A Novel Stochastic Model for the Impulsive Noise in the Narrowband Indoor PLC Environment

Abstract

This paper presents a novel stochastic model for the impulsive noise measured in the narrowband indoor Power Line Communication (PLC) environment. Based on extensive measurements carried out inside several buildings, the impulsive noise has been characterized and modelled for the low frequency range transmission over power lines. An appropriate method has been used to finely extract pulses and their characteristic parameters, and four different classes has been defined with adequate parametric models based on empirical approach. Class 1 pulses, which correspond to single pulses in the form of damping sinusoids, present the majority of the extracted pulses. These pulses, with pseudo-frequencies below 500 kHz, have been statistically modelled by fitting the model parameters deduced from measurements with proper distribution functions. This stochastic modelling is useful for generating impulsive noise in order to assess the performance of narrowband communication chains and to improve the design of PLC systems operating in the CENELEC/FCC/ARIB low frequency bands.