CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR POWER LINE COMMUNICATION

Abstract

According to an embodiment a device for protecting an electrical circuit having at least two contacts connected by an interrupting module and a diplexer is disclosed. The diplexer splits a low frequency current and a communication signal, originating from power-line communication, such that the communication signal is conducted to a signal contact of the device and can be exchanged with another device.

Claims

1. A device for protecting an electrical circuit, the device comprising: at least two contacts connected by an interrupting module triggerable when an overcurrent and/or overload is detected; and a signal contact; and a diplexer configured to split a communication signal from a power carrying current received at one of the at least two contacts and to transfer the communication signal to the signal contact.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the signal contact corresponds to a telecommunication network interface.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the signal contact corresponds to a registered jack.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the signal contact corresponds to a wireless interface.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the diplexer comprises a port for high frequency signals, a port for low frequency currents and a common port, each of which are connected to one of the at least two contacts, to the signal contact and to the interrupting module.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the port for high frequency signals is connected to the signal contact, the port for low frequency currents is connected to the interrupting module and the common port is connected to one of the at least two contacts.

7. A device according to claim 5, wherein the port for high frequency signals is connected to the signal contact, the port for low frequency currents is connected to one of the at least two contacts and the common port is connected to the interrupting module.

8. A device according to claim 5 wherein the diplexer comprises a high-pass filter, and wherein the high-pass filter comprises a source port and a filtered port, and wherein the source port is connected to the common port and to the port for low frequency currents; and wherein the filtered port is connected to the port for high frequency signals.

9. A device according to claim 5, wherein the diplexer comprises a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, and wherein the high-pass filter and the low pass filter each comprise a source port and a filtered port, wherein the source ports are connected to the common port, the filtered port of the high-pass filter is connected to the port for high frequency signals and the filtered port of the low-pass filter is connected to the port for low frequency currents.

10. A device according to claim 5, wherein the diplexer comprises a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, and wherein the high-pass filter and the low pass filter each comprise a source port and a filtered port, and wherein the source ports are connected to the port for low frequency currents, the filtered port of the high-pass filter is connected to the port for high frequency signals and the filtered port of the low-pass filter is connected to the common port.

11. A device according to claim 5, wherein the signal contact further comprises a conversion module configured to convert the communication signal into a non-electrical communication signal.

12. A system comprising: two of the devices according to claim 1; and a communication bus, and wherein the two devices are connected by the signal contact to the communication bus; and-wherein the communication bus is configured adapted to relay a communication signal between the two devices.

13. A system comprising: two of the devices according to claim 1; and an interconnecting network device, and wherein the two devices are connected by the signal contact to the interconnecting network device.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the interconnecting network device comprises a conversion module for converting communication signals received from the two devices to non-electrical communication signals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a device for protecting an electrical circuit comprising an interrupting module and a diplexer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a diplexer comprising a high-pass filter according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a diplexer comprising a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a diplexer comprising a high-pass and a low-pass filter according to an alternative embodiment of the disclosure;

[0042] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a device for protecting an electrical circuit comprising a conversion module for converting communication signals;

[0043] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates two devices connected to a power source and to a communication bus; and

[0044] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates two devices connected to a power source and to an interconnecting network device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0045] According to an embodiment, the disclosure relates to a device for protecting an electrical circuit comprising a diplexer. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates such a device. The device 100 has at least two contacts 102, 105 to connect the device 100 to an electrical circuit. The device 100 further comprises an interrupting module 104, a diplexer 101 and a signal contact 103. The interrupting module 104 can for example be a fuse or a circuit breaker.

[0046] The device 100 is placed in series in an electrical circuit via the contacts 102 and 105. At the contact 105 a low frequency current and a communication signal can be received and conducted to the diplexer 101. The diplexer 101 comprises a port 107 for high frequency signals, a port 106 for low frequency currents and a common port 108. The low frequency current and communication signal received at the contact 105 is conducted to common port 108 of the diplexer 101. In the diplexer 101 the low frequency current and communication signal are split such that the low frequency current is conducted to the port 106 for low frequency currents and the communication signal to the port 107 for high frequency signals of the diplexer 101. The port 106 for low frequency currents is connected to the interrupting module 104 such that in case of an overcurrent and/or overload in the electrical circuit the interrupting module 104 is triggered and that the circuit is interrupted. The diplexer 101 further conducts the communication signal to the port 107 for high frequency signals. This port 107 is connected to the signal contact 103 of the device 100.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the diplexer comprises a high-pass filter

