PT Unknown
AU Schwager, A
TI Powerline Communications: Significant Technologies to become Ready for Integration
PD 05
PY 2010
LA en
DE Powerline Communication; PLC; PLT; BPL; EMC; EMI; Radio Broadcast; Interferrence; Coexistence; MIMO; Multiple Input Multiple Output; EMC Coordination; OFDM
AB In-house PLT (Powerline Telecommunication) enables new and highly convenient networking
functions without the need for additional cables on mains-powered devices. Since wireless
networks are not able to reach sufficient throughput between different rooms or even floors,
PLC is considered to be the ideal backbone home network medium, providing complementary
and seamless interaction with wireless networks.
The need to communicate information is not new. The historical overview of this thesis
compares the development of PLT to radio broadcast technologies. The consumer expects
technologies to operate without interferences. Today, there are coexistence problems between
these two technologies. Why does this happens, and how the problems can be resolved are the
main issues of this thesis.
Initial calculations of the channel capacity provide encouraging results for using the mains
cabling as a communication medium. Chapter 3 forecasts how PLT modems could develop in
the future. The usage of frequencies above 30 MHz will increase the throughput rate. Next, the
utilization of the 3rd wire (the protective earth) for communication enhances the coverage and
the reliability of powerline transmissions. The reception of common mode signals and the usage
of MIMO technologies enable 8 transmission paths between one pair of outlets, which
improves the performance of the bad, strongly attenuated channels.
Today, the main challenge for the mass deployment of PLT is the lack of harmonized international
standards on interoperability and electromagnetic interference. The absence of a standard
results in the undesirable situation of PLT modems interfering with technologies from
different vendors and also with radio applications. Solutions for solving these problems are
given in chapter 4 and chapter 5.
The approach of ‘Smart Notching’ - monitoring the existence of receivable radio broadcast
stations at the time and location where a PLT modem is operating, received wide resonance in
the PLT and radio broadcast communities. ‘Smart Notching’, also called ‘Dynamic Notching’
or ‘Adaptive Notching’ is considered to be the key factor in solving the endless discussions
about the interferences to HF radio broadcast. Details on the creation of ETSI TS 102 578 and
the implementation of a demonstrator system is documented in chapter 5. Field tests conducted
together with the EBU verified the efficiency of the concept. The jointly executed tests by representatives
from the radio broadcast and the PLT communities became a historical event
which brought the two technologies, radio receivers and PLT modems, back into one house.
Finally, a vision of the future coordination of EMC and conclusions are presented.
ER