Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates receiving a first electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium, detecting, according to the first electromagnetic wave, an obstruction on a first portion of an outer surface of the transmission medium, responsive to the detecting the obstruction, configuring a material to have similar properties to the obstruction, the material being positioned along a second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path to facilitate propagation of the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium, the material facilitating propagation of the second electromagnetic wave from the second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium to the first portion of the transmission medium affected by the obstruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates receiving a first electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium, detecting, according to the first electromagnetic wave, an obstruction on a first portion of an outer surface of the transmission medium, responsive to the detecting the obstruction, configuring a material to have similar properties to the obstruction, the material being positioned along a second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path to facilitate propagation of the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium, the material facilitating propagation of the second electromagnetic wave from the second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium to the first portion of the transmission medium affected by the obstruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Provided is an electronic apparatus comprising a main body and a kit connected to the main body, wherein the main body comprises a battery, a first motor, an electric wire connected to the battery and a first controller connected to the electric wire, wherein the kit comprises a second motor supplied with power through the electric wire and a second controller connected to the electric wire, wherein the first controller comprises a first signal generator configured to generate a signal to be transmitted to the kit and a first modulator configured to modulate the signal generated by the first signal generator, and wherein the signal modulated by the first modulator is transmitted to the second controller through the electric wire.

Provided is an electronic apparatus comprising a main body and a kit connected to the main body, wherein the main body comprises a battery, a first motor, an electric wire connected to the battery and a first controller connected to the electric wire, wherein the kit comprises a second motor supplied with power through the electric wire and a second controller connected to the electric wire, wherein the first controller comprises a first signal generator configured to generate a signal to be transmitted to the kit and a first modulator configured to modulate the signal generated by the first signal generator, and wherein the signal modulated by the first modulator is transmitted to the second controller through the electric wire.

A system is provided that includes a power transmitter configured to provide power to a current loop, a power receiver configured to receive the power from the current loop. The power receiver is configured to, on a periodic basis, disconnect from the current loop to stop pulling power from the current loop for a period of time to enable a safety check to be performed by the power transmitter. The power transmitter is configured to: monitor current on the current loop; determine whether a current level on the current loop passes the safety check within a predetermined time interval since a determination that the current level was not within a safe range; and control connectivity of the power to the current loop depending on whether the safety check has or has not passed within the predetermined time interval.

There is described a network distribution system using common communication and power comprising a power line, multiple fire alarm units, and a power line control device. The power line provides alternating current, and the fire alarm units are coupled to the power line. The power line control device is coupled to the power line and a particular fire alarm unit of the plurality of fire alarm units. The power line control device comprises a communication translator to convert between power line and non-power line protocols and a power line core to modulate signals to, and demodulate signals from, the power line.

There is described a network distribution system using common communication and power comprising a power line, multiple fire alarm units, and a power line control device. The power line provides alternating current, and the fire alarm units are coupled to the power line. The power line control device is coupled to the power line and a particular fire alarm unit of the plurality of fire alarm units. The power line control device comprises a communication translator to convert between power line and non-power line protocols and a power line core to modulate signals to, and demodulate signals from, the power line.

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 network switch includes a plurality of Ethernet ports having their respective Physical (PHY) Layers interconnected via a common interface local to the network switch. The common interface passes local information among respective PHY layers of the Ethernet ports. One or more receivers receive for a first Ethernet port, over the common interface, information indicative of alien cross talk affecting at least one second Ethernet port of the network switch. A transmission attribute controller adjusts, based on the received information indicative of alien cross talk affecting the at least one second Ethernet port of the network switch, a first data rate and/or a first transmit power level to a second data rate and/or a second transmit power level for transmitting data to a remote network device. A first transmitter transmits data via the first Ethernet port according to the second data rate and/or the second transmit power level.

A network switch includes a plurality of Ethernet ports having their respective Physical (PHY) Layers interconnected via a common interface local to the network switch. The common interface passes local information among respective PHY layers of the Ethernet ports. One or more receivers receive for a first Ethernet port, over the common interface, information indicative of alien cross talk affecting at least one second Ethernet port of the network switch. A transmission attribute controller adjusts, based on the received information indicative of alien cross talk affecting the at least one second Ethernet port of the network switch, a first data rate and/or a first transmit power level to a second data rate and/or a second transmit power level for transmitting data to a remote network device. A first transmitter transmits data via the first Ethernet port according to the second data rate and/or the second transmit power level.