLC node will freeze a backoff counter decrementing process and will then wait for preamble detection to complete. If no energy is detected on the line, or if no preamble is detected after energy is sensed on the line, then the node will transmit is allowed by the contention window value. | 11-14-2013 |
20130322554 | Long Preamble and Duty Cycle Based Coexistence Mechanism for Power Line Communication (PLC) Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for supporting coexistence of multiple technologies in a Power Line Communication (PLC) network are disclosed. A long coexistence preamble sequence may be transmitted by a device that has been forced to back off the PLC channel multiple times. The long coexistence sequence provides a way for the device to request channel access from devices on the channel using other technology. The device may transmit a data packet after transmitting the long coexistence preamble sequence. A network duty cycle time may also be defined as a maximum allowed duration for nodes of the same network to access the channel. When the network duty cycle time occurs, all nodes will back off the channel for a duty cycle extended inter frame space before transmitting again. The long coexistence preamble sequence and the network duty cycle time may be used together. | 12-05-2013 |
20130343403 | Retransmission Mechanism for Segmented Frames in Power Line Communication (PLC) Networks - Embodiments of methods and systems for transmitting and receiving segmented frames in a Power Line Communication (PLC) network are disclosed. A transmitter sends a first segment using CSMA/CA based on the priority of frame. All the other segments are transmitted using the CFS slot. When an ACK is received, transmitter sends the next segment after CFS. When a NACK is received, the transmitter sends just the last segment after CFS. If no ACK/NACK is received, the transmitter sends the last segment using CSMA/CA. If a NO_EARLIER_SEGMENTS delimiter is received, the transmitter sends the frame starting from the first segment using CSMA/CA. A receiver may send the NO_EARLIER_SEGMENTS delimiter when no earlier segments are in a receive buffer for reassembly. If the receiver is expecting to continue the reassembly of another frame when a segment is received, the receiver may transmit a BUSY_REASSEMBLY delimiter. | 12-26-2013 |
20130343404 | Coexitstence primitives in power line communication networks - Systems and methods for setting a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) in a PLC node are disclosed. In a PLC standard, coexistence is achieved by having the nodes detect a common preamble and backing off by a Coexistence InterFrame Space (cEIFS) time period to help the node to avoid interfering with the other technologies. In one embodiment, a PHY primitive is sent from the PHY to the MAC know that there has been a preamble detection. A two-level indication may be used—one indication after receiving the preamble and other indication after decoding the entire frame. The MAC sets NAV to EIFS if a native preamble is detected. The MAC sets NAV to cEIFS if only a coexistence preamble is detected or if a non-native preamble is detected. | 12-26-2013 |
20140056369 | Control Traffic Overhead Reduction during Network Setup in PLC Networks - A power line communication device connected to a power line communication network that includes a transceiver to transmit messages to a plurality of nodes on the network and to receive messages from the plurality of nodes on the network, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to evaluate received messages and generate messages to transmit. The processor, upon receiving a promotion needed message from an additional power line communication (PLC) device joining the network, is to determine whether data communication has already been established with a base node of the network, determine whether the device is already seeking promotion to be a switch node or has already been promoted to the switch node, and determine a signal quality of the received promotion needed message from the additional PLC device joining the network. Based on those determinations, the processor is to adjust a frequency at which to transmit a promotion request based on a number of promotion requests received from the plurality of other nodes on the network and a number of promotion needed messages received. | 02-27-2014 |
20140072059 | POWER LINE COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND DISCOVERY PROCESS - An apparatus for a power line communication network includes a power line transmitter/receiver, a processor coupled to the power line transmitter/receiver, and memory accessible to the processor. The processor is configured to store a routing table in the memory for routing packets in an upward direction towards a data concentrator (DC). However, no routing table is provided for routing packets in a downward direction away from the DC. Instead of using a routing table to route packets in the downward direction, the processor is configured to employ source routing in the downward direction. | 03-13-2014 |
20140079142 | ADVANCED SWITCH NODE SELECTION FOR POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - An algorithm for the promotion of terminal nodes to switch nodes in a PLC network reduces overall network overhead and collisions, while ensuring the appropriate selection of a switch node and minimizing the number of levels in a PLC network. It also ensures that the terminal nodes with appropriate signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are promoted. It is desirable to have a network with fewer levels. The disclosed approach favors the nodes that are closer to the DC to promote them as switch nodes. This is achieved by waiting for a smaller number of PNPDUs for a node that is closer to the DC in comparison to a node that is farther away from the DC. | 03-20-2014 |
