Power line channel characteristics and their effect on communication system design

The development of power line communication systems requires detailed knowledge of the channel properties, such as transfer function, interference scenario, and channel capacity in order to choose suitable transmission methods. This article presents appropriate power line channel models, which form the basis for the design of a channel emulator. Such a device turns out to be extremely helpful for various tests and the comparison of performance of different communication systems. A basic estimation of the power line channel capacity clearly demonstrates their enormous potential for high-speed communication purposes. Eventually, an evaluation of different modulation schemes is carried to optimize PLC system design.