High-Level Modeling and Exploration of a Powerline Communication Network Based on System-on-Chip - Multi-objective Design Space Exploration of Multiprocessor SoC Architectures - page 147

Laptop

Powerline
modem

Data Traffic

Powerline
Network

Powerline
modem

Video +
Data
Server

Powerline
modem

IPTV Traffic

IPTV
STB

TV

Video distribution In-home, internal server, no external connection.

a b

Fig. 7.1 Example of a typical PLC application ( a ) and PLC modem ( b )

PLC stands for “ Powerline Communication ”, an advanced telecommunications
system allowing fast and reliable transfer of audio, video and data information using
the most ubiquitous transmission system: the power lines (Fig. 7.1 ). This transmis-
sion line is used to exchange information between different equipment connected to
the network using the most advanced coding techniques like OFDM (“ Orthogonal
Frequency Division Multiplexing ”).
PLC technology has different flavors and implementations, depending of the ap-
plication domain where it is used. For each of these domains, adapted PLC equipment
needs to be designed and deployed. The three most important applications domains
nowadays are:

￿ Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) / Automatic Metering Infrastructure

(AMI): These systems are used by the electrical utilities to monitor the real-time
evolution of the electrical demand in order to manage the electrical distribution
network in an efficient way. As the number of data to be transmitted is low, usually
narrow-band PLC systems are used in this context.

￿ Broadband Access PLC: Use of the electrical grid to connect the Internet back-

bone to the end user in order to provide broadband information through the
electrical wiring. This technology is mainly used by electrical utilities to pro-
vide cheap Internet access to their customers and for core applications for their
own telecommunications needs. Finally, this technology is also being deployed
in order to extend other access technologies (mainly fibers) inside buildings.

￿ In-Home PLC: Use of the domestic electrical grid to connect different au-

dio/video/data home equipment with a high speed, high quality link (up to
200 Mbps at the physical layer). The main use of this technology is the high qual-
ity Audio/Video distribution within the home for IPTV extensions (received by
any access technology (xDSL, cable, xPON, PLC, ... ) and home media servers.

In early 2010, a new technology has been standardized under ITU umbrella. This
new standard (“ ITU G.hn ”) allows the use of different physical media (powerline,