Dual-mode communication module integrating power line carrier technology and wireless authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI) technology

Abstract

The invention discloses a dual-mode communication module integrating a power line carrier technology and a wireless authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI) technology, which is characterized by comprising a signal processing unit, a wireless transmission unit, a power line transmission unit and a power management module, the signal processing unit is connected with the wireless transmission unit and the power line transmission unit through an internal bus. The dual-mode communication module integrating the power line carrier technology and the WAPI technology can flexibly switch communication modes according to different service requirements and network environments, and meets diversified communication requirements in complex scenes. Two communication functions are realized by using one module, the high cost of respectively deploying two sets of independent communication systems is avoided, meanwhile, the network architecture and the management process are simplified, the maintenance difficulty and the operation cost are reduced, and the reliability of the communication system is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of communication technology, and specifically to a dual-mode communication module and a communication system thereof that integrates power line carrier technology and WAPI technology. Background Art

[0002] In smart grids, smart buildings, industrial automation, and other fields, communication technology is key to enabling device interconnection, efficient data transmission, and intelligent control. Currently, power carrier technology, which utilizes power lines as a transmission medium, offers advantages such as no need for rewiring, low cost, and wide coverage. It is widely used in scenarios such as smart meter data collection and smart home device interconnection. It leverages existing power line infrastructure to load data signals onto power lines for transmission, enabling communication between devices. Furthermore, WAPI, a wireless LAN security standard, offers high data transmission rates, high security, and excellent mobility support. In scenarios requiring real-time data exchange and high-speed network access, such as robot control in smart factories and wireless device networking in offices, WAPI meets the stringent requirements for data speed and security, ensuring secure and reliable data transmission through two-way authentication and encryption.

[0003] However, existing communication technologies struggle to fully meet the diverse communication needs of complex scenarios. In smart grids, a large number of distributed power equipment require low-speed, stable data transmission using power carrier technology, such as for monitoring equipment operating status and meter readings. Furthermore, areas like substations and power dispatch centers require high-speed, secure wireless networks to support real-time communication between smart devices and the rapid transmission of video surveillance data. Using a single communication technology fails to address the diverse requirements of different devices and scenarios, such as communication speed, security, and cabling convenience. Deploying separate power carrier and WAPI communication systems not only significantly increases construction costs, including equipment procurement, installation and commissioning, and ongoing maintenance, but also complicates the network architecture, increasing management and operation difficulties. Therefore, developing a dual-mode communication module that integrates power carrier and WAPI technologies to leverage their complementary strengths is crucial for improving the performance and adaptability of communication systems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dual-mode communication module and a communication system thereof that integrates power line carrier technology and WAPI technology, so as to solve the problem that existing communication technology cannot meet the diversified communication needs in complex scenarios. By integrating the two technologies in the same module, a high degree of hardware integration and flexible switching of functions can be achieved, construction costs can be reduced, network management can be simplified, and the reliability and adaptability of the communication system can be improved.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a dual-mode communication module integrating power line carrier technology and WAPI technology, comprising a signal processing unit, a wireless transmission unit, a power line transmission unit, and a power management module; the signal processing unit is connected to the wireless transmission unit and the power line transmission unit respectively via an internal bus;

[0006] The wireless transmission unit includes a radio frequency chip and an antenna assembly, supports OFDM modulation in the 2.4GHz frequency band, and integrates a national secret algorithm encryption module; the power line transmission unit has a built-in coupling circuit and a modem, and is connected to the power line through a filter capacitor and a transformer; the power management module consists of a multi-channel DC-DC converter and a low-power control circuit, and dynamically adjusts the power supply status of each module according to the instructions of the signal processing unit.

[0007] Preferably, the signal processing unit is provided with an expansion interface, including SPI, UART and I2C interfaces, for performing data interaction and configuration management with external devices.

[0008] Preferably, the signal processing unit has a built-in non-volatile memory storing a rule table for determining data types and business requirements, and the rule table can be updated through an extension interface.

[0009] Preferably, the wireless transmission unit further includes a channel monitoring module for collecting interference intensity and signal quality information of the current frequency band in real time and feeding back the information to the signal processing unit.

[0010] Preferably, the coupling circuit of the power line transmission unit is composed of an inductor, a capacitor and a resistor, forming a bandpass filter structure for isolating noise signals on the power line and extracting data signals in the target frequency band.

[0011] The data transmission method of the dual-mode communication module includes the following steps: monitoring the characteristics of the data to be transmitted, including the data volume, real-time requirements and security level, through a signal processing unit; selecting a corresponding transmission unit based on the monitoring results; completing the data sending or receiving operation through the selected transmission unit; and during the transmission process, collecting the working status information of the transmission unit in real time and feeding it back to the signal processing unit.

