Power Line Communication

(PLC)

Hess Guillaume

IUP 1 – 2004/2005 29/04/05

Power Line Communication

● global technology

Summary

● outdoor network

● indoor network

● Standards for PLC

● Advantages, disadvantages

● PLC in the world

Power Line Communication

● to transmit numerical information on the 230 Volts sector network

Technology

● a coupler eliminates the low frequencies components

● each electrical connector becomes an Ethernet point

Power Line Communication

● electric charge changes 100 times a second

Technology

● wave electromagnetic

● shortest, identified by frequencies : data transfer network

● adapter PLC: modem emitting a breath

● code comparable with the Morse

Power Line Communication

● only the highest frequencies make it possible to transport the data effectively

Technology

● ADSL -> PLC : simultaneous division and emission data on various channels

Power Line Communication

● maximum outdistance indoor/outdoor : 200-300 m

Technology

● network PLC surer than a WiFi network

● all equipment PLC has a MAC address

Power Line CommunicationOutdoor

● on the low tension part of the energy distribution network

● all buildings connected to the same district transformer

● a modem injects signal PLC

● a modem transposes signal PLC

Power Line CommunicationOutdoor

● "outdoor": from transformer to the residence

● coupling a high flow arrival Internet with PLC network

● IP supply level network :

- arrival of access high flow at the transformer : the supplier of access

- implementation for routing IP : IP service provider

● electrical supply level network : coupling at the transformer HT/LT

Power Line CommunicationIndoor

● an Internet connection is already available

● cases PLC : - Ethernet or USB port

- connection towards the electrical connector

Power Line CommunicationIndoor

● to extend an Ethernet network

● to share high flow access Internet

● network PLC: type Ethernet 802.3

● standard : Homeplug

● theoric flow : 14 Mb/s

● cost : 100 to 140 euros the simple adapter

Power Line CommunicationStandards

● no specific standard for the moment in Europe

● only one American standard: Homeplug V1.0.1, concerning only “Indoor”

● sectors touched by the PLC :

- electricity

- telecommunications

- electromagnetic compatibility

- the management of the frequency plan

● problems of standardization

Power Line CommunicationStandards

● the PLC apparatuses in France must have marking CE

● different use of the frequencies for each country from the UE

● to remain between 1,6 and 30 MHz

● level of emission lower than 90 dB

Power Line CommunicationStandards

● filters to protect the “prohibited” frequencies

● not disturb the radio transmissions and the services existing on the frequency band

Power Line CommunicationAdvantag

es

● progressiveness and flexibility

● saving in wiring

● simplicity

● complementarity

● outdoor: possibility of bringing high-flow Internet accesses for the cities without ADSL

● mobility

Power Line CommunicationDisadvantag

es

● range of the system

● price of the equipment in indoor

● tributary of the state and the architecture of electric wiring

● divided band-width

● cost of the outdoor installation

● no European standard

● complex implementation in outdoor

Power Line CommunicationIn the

world

● more experiments than marketing

● 60 experiments in progress in 26 countries

● 12 tests of marketing

Power Line Communication

Thanks for your

attention