Analysis of narrowband power line communication channels for advanced metering infrastructure

This paper analyzes the characteristics of narrowband power line communication (NB-PLC) channels and assesses their performance when used for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) communications. This medium has been traditionally considered too hostile. However, the research activities carried out in the last decade have shown that it is a suitable technology for a large number of applications. This work provides a statistical characterization of NB-PLC channels in the CENELEC-A band. The presented results have been obtained from a set of 106 links measured in urban, suburban, and rural scenarios. The study covers the input impedance of the power line network, the channel response and the noise. The analysis of the channel response examines the delay spread, the coherence bandwidth, and the attenuation, while the assessment of the noise considers both its spectral and temporal characteristics. Since low voltage (LV) distribution networks consists of several conductors, they can be simultaneously used to set up multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication links. This paper investigates the correlation between the MIMO streams. The bit rates that can be attained both in the single-input single-output (SISO) and in the MIMO cases are estimated and discussed.

[1]  A. Haidine,et al.  Performance evaluation of medium access control mechanisms in high-speed narrowband PLC for smart grid applications , 2012, 2012 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[2]  Andrea Goldsmith,et al.  Wireless Communications , 2005, 2021 15th International Conference on Advanced Technologies, Systems and Services in Telecommunications (TELSIKS).

[3]  T. Yamazato,et al.  Measurement of narrowband channel characteristics in single-phase three-wire indoor power-line channels , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[4]  Wenqing Liu,et al.  Channel characterization and system verification for narrowband power line communication in smart grid applications , 2011, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[5]  Jing Lin,et al.  Local Utility Power Line Communications in the 3–500 kHz Band: Channel Impairments, Noise, and Standards , 2012, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine.

[6]  H. Farhangi,et al.  The path of the smart grid , 2010, IEEE Power and Energy Magazine.

[7]  Anna Scaglione,et al.  For the Grid and Through the Grid: The Role of Power Line Communications in the Smart Grid , 2010, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[8]  Pierluigi Mancarella,et al.  Benefits of Advanced Smart Metering for Demand Response based Control of Distribution Networks , 2010 .

[9]  Alan V. Oppenheim,et al.  Discrete-time Signal Processing. Vol.2 , 2001 .

[10]  Andreas Schwager,et al.  MIMO Power Line Communications , 2015, IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials.

[11]  Pablo Angueira,et al.  Strategies for Power Line Communications Smart Metering Network Deployment , 2014 .

[12]  Klaus Dostert,et al.  On the impedance of the low-voltage distribution grid at frequencies up to 500 kHz , 2012, 2012 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[13]  Jing Lin,et al.  Cyclic spectral analysis of power line noise in the 3–200 kHz band , 2013, 2013 IEEE 17th International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[14]  Luís Díez del Río,et al.  Analysis of the cyclic short-term variation of indoor power line channels , 2006, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

[15]  John G. Proakis,et al.  Digital Communications , 1983 .

[16]  Klaus Dostert,et al.  A multipath model for the powerline channel , 2002, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[17]  Cost-benefit analysis for the comprehensive use of smart metering , .

[18]  Anil Mengi,et al.  500 kHz G3-PLC access technology for the roll-outs in Germany , 2014, 18th IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[19]  Alberto Sendin,et al.  Strategies for PLC signal injection in electricity distribution grid transformers , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[20]  Luís Díez del Río,et al.  Performance analysis of OFDM modulation on indoor broadband PLC channels , 2011, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[21]  Chia-Hui Wang,et al.  i-SNG: A cost-effective live news broadcasting system over heterogeneous wireless networks , 2011, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[22]  Weilin Liu,et al.  Narrow band power line channel characteristics for low voltage access network in China , 2013, 2013 IEEE 17th International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications.

[23]  Sos S. Agaian,et al.  Multiresolution Decomposition Schemes Using the Parameterized Logarithmic Image Processing Model with Application to Image Fusion , 2011, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[24]  A. Goldsmith,et al.  Variable-rate variable-power MQAM for fading channels , 1996, Proceedings of Vehicular Technology Conference - VTC.