A distributed power system including multiple DC power sources and multiple power modules. The power modules include inputs coupled respectively to the DC power sources and outputs coupled in series to form a serial string. An inverter is coupled to the serial string. The inverter converts power input from the serial string to output power. A signaling mechanism between the inverter and the power module is adapted for controlling operation of the power modules. Also, for a protection method in the distributed power system, when the inverter stops production of the output power, each of the power modules is shut down and thereby the power input to the inverter is ceased.

A welding system is provided. The welding system includes a low power transceiver configured to be coupled to a weld cable. The low power transceiver includes a low power transmitter, a low power receiver, and a first processor. The low power receiver is configured to transmit one or more unmodulated tones through the weld cable to a welding power supply. The low power receiver is configured to receive the one or more unmodulated tones through the weld cable from the welding power supply. The first processor is configured to determine one or more channel equalization filter coefficients related to the weld cable corresponding to a distortive characteristic of the weld cable.

A power line communication apparatus includes a drive block including an actuator control circuit and a drive circuit and a communication block. The actuator control circuit generates a control pulse for controlling an actuator, and controls a transition timing of the control pulse during an operation period set within a communication cycle by a communication clock. The drive circuit controls a driving current of the actuator supplied from a DC power source through a power line based on the control pulse in which the transition timing is controlled. The communication block generates the communication clock, and modulates a current flowing through the power line in response to data to be transmitted during a signal transmission period different from the operation period, set within the communication cycle.

The present invention provides an FM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation process that enable high-speed data communications over any transmission media and networks. The process is implemented with a modem device modulator and demodulator that provides communication with several other modem devices along any communication media that uses an FM OFDM modulation technique, a physical transmission medium such as power lines, or wireless (air), or cable, or twisted pairs communication media.

The present disclosure concerns a system for driving a Venetian blind comprising a blind assembly which comprises a Venetian blind, an electric motor for actuating the movement of said Venetian blind and first electronic means configured to generate a drive signal for driving said electric motor; a control unit having drive means for driving the movement of said Venetian blind, a power source for generating a current signal to power said electric motor and second electronic means that are in signal communication with said drive means and with said power source for controlling said electric motor; a two-wire power line disposed between said control unit and said blind assembly to power said electric motor with said current signal and the first electronic means are in signal communication with said second electronic means via said two-wire power line. The system is characterized in that the first electronic means are configured to generate a first data signal identifying the state of said electric motor and to detect a current signal in said two-wire power line identifying the current value absorbed by said electric motor; said second electronic means are configured to receive said first data signal and to detect said current signal, said second electronic means are configured to condition said first data signal and said current signal to thereby generate a second data signal; said first electronic means are configured to receive said second data signal and to condition said second data signal and said current signal, said drive signal being generated as a function of said second data signal.

The system of the present disclosure provides a bus network that allows digital data exchanges over the existing aircraft (115 V) A/C power line and, where present, via the 3-track slip ring that already exists for powering a de-icing device on a rotating part of the aircraft.

Embodiments of the invention provide multiple cyclic prefix lengths for either both the data-payload and frame control header or only the data payload. Frame control header (FCH) and data symbols have an associated cyclic prefix. A table is transmitted in the FCH symbols, which includes a cyclic prefix field to identify the cyclic prefix length used in the data payload. A receiver may know the cyclic prefix length used in the FCH symbols in one embodiment. In other embodiments, the receiver does not know the FCH cyclic prefix length and, therefore, attempts to decode the FCH symbols using different possible cyclic prefix lengths until the FCH symbols are successfully decoded.

An external power supply converts AC power to DC Power for a device. The external power supply and the device comprise circuits that provide early AC input failure detection so that the device can take measures such as to safe keep data as long as the external power supply continues to provide DC power to the device.

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.

Disclosed is a system and method for power line control of devices. The system operates in two modes. In mode one, the system operates on an open loop architecture with a controller generating a sinusoidal wave using a crystal oscillator. Control information is added to the sinusoidal wave by alternating the output of two phase shifted waves which have the same frequency and amplitude to form a control signal. The resulting control signal is sent on a power line. The control signal is received using a crystal filter, decoded and converted to executable instructions for the devices and data parameters for sensors. In mode two, the system operates on a hybrid open loop/closed loop architecture where devices are jointly controlled by the controller and the sensors.