Method And Apparatus For Using In-home Power Lines To Support Low Power Wireless Sensors And To Extend The Range Of Low-power Wireless Devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a system that uses existing power line infrastructure in a building as a distributed reception antenna capable of receiving signals from very low-power wireless sensors, thus allowing these sensors to be detected at ranges that are otherwise impractical with over-the-air reception. Also disclosed is a wireless sensor platform that is able to be sensed throughout a building with very low current draw. The disclosed technique may also be utilized to extend the range of mid-frequency consumer electronic devices by leveraging the power line as a reception antenna.