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Circuits and methods for transmission of digital data between two or more devices via powerline particularly suited for use in high attenuation, high noise commercial/industrial powerline environments, including transmission of pulses generated by a capacitor charged in the positive half cycle of th

Circuits and methods for transmission of digital data between two or more devices via powerline particularly suited for use in high attenuation, high noise commercial/industrial powerline environments, including transmission of pulses generated by a capacitor charged in the positive half cycle of the sine wave and discharged during the negative half-cycle, placing the pulse at one of two predetermined signal timing positions related to zero voltage crossing points or to previously transmitted pulses so that the pulses are substantially in the powerline temporal quiet zone near zero crossing and so that the powerline voltage at the time of the pulse is additive to the capacitor voltage.

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1. A powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter comprising: first and second connections for connecting to an AC powerline;said AC powerline producing an alternating voltage consisting of a continuous series of full cycles sine waves;said continuous series of full cycles sine waves

1. A powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter comprising: first and second connections for connecting to an AC powerline;said AC powerline producing an alternating voltage consisting of a continuous series of full cycles sine waves;said continuous series of full cycles sine waves consisting of alternating positive half-cycle sine waves and negative half-cycle sine waves;a chargeable capacitor in series with a switch;a charging device in parallel with said switch;said capacitor, said charging device and said switch coupled to said first and second connections for connection in parallel to the AC powerline;a digital control integrated circuit;a zero voltage crossing detector circuit adapted to detect each zero crossing time, and coupled to at least one of said first and second AC powerline connections and to said digital control integrated circuit;said digital control integrated circuit adapted to charge said capacitor during said positive half-cycle; and,said digital control integrated circuit being coupled to said switch in series with said capacitor and adapted to actuate said switch to discharge said capacitor in said negative half-cycle following said positive half-cycle in order to produce a signal pulse on said powerline, said discharge occurring in one of a predetermined number of a plurality of predetermined signal time positions located in said negative half cycle. 2. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein said charging device is a diode adapted to permit charging of said capacitor by voltage provided by said AC powerline in the said positive first half-cycle. 3. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein said switch in series connection with said capacitor permits charging of said capacitor by voltage provided by said AC powerline in said positive first half-cycle. 4. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein a protective inductor device is in series connection with said capacitor and said switch device, and series combination of said inductor, said capacitor and said switch device are in parallel with said first and second connections for connecting to said AC powerline. 5. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein there are only two of said plurality of predetermined signal time positions located in said negative said second half cycle. 6. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein said digital control integrated circuit senses voltage zero crossing in the powerline and emits actuating signals to said switch to cause one or more reference pulses at timing positions within a predetermined time range prior to each zero crossing time. 7. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein said digital control integrated circuit emits actuating signals to said switch to cause one or more data pulses at timing positions within a predetermined time range prior to each alternating zero crossing time. 8. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein there are two predetermined signal timing positions prior to each zero crossing time. 9. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 3 wherein said transmitter is one of two controller parts of a controller system, both said controller parts being connectable to the same powerline for communication there between on the powerline, said system comprising two controllers, one acting as said transmitting controller and the other acting as a receiving controller, each said transmitting controller and said receiving controller respectively containing a digital control integrated circuit and each digital control integrated circuit having a zero voltage crossing detector circuit connected thereto, and each said controller having both a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit so that either said controller can act as a transmitting controller or as a receiving controller. 10. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 9 wherein each said controller has a transmitting circuit comprised of a triac in parallel with a rectifying device serially connected to a capacitor, said serially connected triac and capacitor being coupled to the powerline, said triac being coupled to be controlled by said digital control integrated circuit; and, each said controller has a receive circuit comprising a filter circuit for connection to the powerline, said filter having an output signal line connected to said digital control integrated circuit so that said digital control integrated circuit can detect the timing of a signal pulses with respect to the zero voltage crossing. 11. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 10 wherein a memory is connected to or an integral part of said digital control integrated circuit, said memory being programmed to define signal timing positions prior to and spaced from zero crossing so that said transmitting digital control integrated circuit can transmit a one or more reference pulses to the powerline at a selected signal timing position when acting as a transmitter, and said receiving digital control integrated circuit can determine at which signal timing position a reference signal pulse occurs when said apparatus is acting as a receiving controller. 12. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 10 wherein a memory is connected to or an integral part of said digital control integrated circuit, said memory being programmed to define signal timing positions prior to and spaced from zero crossing so that said transmitting digital control integrated circuit can transmit a one or more data pulses to the powerline at a selected signal timing position related to the position of said reference pulses when acting as a transmitter, and said receiving digital control integrated circuit can determine at which signal timing position a data signal pulse occurs relative to said reference pulse when said apparatus is acting as a receiving controller. 13. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 1 wherein there is an output driver connected to said digital control integrated circuit, said output driver being connectable to a load so that said output driver can be actuated to energize the load. 14. A powerline pulse position modulated communication system comprising: a transmitter, first and second connections for connecting said transmitter to an AC powerline, said transmitter having a zero voltage crossing detector coupled to said connections, said transmitter having a circuit for producing a series of pulses, said transmitter comprising:a pulse producing circuit comprising a capacitor and a switch coupled to said first and second connections, a rectifying device in parallel with said switch to charge said capacitor, said transmitter actuating said pulse producing circuits in a powerline half cycle opposite to and following the half cycle in which the capacitor finished charging so that the capacitor voltage and line voltage are added;a internal or external signal source connected to said circuit to actuate said transmitter circuit so as to produce one or more reference pulses in the powerline which are each in one of a plurality of predetermined signal time positions, said signal source being actuated to produce a plurality of subsequent pulses in one of said plurality of signal time positions following said reference pulse; and,a receiver having first and second connections for connecting to the same AC powerline, a zero voltage-crossing detector connected to said first and second connections and a circuit responsive to one or more reference pulses so that the subsequent position of each of the data pulses following the one or more reference pulses in the signal timing positions can be detected. 15. The powerline pulse position modulated communication system of claim 14 wherein said receiver has a digital control integrated circuit which senses signal pulses only at one of two predetermined timing positions within a predetermined time range close to the zero crossing time. 16. The powerline pulse position modulated communication system of claim 14 wherein there are two or more signal timing positions near zero crossing. 17. The powerline pulse position modulated communication system of claim 14 wherein both said transmitter and said receiver are structurally similar apparatuses and are connectable to the same powerline, said system comprising two of said apparatuses, one acting as a transmitting controller and the other acting as a receiving controller, each said transmitter and each said receiver respectively containing a digital control integrated circuit which can be programmed to act as a transmitting digital control integrated circuit or a receiving digital control integrated circuit, each said apparatus having a zero voltage crossing detector circuit connected therein, and each said apparatus having both a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit so that either said apparatus can act as a transmitting controller or as a receiving controller, utilizing the same digital control integrated circuit. 18. The powerline pulse position modulated communication transmitter of claim 14 wherein said received signal pulses are received by a circuit incorporating a means for automatically adjusting the receive detection voltage level to provide automatic gain control. 19. A powerline pulse communication apparatus comprising: a transmitting controller and a receiving controller, said transmitting controller and said receiving controller each having connections to an alternating current powerline;said transmitting controller having a zero voltage crossing detector circuit with connections for connecting to the alternating current powerline, said transmitting controller having a digital control integrated circuit therein, said zero voltage crossing detector circuit having an output connected to said digital control integrated circuit;said transmitting controller having a rectifying device in parallel connection across a switch both in series with a capacitor said rectifying device to permit charging of said capacitor by voltage provided by said powerline in the positive half cycle of the powerline voltage, and said switch to provide discharging of said capacitor in one of a predetermined number of positions in the second half of the negative half cycle of powerline voltage;said rectifying device and capacitor having connections for coupling to the alternating current powerline so that, when said alternating current powerline is in the positive half cycle, said capacitor is charged by the alternating current powerline to a peak voltage of a positive polarity, and,said switch being connected to receive a series of trigger signals from said digital control integrated circuit, said digital control integrated circuit being programmed so that said trigger signals are timed within a predetermined time period of the powerline cycle and referenced to a prior zero crossing and said capacitor is discharged in a negative powerline half cycle so that a signal pulse is added to the powerline voltage within said predetermined time period near to but spaced from a zero crossing. 20. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 19 wherein said digital control integrated circuit is programmed to turn on said switch at a time to produce one or more powerline reference pulses, each at one of a plurality of predetermined temporal positions referenced to the zero voltage crossing point. 21. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 19 wherein said digital control integrated circuit is programmed to turn on said switch at a time to produce the powerline data pulses at predetermined temporal positions referenced to one or more previous reference pulse positions. 22. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 19 wherein said digital control integrated circuit is programmed to turn on said switch at a time to produce the powerline data pulses at one of two of predetermined temporal positions referenced to the zero crossing position. 23. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 22 wherein each of said temporal positions is approximately 600 microseconds apart. 24. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 19 wherein there is a receiving controller and said receiving controller has a zero voltage crossing detector circuit and a receiving digital control integrated circuit, said zero voltage crossing detector circuit being connected to said receiving digital control integrated circuit; and, said receiving controller has a filter circuit having connections for connection to the powerlines to receive filtered powerline communication pulses superimposed therein by a transmitting controller, said filter circuit substantially filtering out signals of higher or lower frequency content than the command pulses in the powerline, said filter circuit being connected to said receiving digital control integrated circuit, said receiving digital control integrated circuit being programmed to be sensitive only to signal pulses within a predetermined time period near to but spaced from zero crossing. 25. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 24 wherein said receiving digital control integrated circuit is programmed to distinguish between two or more different temporal positions within said predetermined time period near to but spaced from zero crossing. 26. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 24 wherein said receiving digital control integrated circuit is programmed to distinguish between different temporal positions within said predetermined time period relative to the position of reference pulses. 27. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 24 wherein said receiving digital control integrated circuit is programmed to distinguish between different temporal positions within said predetermined time period relative to the position of the zero crossing time. 28. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 24 wherein there is an output controller connected to said receiving digital control integrated circuit and said output controller is for connection to the alternating current powerline and to an electrical load, said output controller turning on said load when said receiving digital control integrated circuit detects pulses in said powerline corresponding to a command to energize the load. 29. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 19 wherein said transmitting digital control integrated circuit is programmed to turn on said switch at a series of times to produce a series of powerline pulses each said pulse within one of several temporal positions near to zero voltage crossing in a series of powerline cycles. 30. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 29 wherein there are at least two possible temporal positions in each powerline cycle separately defined by said processor within said predetermined time period near to zero crossing. 31. The powerline pulse communication apparatus of claim 29 wherein each of said temporal positions is approximately 600 microseconds apart. 32. A powerline pulse position modulated system comprising: a transmitter, first and second connections on said transmitter for connecting to an AC powerline, a zero voltage crossing detector connected to said first and second connections, a circuit in said transmitter for creating a pulse charge when the powerline is in a positive half cycle and for discharging the pulse charge into the powerline only when the powerline is in the negative half cycle to add a pulse into the powerline which is additive to the powerline voltage, said circuit receiving zero voltage crossing information from said zero voltage crossing detector circuit and creating a pulse in the powerline in a quiet zone window which is positioned in a predetermined quiet time period near to zero voltage crossing; and,a receiver having first and second connections for connecting to the AC powerline, a zero voltage crossing detector in said receiver connected to said first and second connections and to a control IC in said receiver, said IC being connected to the zero voltage crossing detector to receive signal pulses from the powerline within the quiet zone which is positioned in a predetermined quiet time period near to zero voltage crossing. 33. The powerline pulse position modulated communication system of claim 32 wherein said transmitter control IC and said receiver control IC are the same IC. 34. The powerline pulse position modulated communication system of claim 32 wherein said predetermined quiet time period is between about 500 microseconds and 1000microseconds away from zero voltage crossing. 