[0012] Preferably, when the signal processing unit detects that the load of a certain transmission unit exceeds a preset threshold, it suspends the allocation of new tasks to the transmission unit and redistributes the data to be processed to another transmission unit.

[0013] Preferably, the signal processing unit regularly uploads working status information to the network management platform, including the signal strength, bit error rate, transmission rate and power consumption level of each transmission unit; the network management platform generates optimization suggestions based on the received information, and adjusts the operating parameters of the dual-mode communication module through the signal processing unit.

[0014] The communication system of the dual-mode communication module comprises a dual-mode communication module, a network management platform and a terminal device; the dual-mode communication module is connected to the terminal device via an expansion interface; the network management platform (6) establishes a communication link with the dual-mode communication module via a wireless transmission unit for remote configuration, fault diagnosis and performance optimization.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes a security authentication center for authenticating the terminal device; the security authentication center interacts with the dual-mode communication module through the wireless transmission unit and adopts a two-way authentication mechanism based on digital certificates.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following advantages: it can flexibly switch communication modes according to different business requirements and network environments, meeting diverse communication needs in complex scenarios. By using a single module to implement two communication functions, the high cost of deploying two independent communication systems is avoided. At the same time, the network architecture and management process are simplified, maintenance difficulty and operating costs are reduced, and the reliability of the communication system is improved. A unified security authentication system and dynamic encryption algorithm ensure the security of data transmission, and the network management mechanism guarantees the stability and efficiency of communication, improving the performance and adaptability of the entire communication system, and providing strong support for the development of smart grids, smart buildings and other fields. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the dual-mode communication module architecture of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] See also Figure 1The present invention provides a technical solution: a dual-mode communication module and a communication system thereof that integrate power line carrier technology and WIFI technology. The dual-mode communication module includes a signal processing unit 1, a wireless transmission unit 2, a power line transmission unit 3, and a power management module 4. Physical connection and data interaction are achieved between the modules through hardware circuit design. The expansion interface 5 is used for data communication and configuration management with external devices.

[0020] The signal processing unit 1 is the core component of the entire dual-mode communication module. It is connected to the wireless transmission unit 2 and the power line transmission unit 3 respectively through an internal bus. The internal bus adopts a high-speed parallel data transmission structure to ensure the efficient transmission of data between each module. The signal processing unit 1 has a built-in non-volatile memory, which stores a rule table. The content of the rule table defines the classification basis of different types of data and the corresponding transmission path selection strategy. The rule table is updated through the expansion interface 5. The expansion interface 5 includes three types: SPI, I2C and UART, which respectively support data interaction requirements of different rates and protocols. The signal processing unit 1 is also provided with a cache area, which is composed of multiple independent storage blocks. Each block corresponds to a different data priority. When the load of a certain transmission unit is too high, the data to be sent will be temporarily stored in the cache area and redistributed to the appropriate transmission unit according to the priority order.

[0021] The wireless transmission unit 2 includes a radio frequency chip, an antenna assembly, and a channel monitoring module. The radio frequency chip is connected to the antenna assembly via a microstrip line. The antenna assembly adopts a PCB onboard antenna design and is integrated into the inner side of the dual-mode communication module's housing. The channel monitoring module is connected to the signal processing unit 1 via a dedicated data channel. It can collect the interference intensity and signal quality information of the current operating frequency band in real time, and feed this information back to the signal processing unit 1 to dynamically adjust the operating channel and transmission power. The wireless transmission unit 2 supports the OFDM modulation method in the 2.4GHz frequency band. Its national secret algorithm encryption module is integrated into the radio frequency chip. The data encryption and decryption operations are implemented through hardware logic circuits to ensure the security of wireless data interaction. The data transmission between the wireless transmission unit 2 and the signal processing unit 1 adopts the DMA method to reduce the burden on the processor and improve transmission efficiency.

[0022] Specifically, the dual-mode communication module architecture consists of a power carrier communication module, an antenna assembly (WAPI communication module), a signal processing unit (MCU), and a power management module. The power carrier communication module utilizes power lines for data transmission. It features a built-in power line modem that modulates digital signals to a specific frequency band for transmission and includes signal coupling circuitry for reliable connection to the power lines. The WAPI communication module specializes in wireless data transmission, utilizing advanced RF chips and OFDM modulation technology. It operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band and supports national secret encryption algorithms and digital certificate authentication, ensuring secure and high-speed wireless communication. The MCU, as the module's core control component, coordinates the operations of the power carrier and WAPI communication modules, dynamically switching communication modes based on service needs. It also handles data processing, protocol conversion, and communication control with external devices. It offers a rich set of interfaces, including SPI, UART, and I2C, facilitating connectivity with various sensors and smart devices. The power management module provides a stable power supply for the entire module, featuring efficient power conversion and energy-saving management capabilities. It dynamically adjusts power consumption based on the module's operating status to reduce energy consumption.

