Communication system and method for manufacturing a communication system

Abstract

The objective is to provide a communication system capable of improving communication performance and a method for manufacturing such a communication system. [Solution] The communication system according to the embodiment comprises a first communication device that is supplied with power via a first power line connected to a distribution board, and a second communication device that is supplied with power via a second power line different from the first power line connected to the distribution board. The first and second communication devices include interface units that perform wired communication via the first power line, the busbar of the distribution board, and the second power line. The first power line has a first closed region portion that forms a first closed region surrounded by a part of the first power line. The second power line has a second closed region portion that forms a second closed region surrounded by a part of the second power line. The interface units included in the first and second communication devices perform wireless communication via the first and second closed region portions which are located in close proximity to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication system and a method for manufacturing a communication system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a technology called PLC (Power Line Communication), which enables the use of a power line for supplying power to a communication device as a communication line (i.e., performing communication using the power line), has been known.

[0003] However, in communication performed using a power line as described above, high communication performance may not be achievable in some cases.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0005]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a communication system and a method for manufacturing a communication system that can improve communication performance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The communication system according to the embodiment comprises a first communication device that is powered via a first power line connected to a distribution board, and a second communication device that is powered via a second power line different from the first power line connected to the distribution board. The first and second communication devices include interface units that perform wired communication via the first power line, the busbar of the distribution board, and the second power line. The first power line has a first closed region portion that forms a first closed region surrounded by a part of the first power line. The second power line has a second closed region portion that forms a second closed region surrounded by a part of the second power line. The interface units included in the first and second communication devices perform wireless communication via the first and second closed region portions which are located in close proximity to each other. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A power distribution diagram of a communication system relating to a comparative example of the embodiment. [Figure 2] A power distribution diagram of the communication system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of a closed region. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of a state where closed regions are facing each other. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a PLC communication device. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the first communication path. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the first communication path. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating the second communication path. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating the second communication path. [Figure 10] A diagram illustrating a configuration in which the enclosed area is located outside the distribution panel. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of magnetic materials arranged to penetrate a closed region. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating a configuration that utilizes other PLC communication devices. [Figure 13] A diagram illustrating the configuration for placing filters. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a communication system capable of performing communication using power lines that supply power, using a technology called PLC, is described. In PLC, a high-frequency signal for communication is superimposed on the power line and transmitted. By using a modulation method called, for example, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), a high transmission rate can be maintained even with respect to noise and unique propagation characteristics of the power line.

[0010] Before describing the communication system according to this embodiment, we will now describe a communication system according to a comparative example of this embodiment with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a power distribution diagram of the communication system according to a comparative example of this embodiment.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1 according to the comparative example of this embodiment includes a distribution board 2. In the example shown in Figure 1, the distribution board 2 incorporates one main circuit breaker 2a connected to, for example, a power distribution line, and two branch circuit breakers 2b and 2c connected to the main circuit breaker 2a. A power line 3a is connected to the distribution board 2 (branch circuit breaker 2b). Similarly, a power line 3b is connected to the distribution board 2 (branch circuit breaker 2c). The power lines 3a and 3b are connected inside the distribution board 2 via the busbar 2d of the distribution board 2.

[0012] In the example shown in FIG. 1, two outlets 4a and 4b connected by power lines 3a and 3b are shown on the secondary sides of the branch breakers 2b and 2c, respectively. The power line 3a is connected to the PLC communication device 5a via the outlet 4a and supplies power to the PLC communication device 5a. Similarly, the power line 3b is connected to the PLC communication device 5b via the outlet 4b and supplies power to the PLC communication device 5b. The PLC communication devices 5a and 5b correspond to communication devices configured to perform the above-described PLC-based communication (i.e., communication using the power lines 3a and 3b as communication lines).

[0013] In the present embodiment, although simply described as the power line 3a, the power line 3a connecting the distribution board 2 (branch breaker 2b) to the outlet 4a and the power line 3a connecting the outlet 4a to the PLC communication device 5a are actually implemented as different wirings. Similarly, in the present embodiment, although simply described as the power line 3b, the power line 3b connecting the distribution board 2 (branch breaker 2c) to the outlet 4b and the power line 3b connecting the outlet 4b to the PLC communication device 5b are actually implemented as different wirings.

[0014] Also, in the following, it is described that the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b perform communication, but communication devices 6a and 6b such as personal computers (PCs) may be further connected to the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b, and the communication devices 6a and 6b may perform communication via the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b. Further, the PLC communication device 5a and the communication device 6a may be integrally configured, or the PLC communication device 5b and the communication device 6b may be integrally configured.