[0048] (HPF). FIG. 2 illustrates such a diplexer. The HPF 202 comprises a source port 203 and a filtered port 200. The source port 203 is connected to the common port 108 as well as to the port 106 for low frequency currents of the diplexer 201. Hence the latter two ports 106 and 108 are connected as well. A low frequency current and communication signal received at the common port 108 and/or at the port 106 for low frequency currents is split such that the communication signal is conducted through the HPF 202 and outputted at the filtered port 200. This filtered port 200 is subsequently connected to the port 107 for high frequency signals of the diplexer 201.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the diplexer can also comprise a low-pass filter (LPF). FIG. 3 illustrates such a diplexer. The LPF 302 comprises a source port 300 and a filtered port 303. According to an embodiment, the source port 203, 300 of the HPF 202 respectively the LPF 302 are interconnected and further connected to the common port 108 of the diplexer 301. The filtered port 303 of the LPF 302 is connected to the port 106 for low frequency currents of the diplexer 301 and the filtered port 200 of the HPF 202 is connected to the port 107 for high frequency signals of the diplexer 301.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the filters 202, 302 in the diplexer can also be connected in an alternative way. FIG. 4 is an illustration of such an alternative embodiment. The source ports 203, 300 of the filters are again interconnected and subsequently connected to the port 106 for low frequency currents of the diplexer 401. The filtered port 303 of the LPF 302 is connected to the common port 108 of the diplexer 401 and the filtered port 200 of the HPF 202 is connected to the port 107 of high frequency signals of the diplexer 401.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the device 100 further comprises a conversion module for converting communication signals into non-electrical communication signals such as a wireless or an optical signal. FIG. 5 illustrates such a device. The conversion module 500 may, for example, comprise a radio-frequency up/down convertor for converting between an essentially baseband signal and a passband signal suited for wireless communication in the desired frequency band. Alternatively, the conversion module 500 may, for example, perform electrical-optical conversion for converting between an electrical signal and an optical signal suited for communication on a desired optical wavelength.

[0052] FIG. 6 shows a system comprising two devices according to the above embodiments. Besides the at least two devices 100, 600, the system 610 further comprises a communication bus 603 and a power source 606. The devices 100, 600 are, through one of their contacts, for example 102, connected to an electric power source 606. The electric power source 606 may have different connections, such as 604, 605, which may for example correspond to different voltage levels and/or different phases. The devices 100, 600 are through their other contact 108 connected to a circuit, for example circuits 601 and 602. For device 100 this is for example circuit 601 and for device 600 this is for example circuit 602. The interrupting module 104 of the respective devices 100, 600 protect their corresponding circuit 601, 602 in case an overcurrent and/or overload is detected.

[0053] In each circuit 601, 602 a communication signal may be transmitted. If, for example, a communication signal is transmitted in circuit 601, the diplexer 101 of device 100 will conduct this communication signal via its signal contact 103 through a communication bus 603 through which it may be conducted to the signal contact 103 of device 600. In device 600 the communication signal is conducted by the diplexer 101 from the signal contact 103 to the contact 108. Next, the communication signal may be received in circuit 602. The communication bus may for example be a conducting wire or an optical fibre.

[0054] According to an embodiment, a system may comprise an interconnecting network device instead of a communication bar. FIG. 7 illustrates such a system 710. An interconnecting network device 700 may for example be a network hub, a gateway, a router, a switch, a repeater or another device configured to receive, transmit and/or retransmit a communication signal. The interconnecting network device 700 may have several ports, such as 701 and 702, suitable to be connected with a signal contact 103 of for example devices 100 and 600. If a communication signal is received, the interconnecting network device 700 can efficiently retransmit the communication signal to another device. The interconnecting network device may comprise electrical-optical conversion, to avoid a flow of electrical signals between two devices.

[0055] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the scope of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

[0056] It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words comprising or comprise do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words a or an do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms first, second, third, a, b, c, and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms top, bottom, over, under, and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.