[0023] The power line transmission unit 3 has a built-in coupling circuit and modem. The coupling circuit is composed of an inductor, a capacitor, and a resistor, forming a bandpass filter structure. A stable connection with the power line is achieved through the filter capacitor and the transformer. The modem uses orthogonal phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation. The digital signal processor (DSP) is responsible for signal encoding and decoding operations. The DSP is connected to the signal processing unit 1 via a dedicated interface, and the interface protocol is a synchronous serial communication protocol. The power line transmission unit 3 also has an adaptive equalization function, which dynamically adjusts the modulation parameters by monitoring the received signal strength and bit error rate, thereby improving transmission reliability in complex power environments. The data transmission between the power line transmission unit 3 and the signal processing unit 1 adopts a buffer mechanism, and the buffer size is configured according to the requirements of the actual application scenario.

[0024] Power management module 4 consists of a multi-channel DC-DC converter and a low-power control circuit. The multi-channel DC-DC converter provides independent power supply channels for signal processing unit 1, wireless transmission unit 2, and power line transmission unit 3. The low-power control circuit controls the output voltage and current of each channel via PWM signals. Power management module 4 dynamically adjusts the power supply status of each module based on instructions from signal processing unit 1, reducing its supply voltage when a module is idle to reduce energy consumption. Power management module 4 also has overvoltage protection and overcurrent protection circuits. When abnormal current or voltage is detected, it automatically cuts off the power supply to the corresponding module to protect hardware safety.

[0025] Specifically, regarding the data transmission method: When a module needs to transmit data, the MCU first determines the appropriate communication module based on the data type, service requirements, and the current network environment. For low-rate data with low real-time requirements and a high need for cabling convenience, such as periodic readings from smart meters and routine operational status monitoring data from power equipment, the MCU controls the power carrier communication module. The power carrier communication module encodes and modulates the data, then transmits it to the power line via a signal coupling circuit. The power carrier communication module at the receiving end then demodulates and decodes the signal to restore the original data. For high-rate, real-time scenarios requiring wireless communication, such as real-time control instructions for robots in substations and high-definition video surveillance data transmission, the MCU switches to the WAPI communication module. The WAPI communication module uses OFDM modulation technology to modulate the data onto a wireless signal and transmits it via an antenna. The receiving WAPI device then receives the signal, demodulates it, and decrypts it (if encrypted) to retrieve the original data. During data transmission, the MCU is responsible for data buffering, forwarding, and protocol conversion to ensure smooth data transmission between different communication modules.

[0026] With the support of the network management platform 6, the dual-mode communication module establishes a communication link with it via the wireless transmission unit 2. The network management platform 6 stores the identity information and security authentication records of the terminal device 7 in a database and implements a hierarchical permission management mechanism to ensure that different users can only access data within their authorized scope. The network management platform 6 also has a traffic statistics function, which can generate traffic trend charts based on the historical data of the terminal device 7, providing a reference for network planning. The security authentication center 8 interacts with the dual-mode communication module through the wireless transmission unit 2 and uses a two-way authentication mechanism based on digital certificates to ensure that the legitimacy of each communication is verified. For the power line transmission unit 3, the security authentication center 8 uses the unique physical characteristics of the power line to generate dynamic keys to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

[0027] During actual operation, the signal processing unit 1 first receives the data to be transmitted from the terminal device 7 through the expansion interface 5, classifies the received data, and queries the rule table to determine the transmission path. For data with low speed and high requirements for wiring convenience, the signal processing unit 1 forwards it to the power line transmission unit 3, and loads the digital signal into a specific frequency band through a coupling circuit for long-distance transmission. For data that requires real-time and high-bandwidth support, the signal processing unit 1 forwards it to the wireless transmission unit 2, and completes high-speed wireless data interaction through the antenna assembly. During the transmission process, the channel monitoring module collects the working status information of the wireless transmission unit 2 in real time, and the adaptive equalization function of the power line transmission unit 3 dynamically adjusts the modulation parameters according to the quality of the received signal. All of this information is fed back to the signal processing unit 1 for optimizing subsequent transmission strategies.

