Powerline Communications Channel Modelling Methodology Based on Statistical Features

Abstract: This paper proposes a new channel modelling method for powerline communications networks based on the multipath profile in the time domain. The new channel model is developed to be applied in a range of Powerline Communications (PLC) research topics such as impulse noise modelling, deployment and coverage studies, and communications theory analysis. To develop the methodology, channels are categorised according to their propagation distance and power delay profile. The statistical multipath parameters such as path arrival time, magnitude and interval for each category are analyzed to build the model. Each generated channel based on the proposed statistical model represents a different realisation of a PLC network. Simulation results in similar the time and frequency domains show that the proposed statistical modelling method, which integrates the impact of network topology presents the PLC channel features as the underlying transmission line theory model. Furthermore, two potential application scenarios are described to show the channel model is applicable to capacity analysis and correlated impulse noise modelling for PLC networks.