A repeater amplifier boosts weak control signals on a PLC network, with noise
discrimination
and signal firewall protection. The AC supply voltage is filtered by a high frequency
blocking filter to block external noise signals. Operating power for network signaling
devices and the repeater amplifier is derived from the clean AC supply voltage.
Noise discrimination and signal firewall protection are provided by amplifying
and repeating only those receiver pulse signals that (a) have an analog amplitude
that exceeds a predetermined analog threshold value, (b) occur during intervals
that control data signal modulation is being applied to the filtered AC supply
voltage and (c) occur at a frequency within a predetermined frequency band centered
on the transmitted power line carrier (PLC) modulation frequency.