Powerline communications systems

Nishant Sagar
2011
The electric power distribution grid is a medium over which fast and reliable communication services can be provided. Power Line Communications (PLC) systems provide an alternative to wireless communications in the transmission of data within buildings and vehicles. In recent years, increased interest in PLC systems for both commercial and residence applications has resulted in the development of standards for use of the electric power grid as a communications channel conveying messages in
more » ... ion to power. The types of applications range from simple inexpensive services centered around networked household appliances, where data rates are on the order of kilobits per second, to Internet access via the electrical outlet wall socket, where data rates are on the order of megabits per second. Currently, PLC systems can accommodate high- iii speed networking that includes broadband Internet access, voice over-IP, and the interconnectivity of home entertainment devices. The development of a Power Line Communications system presents a significant challenge for the communications engineer due to the unusual channel characteristics that affect high-speed signal transmission. The electric power grid is designed for, and operated at, 50/60 Hz throughout the world. Furthermore, the topology of a local electric power grid network is often very irregular resulting in significant dispersion of the transmitted message signals. This thesis presents an overview of the major features and characteristics of PLC systems, the fundamental properties of powerline channels, and an analysis of PLC system performance in the presence of realistic powerline channel conditions. The development of a powerline communication system requires detailed knowledge of the electric power grid channel properties, such as the frequency transfer function and the interference processes, in order to choose a suitable transmission method. The noise interference and channel multipath effects are the main impairments to the performance of PLC systems. Th [...]
doi:10.7282/t3rr1xj7 fatcat:leew24dy3rhyjna7ypddhjfcfm