35. A powerline pulse position modulated system communication method for remotely controlling a load, comprising the steps of: providing a transmitting controller for connection to the powerline;sensing zero voltage crossing in the powerline;sensing a load control command and causing the discharging of a capacitor across the powerline in one or more negative half cycle of the powerline that is opposite in polarity and each following a positive half cycle of the powerline in which said capacitor finished charging to cause transmission of one or more reference pulses related to the zero crossing sensing and the load control command;causing the discharging of a capacitor across the powerline in a series of negative half cycles of the powerline that is opposite in polarity and each discharge following a positive half cycle of the powerline in which said capacitor finished charging to cause transmission of a series of actuating data pulses related to the position of the reference pulse and the load control command;sensing at a receiving controller the zero voltage crossing, sensing the said one or more reference pulses, sensing the series of data pulses and determining in which signal timing positions the data pulses are located as compared to positions that the reference pulses occurred; and,actuating the load depending upon in which signal timing positions the data pulses occurred. 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the charging of the capacitor to place a pulse in the powerline is caused by a rectifying device becoming conductive. 37. The method of claim 35 wherein the discharging of the capacitor to place a pulse in the powerline is caused by a trigger pulse actuating a triac to become conductive. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the timing of the trigger pulses to the triac is to produce the discharging of the capacitor to produce a series of powerline pulses adjacent to powerline zero crossing times which correspond to a command for load control and are related to the powerline zero crossing times. 39. The method of claim 35 wherein the timing of the trigger pulses to the triac are related to previous reference pulse times by discharging the capacitor at a series of signal positions adjacent zero crossing times which correspond to a command for load control. 40. The method of claim 35 wherein the signal timing positions are between about 500 and 1000 microseconds away from the zero crossings of the powerline voltage. 41. The method of claim 35 wherein the signal timing positions are approximately 500 microseconds apart. 42. The method of claim 35 wherein the receiving controller filters the signal out of the powerline voltage at a predetermined time period adjacent the zero crossing where the powerline is substantially quiet and delivers a series of filtered signal pulses to the digital control integrated circuit which determines at which signal timing positions said series of pulses occurred. 43. The method of claim 42 wherein the sensing at which signal timing position the series of pulses occurred is correlated with a load command to appropriately actuate a load. 44. A method of transmitting data through a powerline comprising: providing a powerline energized with alternating electrical current, the powerline having a plurality of negative half-cycles, a plurality of positive half cycles, a plurality of zero voltage crossing points and a quite zone near to each of the zero voltage crossing points in each of the negative half-cycles;transmitting through the powerline during only the negative half-cycles one or more electrical pulses representative of said data, each of said electrical pulses positioned in one of two specified time intervals located in each quite zone; and,said data value determined by the location of which of said specified time intervals said electrical pulse falls within. 45. A method of controlling an electrical device connected to a powerline with electrical command signals transmitted through the powerline comprising: providing a powerline energized with electrical current, the powerline having a plurality of negative half-cycles and a plurality of zero voltage crossing points;connecting the electrical device to the powerline, said electrical device adapted to be controlled by one or more of said command signals;generating one or more of said command signals;transmitting said command signals through the powerline, each of said command signals transmitted during only one of the plurality of negative half-cycles in one of two specified time windows located near each of the zero voltage crossing points;receiving said command signals; and,controlling the device in response to receiving said command signals. 46. A commercial electrical control system comprising: an alternating current powerline having a plurality of zero voltage crossing points;a commercial facility supplied with electrical power from the powerline;one or more electrical loads positioned in the commercial facility and connected to the powerline; andthe electrical loads adapted to be controlled by electrical pulses transmitted through the powerline only during negative half cycles of voltage, each of said electrical pulses located in one of two specified time windows near each zero voltage crossing point. 47. A code for controlling an electrical load connected to an energized, alternating current powerline having a the form of a plain sine wave with repeating, alternating positive and negative half-cycle waves comprising; two predetermined electrical pulse positions only on the negative half-cycle waves;a numeric value assigned to each of the pulse positions;an electrical pulse generator circuit adapted to generate electrical pulses and to transmit said electrical pulses through said powerline in one of said signal pulse positions, whereby each transmitted electrical pulse represents one numeric value and a series of transmitted pulses represents a series of transmitted numeric values;said control code comprising the series of transmitted numeric values.