[0015] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, an electronic device 7a may be connected to the outlet 4a, and an electronic device 7b may be connected to the outlet 4b. As the electronic devices 7a and 7b, home appliances such as a microwave oven, a refrigerator, and a rice cooker are assumed, but the electronic devices 7a and 7b may be other devices.

[0016] Here, we assume that the PLC communication device 5a (communication device 6a) and the PLC communication device 5b (communication device 6b) described above are communicating. In such a case, for example, when the PLC communication device 5a transmits a signal to the PLC communication device 5b, the signal transmitted from the PLC communication device 5a reaches the PLC communication device 5b via the power line 3a, the branch breaker 2b, the busbar 2d of the distribution board, the branch breaker 2c, and the power line 3b.

[0017] In other words, in the communication system 1 according to the comparative example of this embodiment described above, the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b can perform communication (i.e., wired communication) via a wired path including power lines 3a and 3b.

[0018] However, in the wired communication in the communication system 1 described above, the path between the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b becomes longer due to the distribution board 2, which may lead to a decrease in communication performance (communication quality) due to signal attenuation.

[0019] In contrast, one possible configuration is to improve communication quality by installing an amplification device such as a PLC modem inside the distribution board 2 (circuit breaker), and amplifying the PLC signal (reconstructing the waveform of the signal) each time a signal is received by the distribution board 2. However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to install a PLC modem inside the distribution board 2, which complicates the internal structure of the distribution board 2. Furthermore, when the PLC signal is amplified by the PLC modem, the noise generated in the signal is also amplified, requiring a filter to remove this noise, which increases the cost of constructing the communication system 1. Moreover, such a configuration cannot be applied when the distribution board 2 is in a different system.

[0020] On the other hand, in order to avoid the long path between PLC communication devices 5a and 5b as described above, it is conceivable to apply PLC to short-range wireless communication. Specifically, for example, by attaching loop antennas to PLC communication devices 5a and 5b and placing the loop antennas in close proximity to electromagnetically couple them, short-range wireless communication using a near-field electromagnetic field becomes possible. This makes it possible to avoid the deterioration of communication performance due to signal attenuation and noise generation in wired communication via the distribution board 2.

[0021] However, as mentioned above, when performing wireless communication using a loop antenna, in addition to the power line system 3a and 3b (interface section), a separate interface for the loop antenna used for the wireless communication is required, and dedicated equipment must be prepared.

[0022] In this embodiment, a communication system capable of improving communication performance is provided, taking the above circumstances into consideration.

[0023] Figure 2 is a power distribution diagram of the communication system according to this embodiment. In Figure 2, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as those in Figure 1 described above, and the parts that differ from those in Figure 1 will be described in detail.

[0024] In the communication system 10 according to this embodiment, similar to the comparative example of this embodiment described above, power lines 3a and 3b connected to the distribution board 2 (branch breakers 2b and 2c) are connected to PLC communication devices 5a and 5b via outlets 4a and 4b. However, in this embodiment, the power line 3a has a closed region portion 10a that forms a closed region surrounded by a part of the power line 3a, and the power line 3b has a closed region portion 10b that forms a closed region surrounded by a part of the power line 3b, which is different from the comparative example of this embodiment.

[0025] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the closed region 10a is formed by, for example, crossing a portion of the power line 3a (for example, winding a portion of the power line 3a in a loop).

[0026] Figure 3 shows the closed region 10a, but similarly, the closed region 10b is formed by crossing a portion of the power line 3b (for example, by winding a portion of the power line 3b in a loop).

[0027] In other words, when constructing (manufacturing) the communication system 10 according to this embodiment, the power lines 3a and 3b each have closed region sections 10a and 10b that form a closed region, and are laid so that these closed region sections 10a and 10b are located in close proximity to each other.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 2, the closed region portion 10a (the ring-shaped portion in power line 3a) that forms a closed region in power line 3a and the closed region portion 10b (the ring-shaped portion in power line 3b) that forms a closed region in power line 3b are located inside the distribution board 2.

[0029] In this embodiment, the closed regions 10a and 10b are arranged in close proximity to each other at opposing positions. This arrangement allows the closed regions 10a and 10b to be electromagnetically coupled, enabling wireless communication via the closed regions 10a and 10b.

