Virginie Degardin

Modeling and Analysis of In-Vehicle Power Line Communication Channels

In this paper, we address the problem of power line communication inside a vehicle, focusing on channel characterization and modeling. The statistical properties of the transfer function between two points in the power distribution system are deduced from a propagation model that takes into account the complicated structure of the cable bundles. Theoretical estimates are compared to experimental results. Later on, this theoretical model, together with an impulsive noise model, will be implemented in a software communication tool that is designed to optimize modulation schemes and channel coding.

Classification and characterization of impulsive noise on indoor powerline used for data communications

The performance of a link using the indoor power line network as a medium for communication strongly depends on the noise characteristics. Besides the background noise and the narrow band noise mainly due to broadcast transmitters, impulsive noise adversely affects the quality of service. This paper focuses on impulsive noise measurements, their statistical properties being the basis of a noise model for optimizing a transmission scheme.

Impulsive Noise Characterization of In-Vehicle Power Line

Impulsive noise can have a great influence on the performance of in-vehicle power line communication systems. Intensive noise measurements in the time domain were thus carried out on five different vehicles. Preliminary trials were first made on a stationary vehicle and the motor idling, but the characteristics of the measured low-amplitude pulses greatly vary from one car to another. We thus emphasize the characteristics of high-amplitude pulses, greater than 70 mV, observed when the vehicles were moving in traffic, during a 20-min trip. Noise is statistically characterized in terms of duration, frequency content, peak amplitude, and time interval between successive pulses. Stochastic models based on mathematical distribution functions and fitting the experimental distribution of the various pulse characteristics are proposed. It has been found that interarrival time, i.e., the time interval between two successive pulses, is rather short and would be thus the most critical parameter when optimizing the power line communication physical layer.

Performances of the HomePlug PHY layer in the context of in-vehicle powerline communications

The feasibility of an in-vehicle PLC, based on HomePlug standards is studied. The channel characteristics introduced in the simulation software are those deduced both from transfer function and noise measurement and from propagation modelling.

Transmission on indoor power lines: from a stochastic channel model to the optimization and performance evaluation of multicarrier systems

This paper deals with optimization and performance evaluation of multicarrier transmissions on indoor power lines, taking the actual channel characteristics into account. From intensive measurements of noise on lines, the most significant parameters of impulsive noise were defined and classified, and then a statistical study was carried out. The other types of noise, i.e. narrow band and coloured noise have also been characterized. In like manner, the transfer functions between two points of a power line network have been measured. From all these data, a stochastic channel model representative of the environment is built and implemented in a software tool simulating the link. Various transmission schemes have been considered to mitigate the effects on one hand of the stationary noise, the channel frequency selectivity and of the change of its state, and on the other, on the impulsive noise. These techniques are optimized for the indoor power line environment and their performances, expressed in terms of bit error rate, are compared. Copyright

Impulsive Noise on In-Vehicle Power Lines: Characterization and Impact on Communication Performance

This paper deals with the characterization of impulsive noise on in-vehicle power lines and the impact of this noise on communication performance. After briefly presenting the communication system, the principle of noise measurement is described and a statistical analysis of impulsive noise is carried out. A noise model is proposed and is then used in communication software, simulating the link, for determining the system performance in terms of erroneous bits or frame errors. The chosen communication standard is the one proposed by the HomePlug 1.0 for PLC indoor communication

Theoretical Approach to the Feasibility of Power-Line Communication in Aircrafts

In the domain of aeronautics, the future more electric aircraft will have to face a difficult issue related to the increasing number of wires and connectors, impacting on the weight and system reliability. A possible solution for solving at least part of this problem is to introduce power-line communication for specific applications. In this paper, the cabin lighting and communication system has been chosen as an initial scenario. Indeed, the tree-shaped architecture of the cabling is complicated enough to be representative of many other aircraft harness configurations. Channel characteristics are first determined from a propagation model based on the multiwire transmission-line theory. A software tool simulating PLC communication has been developed. By introducing the predicted channel transfer functions of different links into this software, the throughputs that can be reached, taking into account the electromagnetic constraints related to aeronautic standards, are discussed.

Focusing Gain Model of Time-Reversed Signals in Dense Multipath Channels

The time reversal (TR) technique consists of transmitting in the channel a signal filtered by the time-reversed channel impulse response. To assess the performance of a TR system using impulse radio ultrawideband signals, one interesting parameter is the focusing gain defined as the ratio of the maxima in the time waveforms of the received signal with and without the time-reversal operation. We propose a heuristic approach to get an approximate analytical expression for the distribution function of this gain, as a function of the channel delay spread normalized to the pulse width and assuming a dense multipath environment. Predicted results are compared to experimental values obtained in reverberating chambers.

On the possibility of using PLC in aircraft

Possible applications of PLC in aircraft are investigated. The scenario which has been selected is a data transmission for the remote control of the lighting system of the cabin. Indeed, the tree-shaped architecture of the cabling is complicated enough to be representative of many other harness aircraft configurations. Narrow band and wide band channel characteristics are deduced from a theoretical model of the propagation on multi-wire transmission lines. A software tool simulating a PLC transmission based on OPERA specifications was developed and examples on the performances of the OFDM link are presented.

Power-Line Communication: Channel Characterization and Modeling for Transportation Systems

This article provides an overview of the recent advances in the characterization and modeling of power-line communication (PLC) channels in transportation systems. The salient aspects of the topological and functional features of the data channels using power networks of motor vehicles, spacecraft, and aircraft are presented. This article is tutorial in nature and guides the reader through a selection of recent papers, collecting relevant results needed to assess the feasibility and strengths of PLC for this class of applications.