Impulse Noise and Narrowband PLC

Abstract: We discuss the influence of random- and periodic impulse noise on narrowband (< 500 kHz frequency band) Power Line Communications. We start with random impulse noise and compare the properties of the measured impulse noise with the common theoretical models like Middleton Class-A and Mixed Gaussian. The main difference is the fact that the measured impulse noise is noise with memory for the narrowband communication, whereas the theoretical models are memoryless. Since the FFT can be seen as a randomizing, operation, the impulse noise is assumed to appear as Gaussian noise after the FFT operation with a variance that is determined by the energy of the impulses. We investigate the problem of capacity loss due to this FFT operation. Another topic is that of periodical noise. Since periodic in the time domain means periodic in the frequency domain, this type of noise directly influences the output of the FFT for an OFDM based transmission. Randomization is necessary to avoid bursty- or dependent errors.