[0030] Furthermore, "closed regions 10a and 10b facing each other" means, as shown in Figure 4, that the axis passing through the center of the closed region formed by closed region 10a (central axis) and the axis passing through the center of the closed region formed by closed region 10b (central axis) coincide (i.e., the central axes of the closed regions are the same). However, closed regions 10a and 10b do not need to be strictly facing each other; it is sufficient that the central axes of the closed region formed by closed region 10a and the central axes of the closed region formed by closed region 10b are approximately the same. Specifically, closed regions 10a and 10b may be arranged so that the central axes of their respective closed regions are within a predetermined distance of each other.

[0031] Note that the configuration of the communication system 10 described in Figure 2 is just one example. Specifically, Figure 2 shows two branch circuit breakers, two power lines, two outlets, two PLC communication devices, two communication devices, and two electronic devices, but the number of branch circuit breakers, power lines, outlets, PLC communication devices, and two electronic devices may differ from that shown in Figure 2.

[0032] Furthermore, although Figure 2 describes the communication system 10 as comprising a distribution board, power lines, outlets, PLC communication devices, communication equipment, and electronic equipment, the communication system 10 according to this embodiment only needs to be configured to include at least two PLC communication devices capable of performing PLC-based communication, and the other components may be located outside the communication system 10.

[0033] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the PLC communication device 5a. While this explanation focuses on the configuration of the PLC communication device 5a, the configuration of the PLC communication device 5b is similar to that of Figure 5.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the PLC communication device 5a includes a CPU 51, a non-volatile memory 52, a main memory 53, and a communication interface (I / F) 54, etc.

[0035] The CPU 51 is a processor that controls the operation of each component in the PLC communication device 5a. The CPU 51 executes various programs that are loaded from the non-volatile memory 52, which is a storage device, into the main memory 53.

[0036] In this embodiment, the communication interface 54 is an interface unit for performing wired communication based on the PLC described above. However, in this embodiment, wireless communication is performed via closed area units 10a and 10b located in close proximity to each other. Therefore, the communication interface 54 is an interface unit that can perform wireless communication in addition to wired communication. In other words, in this embodiment, the communication interface 54 corresponds to an interface unit that realizes both wired and wireless communication.

[0037] Although not shown in Figure 5, the PLC communication device 5a is further equipped with a power supply interface for operating the PLC communication device 5a using power supplied, for example, via the power line 3a, and an interface for connecting the PLC communication device 5a to the communication equipment 6a.

[0038] The operation of the communication system 10 according to this embodiment will now be described. In the communication system 10 according to this embodiment, wired communication and wireless communication can be performed as described above.

[0039] First, an overview of the wired communication performed in the communication system 10 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figures 6 and 7 show the communication path (hereinafter referred to as the first communication path) 11 in the wired communication performed in the communication system 10. Here, for example, the case in which a signal generated in communication device 6a is transmitted from PLC communication device 5a to PLC communication device 5b will be described.

[0040] In this case, the PLC communication device 5a receives the signal generated by the communication device 6a and performs a predetermined process related to PLC-based communication on the signal. The predetermined process performed by the PLC communication device 5a is expected to be, for example, OFDM modulation, but other processes may also be performed. The signal after the predetermined process is then output from the PLC communication device 5a to the power line 3a.

[0041] The signal output to power line 3a is transmitted to power line 3b via outlet 4a, branch breaker 2b, busbar 2d and branch breaker 2b of distribution board 2. PLC communication device 5b receives the signal transmitted on power line 3b via outlet 4b and performs predetermined processing related to PLC-based communication on the signal. While the predetermined processing performed by PLC communication device 5b may include, for example, OFDM demodulation, other processing may also be performed. The signal after the predetermined processing is transmitted from PLC communication device 5b to communication device 6b, which can then perform processing based on the signal.

[0042] As described above, the communication system 10 can perform wired communication between PLC communication devices 5a and 5b via a first communication path 11 consisting of a power line 3a, branch breakers 2b and 2c, and power line 3b.

[0043] Next, an overview of the wireless communication performed in the communication system 10 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figures 8 and 9 show the communication path (hereinafter referred to as the second communication path) 12 in the wireless communication performed in the communication system 10. Here, we will describe the case in which a signal generated in the communication device 6a is transmitted from the PLC communication device 5a to the PLC communication device 5b, as described above.

[0044] In this case, the PLC communication device 5a receives the signal generated by the communication device 6a and performs predetermined processing related to PLC-based communication on the signal. The predetermined processing performed by the PLC communication device 5a in this case is the same as the processing in the wired communication case described above. The signal after the predetermined processing is output from the PLC communication device 5a to the power line 3a.

