Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots.

Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots.

Abstract: A method for implementing a convergence layer. Data is received on a first communication medium by a first transceiver. Data is transmitted on the first communication medium by the first transceiver. A signal is received. Causing, through the convergence layer, by a control logic in response to the signal, the data received and transmitted on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by a second transceiver on a second communication medium, wherein the convergence layer is configured to conceal from a routing layer at least one of: information related to the first signal, and information related to the data being received and transmitted on the second communication medium.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing transmission collisions. In one embodiment, a transmitter for communicating of a smart grid power line network includes an arbiter. The arbiter is configured to select a transmission interval during which the transmitter can transmit. The interval is selected from a plurality of available transmission intervals reserved for contending transmissions, and selected based on a level of a hierarchical network at which the transmitter is located. The interval selected is different from any interval used by a different transmitter spaced two hierarchical levels away from the level of the hierarchical network at which the transmitter is located.

Abstract: A method for implementing a convergence layer. Data is received on a first communication medium by a first transceiver. Data is transmitted on the first communication medium by the first transceiver. A signal is received. Causing, through the convergence layer, by a control logic in response to the signal, the data received and transmitted on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by a second transceiver on a second communication medium, wherein the convergence layer is configured to conceal from a routing layer at least one of: information related to the first signal, and information related to the data being received and transmitted on the second communication medium.

Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing data concentrated initiated multicast firmware upgrade in power line communications (PLC) are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a method performed by a PLC device may include forming a group of PLC devices to receive a transmission of a data set, the group being organized according to a hierarchical structure, transmitting the data set to the group of PLC devices, determining whether a PLC device in the lowest level of the hierarchical structure is missing one or more portions of the data set, and retransmitting at least the missing portions of the data set until the lowest level of PLC devices each have the full data set.

Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal, and cause, in response to the first signal, data transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium while the first transceiver continues to receive data as part of the communication session.

Abstract: Systems and methods for beacon selection in communication networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, using a terminal device deployed in a communications network, receiving a beacon transmitted by a switch device within the communications network and, in response to the terminal device having had a previous connection with the switch device, determining a connection time of the previous connection. The method may also include performing at least one of: adding the switch device to a blacklist in response to the connection time being smaller than a first threshold value, or selecting the switch device for subsequent communication in response to the connection time being greater than a second threshold value.

Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.

Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal, and cause, in response to the first signal, data transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium while the first transceiver continues to receive data as part of the communication session.

Abstract: Systems and methods for beacon selection in communication networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, using a terminal device deployed in a communications network, receiving a beacon transmitted by a switch device within the communications network and, in response to the terminal device having had a previous connection with the switch device, determining a connection time of the previous connection. The method may also include performing at least one of: adding the switch device to a blacklist in response to the connection time being smaller than a first threshold value, or selecting the switch device for subsequent communication in response to the connection time being greater than a second threshold value.

Abstract: A method of wireless handover in a broadcast network (FIGS. 5 and 8) is disclosed. A wireless receiver (FIG. 4) receives a first signal (N) from a first transmitter (f1). The receiver measures a signal strength (RSSI) of the first signal. The strength of the first signal is compared to a first threshold (T0). The receiver receives a second signal (N+3) from a second transmitter (f3) in response to the step of comparing. The first and the second signals are sent to an application processor (120). The wireless receiver continues to receive the first and second signals until the application processor terminates receiving one of the first and second signals.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing transmission collisions. In one embodiment, a transmitter for communicating of a smart grid power line network includes an arbiter. The arbiter is configured to select a transmission interval during which the transmitter can transmit. The interval is selected from a plurality of available transmission intervals reserved for contending transmissions, and selected based on a level of a hierarchical network at which the transmitter is located. The interval selected is different from any interval used by a different transmitter spaced two hierarchical levels away from the level of the hierarchical network at which the transmitter is located.

Abstract: In at least some embodiments, a communication device includes a transceiver with Carrier Sensing Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA-CA) logic. The CSMA-CA logic provides dynamic randomization management for a contention window size.

Abstract: A method of wireless handover in a broadcast network (FIGS. 5 and 8) is disclosed. A wireless receiver (FIG. 4) receives a first signal (N) from a first transmitter (f1). The receiver measures a signal strength (RSSI) of the first signal. The strength of the first signal is compared to a first threshold (T0). The receiver receives a second signal (N+3) from a second transmitter (f3) in response to the step of comparing. The first and the second signals are sent to an application processor (120). The wireless receiver continues to receive the first and second signals until the application processor terminates receiving one of the first and second signals.