A load drive system for driving a load supplied with power from a power line includes a control unit which controls switching between the power line and the load and a communication unit which communicates using voltage and current of the power line. When performing the switching, the control unit controls, based on a width of a transition period of the power-line current, the transition period being attributable to the switching, timing of the switching so as to move the transition period away from a center of a period corresponding to a symbol communicated by the communication unit.

The invention is a method of estimating an electrical length of a line, which is the signal loss measured at 1 MHz, compensated for impairments on the line. Firstly, the H log(f) data representing the attenuation plotted against frequency is gathered for the line. Secondly, data transformation is performed on the H log(f) data, preferably by dividing by the square root of frequency. This compensates for changes in the loss as a function of frequency, allowing values of the loss from a broader range of frequencies to be used. Thirdly, data spike removal is performed on the transformed data, removing spikes that can arise from a number of factors such as excessive noise. The resulting data is then used to estimate a value for compensated kl0.

The present disclosure provides a technique capable of improving an SN ratio of a current signal which is superimposed on a power line in a photovoltaic string and transmitted and efficiently specifying a failure location. A current source 151 is connected to a power line 11 in parallel with each of photovoltaic elements 14. A controller 152 controls a current value of the current source 151 such that a current signal is generated. A bypass capacitor 153 is connected to the power line 11 to be parallel to the each of the photovoltaic elements 14 and the current source 151. Accordingly, the bypass capacitor 153 can transmit a current signal transmitted through the bypass capacitor 153 from a negative electrode side in a photovoltaic string to a positive electrode side.

The present invention provides a method for aligning spans using real-time kinetics (RTK) data communicated through a power line carrier system. According to a further preferred embodiment, the method of present invention includes the steps of: receiving a first set of GPS location data and second set of RTK data; comparing the first set of GPS location data with the second set of RTK data; calculating RTK error correction data; creating an RTK error correction data signal containing RTK error correction data; modulating the RTK error correction data signal for transmission on a power line carrier; transmitting the RTK error correction data signal through a power line BUS onto a power line to a last drive tower; de-modulating the RTK error correction data signal; calculating the location of the last drive tower using the RTK error correction data; calculating a straight, center line between the pivot and the last drive unit; calculating the relative distances between each intermediate drive tower and the calculated center line; and controlling the speed or average run time of each intermediate drive tower to reduce distance between their current locations and the calculated center line.

A notification system including an electrical receptacle and a notification control unit. The electrical receptacle includes an outlet configured to receive an electrical device and a switch. The switch is configured to determine when the electrical device is received and output a signal when the electrical device is received. The notification control unit is configured to receive the signal, determine a state of the electrical receptacle based on the signal, and output the state of the electrical receptacle.

A methodology includes determining a first delay between a first relay and a first label edge router, a second delay between a second relay and a second label edge router, and a third delay of a label-switched path between the first label edge router and the second label edge router. Based on the first, second, and third delays, it is determined whether an end-to-end latency between the first relay and the second relay exceeds an end-to-end latency threshold.

A wireless communication system includes a plurality of sensors and a device. Each sensor is configured to measure data and communicate over a network using low power signal communication. The device is connected to an in-wall power source and configured to wirelessly communicate over the network using low power signal communication. Further, the device is configured to transmit data from the sensors to a remote gateway using high power signal communication.

A system, referred to as a reading system, used in an automated metering management system in the context of a fluid-distribution service comprising a plurality of fluid meters is disclosed. The first communication module in accordance with a wireless communication standard is used by each fluid meter and a second communication module suitable for communicating by powerline with a data concentrator via a first network, said data concentrator communicating with a management entity of the automated metering management system via a second network. Instancing an application emulating a virtual fluid meter able to communicate directly with the data concentrator for each fluid meter in the plurality, and, for each fluid meter in the plurality, the corresponding virtual fluid meter takes responsibility for retransmitting information representing a fluid-consumption reading, said information having been supplied to the reading system by said fluid meter to the management entity via the data concentrator.

A method for auto-commissioning of multiple device control modules on a power line during the power up of the system. Device control modules associated with the peripheral devices are powered up sequentially and a unique address is assigned to each device controller when it is powered up.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmission device includes a transmitter configured to generate a transmit signal conveying transmit data in accordance with a communication protocol having first protocol transmit parameters. A coupler is configured to convert the transmit signal to transmitted guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path. The coupler is further configured to convert to a receive signal, received guided electromagnetic waves from a remote device that propagate along the surface of the transmission medium, wherein the remote device is configured to receive the transmitted guided electromagnetic waves. A corona discharge detector is configured to generate, based on the receive signal, corona discharge data that indicates corona discharge activity in proximity to the transmission medium during a time period. Responsive to the corona discharge data, the transmitter modifies the communication protocol to second protocol transmit parameters.