[0045] In this embodiment, for example, a closed region 10a in which a power line 3a is wound in a loop and a closed region 10b in which a power line 3b is wound in a loop are arranged in close proximity within the distribution board 2, and the closed regions 10a and 10b (the loop portions) are electromagnetically coupled, making it possible to perform wireless communication.

[0046] Therefore, the signal output to the power line 3a is transmitted to the power line 3b having the closed region 10a and the closed region 10b that is electromagnetically coupled to the closed region 10a, via the closed region 10a of the power line 3a. The PLC communication device 5b receives the signal transmitted on the power line 3b via the outlet 4b and performs predetermined processing related to PLC-based communication on the signal. In this case, the predetermined processing performed by the PLC communication device 5b is the same as the processing in the wired communication case described above. The signal on which the predetermined processing has been performed is transmitted from the PLC communication device 5b to the communication device 6b, and the communication device 6b can perform processing based on the signal.

[0047] As described above, in the communication system 10, wireless communication can be performed between PLC communication devices 5a and 5b via a second communication path 12 consisting of power lines 3a and 3b. Although power lines 3a and 3b themselves are wired, in the second communication path 12, wireless communication is performed via closed-region sections 10a and 10b without going through the distribution board 2 (branch breakers 2b and 2c), compared to the first communication path (wired communication) described above.

[0048] This section describes the case where a signal is transmitted from PLC communication device 5a to PLC communication device 5b, but even when a signal is transmitted from PLC communication device 5b to PLC communication device 5b, communication can be performed using the same paths as the first and second communication paths 11 and 12 described above.

[0049] As described above, the communication system 10 according to this embodiment includes a PLC communication device 5a (first communication device) that is supplied with power via a power line 3a (first power line) connected to a distribution board 2, and a PLC communication device 5b (second communication device) that is supplied with power via a power line 3b (second power line different from the first power line) connected to the distribution board 2. The PLC communication devices 5a and 5b include a communication interface 54 (interface unit) that performs wired communication via the power line 3a, the busbar 2d of the distribution board 2, and the power line 3b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power line 3a has a closed region section 10a (first closed region section) that forms a closed region (first closed region) surrounded by a part of the power line 3a, and the power line 3b has a closed region section 10b (second closed region section) that forms a closed region (second closed region) surrounded by a part of the power line 3b. The communication interfaces 54 included in the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b perform wireless communication via the closed region sections 10a and 10b which are located in close proximity to each other.

[0050] In this embodiment, the above-described configuration makes it possible to communicate using a second communication path 12 that is shorter than the first communication path 11 that goes through the distribution board 2 (branch breakers 2b and 2c, busbar 2d of the distribution board 2, etc.), thereby improving the communication performance based on the PLC.

[0051] Specifically, in this embodiment, the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b are configured to perform both wired and wireless communication via the communication interface 54. For example, when a signal is transmitted from the PLC communication device 5a, the PLC communication device 5b receives a signal in which the signal from the first communication path 11 (i.e., wired communication) (hereinafter referred to as the first signal) and the signal from the second communication path 12 (i.e., wireless communication) (hereinafter referred to as the second signal) are superimposed. In this case, even if the first signal is attenuated due to the length of the communication path, the superimposition of the second signal, which has a shorter communication path and less attenuation, can improve communication performance.

[0052] Furthermore, since this embodiment allows communication to be performed via two communication paths, even if communication cannot be performed via one communication path, for example, if communication can be performed via the other communication path, communication between the PLC communication devices 5a and 5b can be continued. For this reason, the communication system 10 according to this embodiment can perform highly reliable communication.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is no need to install an amplification device such as a PLC modem inside the distribution board 2, and the internal structure of the distribution board 2 does not become complicated. Also, in this embodiment, only work such as winding the power lines 3a and 3b into a loop is required, and there is no need to prepare a separate dedicated device with an interface for performing wireless communication. In other words, this embodiment has the advantage of being easy to build.

[0054] Incidentally, in this embodiment, the closed regions 10a and 10b of the power lines 3a and 3b were described as being located inside the distribution board 2. In such a configuration, it is considered that wireless communication performed via the closed regions 10a and 10b will not be affected by, for example, electronic devices 7a and 7b located outside the distribution board 2, and stable wireless communication can be performed within the distribution board 2.