[0028] When the wireless transmission unit 2 has a data backlog due to network congestion, the signal processing unit 1 suspends the allocation of new tasks to the unit and switches low-priority data to the power line transmission unit 3 for transmission, thereby alleviating network pressure. At the same time, the signal processing unit 1 regularly uploads working status information to the network management platform 6, including the signal strength, bit error rate, transmission rate and power consumption level of each transmission unit. The network management platform 6 generates optimization suggestions based on the received information and adjusts the operating parameters of the dual-mode communication module through the signal processing unit 1. For example, when the power line signal in a certain area is subject to strong interference, the network management platform 6 issues an instruction to adjust the working frequency band of the power line transmission unit 3 to ensure the reliability of data transmission.

[0029] The above-mentioned specific implementation methods show that the rule table and dynamic routing selection mechanism of the signal processing unit 1 achieve a precise match between data type and transmission mode, avoiding the limitations of a single communication technology. The channel monitoring module of the wireless transmission unit 2, combined with the optimization suggestions of the network management platform 6, significantly improves the stability and efficiency of wireless communication. The adaptive equalization function of the power line transmission unit 3 effectively addresses the signal interference problem in complex power environments and ensures the reliable transmission of low-speed data. In addition, the multi-channel design and dynamic power consumption control strategy of the power management module 4 reduce the overall energy consumption of the module and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0030] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or to make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features therein. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dual-mode communication module integrating power line carrier technology and WAPI technology, characterized in that: It comprises a signal processing unit (1), a wireless transmission unit (2), a power line transmission unit (3) and a power management module (4); the signal processing unit (1) is connected to the wireless transmission unit (2) and the power line transmission unit (3) respectively via an internal bus; The wireless transmission unit (2) includes a radio frequency chip and an antenna assembly, supports an OFDM modulation method in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, and integrates a national secret algorithm encryption module; the power line transmission unit (3) has a built-in coupling circuit and a modem, and is connected to the power line through a filter capacitor and a transformer; the power management module (4) is composed of a multi-channel DC-DC converter and a low-power control circuit, and dynamically adjusts the power supply status of each module according to the instructions of the signal processing unit (1).

2. The dual-mode communication module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processing unit (1) is provided with an expansion interface (5), including SPI, UART and I2C interfaces, for performing data interaction and configuration management with external devices.

3. The dual-mode communication module according to claim 1, wherein: The signal processing unit (1) has a built-in non-volatile memory storing a rule table for judging data types and business requirements. The rule table can be updated via an expansion interface (5).

4. The dual-mode communication module according to claim 1, wherein: The wireless transmission unit (2) also includes a channel monitoring module, which collects interference intensity and signal quality information of the current frequency band in real time and feeds this information back to the signal processing unit (1).

5. The dual-mode communication module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coupling circuit of the power line transmission unit (3) is composed of an inductor, a capacitor and a resistor, forming a bandpass filter structure for isolating noise signals on the power line and extracting data signals in a target frequency band.

6. A data transmission method based on the dual-mode communication module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The characteristics of the data to be transmitted, including the data volume, real-time requirements and security level, are monitored by a signal processing unit (1); a corresponding transmission unit is selected according to the monitoring result; a data sending or receiving operation is completed by the selected transmission unit; and during the transmission process, working status information of the transmission unit is collected in real time and fed back to the signal processing unit (1).

7. The data transmission method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the signal processing unit (1) detects that the load of a transmission unit exceeds a preset threshold, it suspends the allocation of new tasks to the transmission unit and redistributes the data to be processed to another transmission unit.

8. The data transmission method according to claim 6, wherein: The signal processing unit (1) regularly uploads working status information to the network management platform (6), including the signal strength, bit error rate, transmission rate and power consumption level of each transmission unit; the network management platform (6) generates optimization suggestions based on the received information and adjusts the operating parameters of the dual-mode communication module through the signal processing unit (1).

9. A communication system based on the dual-mode communication module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The system comprises a dual-mode communication module, a network management platform (6) and a terminal device (7); the dual-mode communication module is connected to the terminal device (7) via an expansion interface (5); the network management platform (6) establishes a communication link with the dual-mode communication module via a wireless transmission unit (2) for remote configuration, fault diagnosis and performance optimization.

10. The communication system according to claim 9, characterized in that It also includes a security authentication center (8) for performing identity authentication on the terminal device (7); the security authentication center (8) interacts with the dual-mode communication module through the wireless transmission unit (2) and adopts a two-way authentication mechanism based on digital certificates.

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