Abstract: In one embodiment of this invention, identical communicating node elements are constructed and placed throughout a power delivery network. Each of these node elements supplies features and options that facilitate peer-to-peer communications, data and service aggregation, propagated interfaces and distributed computational power. The network of interacting node elements, built with a common architecture, gives the power delivery network advanced capabilities for utilities and customers. These advanced capabilities include self-healing, highly secure communications, real-time interactions between any devices, and so on.

Abstract: A time synchronization beacon, which includes a plurality of timing signals at a plurality of different respective carrier frequencies, is synchronously transmitted over a power line network to synchronize consumption of media content data, such as audio data, which has been transmitted over the network from a power line communications (“PLC”) audio source to PLC equipped media content consumption devices, such as stereo audio speaker sets. The sets of speakers can be located in different respective rooms throughout a facility. The audio data can be in the form of network audio network data packets including one or more channels of audio data. The PLC consumption devices select which transmitted channel data is received and consumed. The beacon coordinates the start time of consumption of segments of audio data samples, and the sample-to-sample consumption time interval at PLC equipped consumption devices.

Abstract: In one embodiment of this invention, identical communicating node elements are constructed and placed throughout a power delivery network. Each of these node elements supplies features and options that facilitate peer-to-peer communications, data and service aggregation, propagated interfaces and distributed computational power. The network of interacting node elements, built with a common architecture, gives the power delivery network advanced capabilities for utilities and customers. These advanced capabilities include self-healing, highly secure communications, real-time interactions between any devices, and so on.

Abstract: One embodiment of this invention is an OFDM PLC transceiver ASIC built with one or more MCU's (optional), DSP's and hardwired logic blocks, based on this architecture, that would be used for in-home, MDU and access applications having three separate program loads. Once the program has completed loading, the transceiver would operate and meet all the requirements (technical and regulatory standards) for that application segment.

Abstract: A plurality of access units, each coupled to a different portion of a medium voltage power line, are also coupled to a broadband signal network for receiving, and supplying, broadband communication signals from and to the broadband network and for receiving, and supplying, communication signals from and to the power line as the transmission path between the access unit and repeaters coupled to the medium voltage power line and lower voltage power lines which supply electrical power to customers' premises. The access units can also receive and transmit electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency, infrared and/or optical energy, modulated with the communication signals over a transmission path different from the medium voltage power line and at least some of the repeaters can receive and transmit the so-modulated electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A power line communication system in which communication signals, e.g. high bitrate modulated radio frequency carriers, and electrical appliance control signals, which have a low bitrate, also modulate radio frequency carriers at frequencies of the same order as the frequencies of the high bitrate modulated carriers are applied to the power line which energizes the appliances. Transceivers are coupled to the power line, to communications devices and to appliance control devices for receiving the carriers and supplying demodulated signals to the respective devices and for supplying carriers to the power line modulated by signals received from the respective devices.