[0055] However, the enclosed areas 10a and 10b of the power lines 3a and 3b may be located outside the distribution board 2, as shown in Figure 10. While the inside of the distribution board 2 can only be accessed by the administrator, if the enclosed areas 10a and 10b are located outside the distribution board 2, for example, users of communication devices 6a and 6b can construct wireless communication routes at their desired locations.

[0056] In Figure 10, an example is shown in which a closed area 10a is placed between outlet 4a and PLC communication device 5a, and a closed area 10b is placed between outlet 4b and PLC communication device 5b. However, the closed areas 10a and 10b may also be placed, for example, between the distribution board 2 and outlets 4a and 4b.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, wireless communication is realized through the closed regions 10a and 10b by electromagnetically coupling the closed regions 10a and 10b. The communication performance of such wireless communication depends, for example, on the strength of the magnetic field that penetrates the closed regions formed by the closed regions 10a and 10b. For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, when the closed regions 10a and 10b are arranged facing each other, a magnetic body 100 that penetrates both of the closed regions formed by the closed regions 10a and 10b may be arranged. In this case, the closed regions 10a and 10b are realized, for example, by winding power lines 3a and 3b around a cylindrical magnetic body 100. With such a configuration, the magnetic force that penetrates the closed regions formed by the closed regions 10a and 10b can be increased, and thus the communication performance of wireless communication through the closed regions 10a and 10b can be improved.

[0058] Furthermore, in order to improve the communication performance of wireless communication in this embodiment, a PLC communication device 5c (a different PLC communication device from PLC communication devices 5a and 5b) as shown in Figure 12 may be used. As shown in Figure 12, the PLC communication device 5c (third communication device) is powered via a power line 3c (third power line) connected to the distribution board 2 and is located inside the distribution board 2. The power line 3c is connected to the busbar 2d of the distribution board 2 via a branch breaker 2c and has a closed region section 10c that forms a closed region surrounded by a part of the power line 3c. Furthermore, the closed region section 10c is arranged to be added, for example, between closed region sections 10a and 10b. According to this arrangement, the closed regions 10a and 10b are positioned opposite each other with the closed region 10c in between. The closed region 10c assists in the electromagnetic coupling of the closed regions 10a and 10b (strengthening the magnetic field that penetrates the closed region formed by the closed regions 10a and 10b), thereby improving the communication performance of wireless communication via the closed regions 10a and 10b.

[0059] Furthermore, if the magnetic field penetrating the closed region formed by the closed regions 10a and 10b can be strengthened, the closed region 10c may be placed near the closed regions 10a and 10b. Specifically, for example, the closed region 10b may be placed between the closed regions 10a and 10c (the closed regions 10a and 10c may be placed opposite each other with the closed region 10b in between), or the closed region 10a may be placed between the closed regions 10b and 10c (the closed regions 10b and 10c may be placed opposite each other with the closed region 10a in between). In addition, although this explanation has assumed the placement of the closed region 10c, instead of the closed region 10c, a ring-shaped antenna (such as a loop antenna) connected to the PLC communication device 5c may be placed near the closed regions 10a and 10b.

[0060] Furthermore, communication performance in wireless communication, such as communication range and signal strength, changes depending on the size of the area of ​​the closed regions 10a and 10b (and the closed regions they form). Specifically, a larger area of ​​the closed regions 10a and 10b results in a wider communication range, while a smaller area results in a narrower communication range. On the other hand, reducing the area of ​​the closed regions 10a and 10b is thought to increase the ease of arranging them. For this reason, the size of the area of ​​the closed regions 10a and 10b may be determined (changed) based on the required communication performance of the communication system 1 and the environment in which the communication system 1 is constructed.

[0061] Here, the areas of the closed regions 10a and 10b have been described, but since the number of turns of the power lines 3a and 3b when forming the closed region is thought to affect the strength of the magnetic field described above, the number of turns may be determined (changed) based on the communication performance required for the communication system 1 and the environment in which the communication system 1 is constructed.

[0062] In this embodiment, for example, when a signal is transmitted from the PLC communication device 5a, a signal in which the first signal from the first communication path and the second signal from the second communication path are superimposed is received by the PLC communication device 5b. However, the first communication path is longer than the second communication path, and noise may be generated in the first signal. In this case, as shown in Figure 13, for example, it is thought that communication performance can be improved by placing a filter 8b that suppresses the first signal (removes noise generated in the first signal) between the outlet 4b and the PLC communication device 5b (i.e., the closed area unit 10b and the communication interface 54 of the PLC communication device 5b). Note that when a signal is transmitted from the PLC communication device 5b, and a signal in which the first signal from the first communication path and the second signal from the second communication path are superimposed is received by the PLC communication device 5a, it is sufficient to place a filter 8a similar to the filter 8b described above between the outlet 4a and the PLC communication device 5a (i.e., the closed area unit 10a and the communication interface 54 of the PLC communication device 5a). In this explanation, filters 8a and 8b are provided to suppress the first signal. However, if communication performance can be improved, filters that suppress the second signal may also be provided, or filters that suppress (remove) parts of the first and second signals may also be provided.

