Noise Analysis of Power-Line Communications Using Spread-Spectrum Modulation

Ergodic chaotic parameter modulation (ECPM), based on a spreading chaotic dynamic system, has shown promise for power-line communications (PLC) due to its simplicity in receiver design. Alternatively, direct sequence spread-spectrum modulation is known for its strengths in its resistance to multipath fading and some inherent narrowband interference suppression capability and thus is a logical choice for the difficult power-line environment. Previous work has evaluated the general analytical solution for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for these techniques assuming an idealized implementation. This study provides a more detailed evaluation of the SNR as a function of gain factor, individual noise components and other issues that could reduce the overall effectiveness of the PLC technique. Improvements in symbol error probability with an increase in respective gain factors for various SNR conditions are shown. This study facilitates a direct SNR comparison of two modern PLC techniques in a noise-limited channel not previously performed.