20140126655 | Compatible Communication Between Devices using Different Communication Protocols - In a method for communicating with a plurality of devices using different communication protocols, a signal is received at a transceiver device from a neighbor device via a physical layer of a communication media. At a first time the signal contains a header frame from a first device conforming to a first communication protocol and at another time the signal contains a header frame from a second device conforming to a second communication protocol. The transceiver determines which of the different communication protocols is being used by each of the plurality of devices. The transceiver may then process inbound payload data using the indentified protocol type. Data frames are transmitted to the first device using the first communication protocol and data frames are transmitted to the second device using the second communication protocol. | 05-08-2014 |
20140307658 | Efficient Fairness Allocation in Powerline CSMA/CA Protocols - Transmission over a communication channel using carrier sense multiple access collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) may be performed by determining for each frame if the communication channel is busy after a backoff time proportional to a randomly generated number within a contention window (CW). When the channel is not busy, a frame of data may be transmitted. When the channel is busy, the device may periodically determine if the communication channel is busy after subsequent backoff times. The value of CW is adjusted for each subsequent backoff time using a fairness protocol, in which the value of CW is increased until the value of CW reaches a maximum CW value; and then the value of CW is held until a fairness number of backoff repetitions reaches a fairness threshold; then the value of CW is reduced incrementally until the value of CW reaches a minimum CW value. | 10-16-2014 |
20150046703 | TARGET DIRECTED JOINING ALGORITHM FOR MULTI-PAN NETWORKS - A method of network joining. A first service node (SN) of SNs in a multi-Personal Area Network including data concentrators (DCs) that communicate with a server over a common communications medium configures a beacon request frame (BRF) including a Media Access Control (MAC) header including a header information element (HIE) or a payload IE (PIE), and a MAC CRC footer. The BRF includes a unique address of a first DC corresponding to the first SN or an encrypted data sequence with a key. The first SN transmits the BRF over the common communications medium. Responsive to receiving the BRF, the first DC processes the BRF to identify the unique address or has the key and applies the key to decipher the encrypted BRF. The first DC transmits a beacon frame over the common communications medium, wherein others of the plurality of DCs do not transmit respective beacon frames. | 02-12-2015 |
20150046704 | TARGET DIRECTED JOINING ALGORITHM FOR MULTI-PAN NETWORKS - A method of network joining. A first service node (SN) of SNs in a multi-Personal Area Network including data concentrators (DCs) that communicate with a server over a common communications medium configures a beacon request frame (BRF) including a Media Access Control (MAC) header including a header information element (HIE) or a payload IE (PIE), and a MAC CRC footer. The BRF includes a unique address of a first DC corresponding to the first SN or an encrypted data sequence with a key. The first SN transmits the BRF over the common communications medium. Responsive to receiving the BRF, the first DC processes the BRF to identify the unique address or has the key and applies the key to decipher the encrypted BRF. The first DC transmits a beacon frame over the common communications medium, wherein others of the plurality of DCs do not transmit respective beacon frames. | 02-12-2015 |
20150063285 | Non-Beacon Network Communications Using Frequency Subbands - Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing non-beacon network communications using frequency subbands are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include transmitting a beacon request message over a given one of a plurality of frequency subbands, receiving a plurality of beacons in response to having transmitted the beacon request message, each of the plurality of beacons received over a respective one of the plurality of frequency subbands, and calculating a downlink quality report based, at least in part, upon the received beacons. The method may also include transmitting the downlink quality report over each of the plurality of frequency subbands and receiving a subband allocation command in response to having transmitted the downlink quality report, the subband allocation command indicating a downlink subband assignment and an uplink subband assignment. | 03-05-2015 |
20150071077 | FLOW CONTROL FOR POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS - A method of powerline communications in a powerline communications (PLC) network including a first PLC device and at least a second PLC device. The first PLC device transmits a data frame to the second node over a PLC channel. The second PLC device has a data buffer for storing received information. The second PLC device runs a flow control algorithm which determines a current congestion condition or a projected congestion condition of the data buffer based on at least one congestion parameter. The current congestion condition and projected congestion condition include nearly congested and fully congested. When the current or projected congestion condition is either nearly congested or fully congested, the second PLC device transmits a BUSY including frame over the PLC channel to at least the first PLC device. The first PLC device defers transmitting of any frames to the second PLC device for a congestion clearing wait time. | 03-12-2015 |