[0063] In this embodiment, the closed regions 10a and 10b have been described as being positioned opposite each other. However, as long as the closed regions 10a and 10b can be electromagnetically coupled (i.e., wireless communication can be performed via the closed regions 10a and 10b), they do not have to be facing each other. Specifically, the closed regions 10a and 10b may be arranged side by side so that the surfaces formed by the closed regions they create are on the same plane. Alternatively, the closed regions 10a and 10b may be arranged in a positional relationship such that the surfaces formed by the closed regions they create intersect (i.e., the closed regions 10a and 10b may be arranged diagonally).

[0064] Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described as having closed regions 10a and 10b where power lines 3a and 3b connected to the distribution board 2 form a closed region, this embodiment may also be applied to electrically conductive wiring such as telephone lines, coaxial cables, elevator cables (tail cords), and solar cables instead of the power lines 3a and 3b.

[0065] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1, 10... Communication system, 2... Distribution board, 2a... Main circuit breaker, 2b, 2c, 2e... Branch circuit breaker, 2d... Busbar, 3a, 3b, 3c... Power line, 4a, 4b... Outlet, 5a, 5b, 5c... PLC communication device, 6a, 6b... Communication equipment, 7a, 7b... Electronic equipment, 8a, 8b... Filter, 10a, 10b, 10c... Closed region, 51... CPU, 52... Non-volatile memory, 53... Main memory, 54... Communication interface, 100... Magnetic material.

Claims

1. A first communication device to which power is supplied via a first power line connected to a distribution board, A second communication device to which power is supplied via a second power line different from the first power line connected to the distribution board, and It is equipped with, The first and second communication devices include interface units that perform wired communication via the first power line, the busbar of the distribution board, and the second power line. The first power line has a first closed region portion that forms a first closed region surrounded by a part of the first power line, The second power line has a second closed region portion that forms a second closed region surrounded by a part of the second power line, The interface units included in the first and second communication devices perform wireless communication via the first and second closed-region units which are located in close proximity to each other. Communication system.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second closed regions are arranged opposite each other such that the axes passing through the centers of the first and second closed regions are substantially the same.

3. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein a magnetic material is arranged to penetrate both the first and second closed regions.

4. The area of ​​the first and second closed regions is determined according to the communication performance required in the communication system, as described in claim 1.

5. The device further comprises a third communication device to which power is supplied via a third power line different from the first and second power lines connected to the distribution board, The third power line has a third closed region portion that forms a third closed region surrounded by a part of the third power line, The third closed region is located near the first and second closed regions. The communication system according to claim 1.

6. The device further comprises a third communication device to which power is supplied via a third power line different from the first and second power lines connected to the distribution board, The antenna connected to the third communication device is positioned near the first and second closed regions. The communication system according to claim 1.

7. The first closed region is formed by winding the first power line in a loop, The second closed region is formed by winding the second power line in a loop, The number of turns of the first and second power lines for forming the first and second closed regions is determined according to the communication performance required in the communication system. The communication system according to claim 1.

8. Between the interface unit and the first closed region unit included in the first communication device, a first filter is placed to suppress the signal transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device by the wired communication. A second filter is positioned between the interface unit and the second closed region unit included in the second communication device to suppress signals transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device via wired communication. The communication system according to claim 1.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second closed regions are arranged inside the distribution board.

10. A method for manufacturing a communication system comprising a first communication device to which power is supplied via a first power line connected to a distribution board, and a second communication device to which power is supplied via a second power line different from the first power line connected to the distribution board, wherein the first and second communication devices include an interface unit that performs wired communication via the first power line, the busbar of the distribution board, and the second power line, The first power line is laid, having a first closed region portion that forms a first closed region surrounded by a part of the first power line. The second power line is laid, having a second closed region portion that forms a second closed region surrounded by a part of the second power line. The first and second closed regions are positioned close to each other so that wireless communication can be performed through them. A method for manufacturing communication systems.

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