Abstract:
A PLC network system and method operative with OFDM for generating MIMO frames with suitable preamble portions configured to provide backward compatibility with legacy PLC devices and facilitate different receiver tasks such as frame detection and symbol timing, channel estimation and automatic gain control (AGC), including robust preamble detection in the presence of impulsive noise and frequency-selective channels of the PLC network. A PLC device may include a delayed correlation detector and a cross-correlation detector operating in concert to facilitate preamble detection in one implementation.
Abstract:
Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. In an embodiment, an imaging device, an e-compass, an accelerometer, and a processor are elements of a system. The processor is coupled to the imaging device, the e-compass, and the accelerometer. The processor causes the imaging device to scan a visual code, read a yaw angle from the visual code, and computes an estimate of a yaw angle based on magnetic field measurements taken by the e-compass. The processor generates scale factors and biases determined from measurements generated by the e-compass. Based on scanning the visual code, the processor computes a quality factor based on the yaw angle read from the visual code and the estimate of the yaw angle.
Abstract:
Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. In an embodiment, an imaging device, an gyroscope, and a processor are elements of a system. The processor is coupled to the imaging device and the gyroscope. The processor causes the imaging device to scan a visual code. Based on scanning the visual code, the processor causes the gyroscope to be calibrated.
Abstract:
A PLC network system and method operative with OFDM for generating MIMO frames with suitable preamble portions configured to provide backward compatibility with legacy PLC devices and facilitate different receiver tasks such as frame detection and symbol timing, channel estimation and automatic gain control (AGC), including robust preamble detection in the presence of impulsive noise and frequency-selective channels of the PLC network. A PLC device may include a delayed correlation detector and a cross-correlation detector operating in concert to facilitate preamble detection in one implementation.
Abstract:
A communication device includes a modulating component, a transmitting component and a controlling component. The modulating component generates a first modulated packet and a second modulated packet. The first modulated packet is based on a first modulation scheme and the second modulated packet is based on a second modulation scheme. The first modulation scheme has a first amount of energy associated therewith, and the second modulation scheme has a second amount of energy associated therewith. The first amount of energy is less than the second amount of energy. The transmitting component generates a transmit packet based on one of the first modulated packet and the second modulated packet. The controlling component generates a control signal to instruct the modulating component to generate the first modulated packet when the transmit packet will be less than a predetermined threshold. The threshold is based on the first amount of energy.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for routing protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method performed by a PLC device, such as a PLC meter, may include selecting one or more transmit sub-bands on which to transmit frames, where the transmit sub-bands comprise groups of carrier frequencies. The PLC device then generates a frame comprising a tone map that indicates which transmit sub-bands are used to carry data for the frame. The tone map using two bits per transmit sub-band to indicate a status of each transmit sub-band. The PLC device then transmits the frame on the selected transmit sub-bands. A resolution bit and a mode bit may be used to provide additional information about the transmit sub-bands, such as an amount of power adjustment that has been applied to carrier frequencies and whether dummy bits are transmitted on unused carrier frequencies.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for building, transmitting, and receiving frame structures in power line communications (PLC) are described. Various techniques described herein provide a preamble design using one or more symbols based on a chirp signal that yields a low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). According to some techniques, the preamble may be constructed with one or more different types and/or number of symbols configured to identify a PLC domain operating in close physical proximity to another PLC domain. According to other techniques, one or more preamble symbols may be interspersed within a header portion of a PLC frame to facilitate estimation of a frame boundary and/or sampling frequency offset, for example, in the presence of impulsive noise. According to yet other techniques, a PLC detector may be capable of receiving and decoding two or more types of PLC frames (e.g., using different PLC standards).
Abstract:
Embodiments of methods and systems for supporting coexistence of multiple technologies in a Power Line Communication (PLC) network are disclosed. A long coexistence preamble sequence may be transmitted by a device that has been forced to back off the PLC channel multiple times. The long coexistence sequence provides a way for the device to request channel access from devices on the channel using other technology. The device may transmit a data packet after transmitting the long coexistence preamble sequence. A network duty cycle time may also be defined as a maximum allowed duration for nodes of the same network to access the channel. When the network duty cycle time occurs, all nodes will back off the channel for a duty cycle extended inter frame space before transmitting again. The long coexistence preamble sequence and the network duty cycle time may be used together.
Abstract:
Embodiments include methods of powerline communications using a preamble with band extension is provided. A method may include receiving a packet data unit PDU. Bit-level repetition is applied to at least a portion of the PDU to create a repeated portion. Interleaving is performed per a subchannel. Pilot tones are inserted in the interleaved portion. Each data tone is modulated with respect to a nearest one of the inserted pilot tones. The PDU is transmitted over a power line.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for a cipher then segment approach in a Power Line Communication (PLC). A node or device generates frames to be transmitted to a destination node in the PLC network. A processor in the node is configured to generate a data payload comprising data to be sent to the destination node. The processor divides the data payload into two or more payload segments and encrypts the payload segments. The processor creates a frame for each of the encrypted payload segments, wherein each frame comprises a message integrity code. The processor creates a segment identifier for each frame using the message integrity code and an authentication key that is shared with the destination PLC node. The segment identifier is added to each frame.