Abstract:
In a disclosed embodiment, a method for communication in a network includes receiving, at a first device registered to the network, a physical layer (PHY) frame that includes a PHY header and a MAC header. The PHY frame may further include a MAC payload. The PHY header includes a destination address field. The method further includes comparing a network address of the first device to the destination address field to determine whether the destination address field stores a value having the same number of bits as the network address. When the comparison indicates that the value stored by the destination address field does not have the same number of bits as the network address, the method skips decoding the MAC header and the MAC payload.
Abstract:
A packet between a first node and a second node, the packet comprising a data payload and a portion of information preceding the data payload. The comprises: (i) first, identifying a quality of a channel between the first node and the second node; (ii) second, in response to the quality of the channel, selecting a manner of communication of the information preceding the data payload; (iii) third, encoding the selected manner of communication in the portion of information preceding data payload; and (iv) fourth, transmitting the packet from the first node to the second node.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for implementing coexistence by requesting access to a channel in power line communications (PLC) are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a method performed by a PLC device, such as a PLC meter, may include detecting a communication from foreign PLC device on a PLC network in response to a foreign preamble received by the PLC device, determining whether a threshold back-off duration has been reached, and transmitting a channel access request in response to a determination that the threshold back-off duration has been reached.
Abstract:
Embodiments of methods and systems are presented for handling PHY frames with multiple Reed-Solomon encoded blocks in PLC networks. A PHY frame is receive from a PLC device, the PHY frame comprising two or more Reed-Solomon encoded blocks. A first Reed-Solomon encoded block comprises a media access control (MAC) header. The first Reed-Solomon encoded block is decoded. An error-detection check is performed on the first decoded Reed-Solomon encoded block.
Abstract:
Embodiments of methods and systems are presented for generating PHY frames with multiple Reed-Solomon encoded blocks in PLC networks. In one embodiment, a MAC layer divides a data frame from a higher level into data blocks. The MAC layer may add a MAC header and/or an error-detection code to each data block. The MAC layer then passes the data blocks to a PHY layer to be individually Reed-Solomon encoded and combined into a single PHY frame for transmission on a PLC network. In other embodiments, the MAC layer passes a single data frame to the PHY layer, which divides the MAC data frame into segments to be individually Reed-Solomon encoded. The individual Reed-Solomon encoded segments are combined into a single PHY frame for transmission on a PLC network.
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.
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 of the disclosure provide a cross coupled position engine architecture for sensor integration in a Global Navigation Satellite System. In one embodiment, a data processing engine for processing inertial sensor data within a positioning system receiver is disclosed. The data processing engine includes a first input for receiving the sensor data, and a second input for receiving a positioning data. The data processing system also includes a memory and a processor. The processor of the data processing system is coupled to the memory and to the first and second input. The processor of the data processing system is configured to calculate a net acceleration profile data from the inertial sensor data and from the positioning data. The net acceleration profile data calculated by the processor of the data processing system is used for the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to subsequently calculate a position and a velocity data.
Abstract:
Embodiments of a power line communication (PLC) transmitter device for overlapping priority contention windows are presented. A processor is configured to perform a physical channel sense operation to detect an idle channel on a PLC network. A transmitter transmits a normal priority data packet on the channel during a high priority contention window. In another embodiment, a Normal Priority Contention Window (NPCW) is allowed to overlap with a High Priority Contention Window (HPCW). The minimum contention window for the normal priority frames (i.e., NPCW) is equal to or longer than the contention window for high priority frames (i.e., HPCW). By making the NPCW longer than the HPCW, the high priority frames will have a better chance than normal priority frames to get access to the channel on transmission reattempts.
Abstract:
In a method for communicating with a plurality of devices using different communication protocols, a signal is received at a transceiver device from a neighbor device via a physical layer of a communication media. At a first time the signal contains a header frame from a first device conforming to a first communication protocol and at another time the signal contains a header frame from a second device conforming to a second communication protocol. The transceiver determines which of the different communication protocols is being used by each of the plurality of devices. The transceiver may then process inbound payload data using the indentified protocol type. Data frames are transmitted to the first device using the first communication protocol and data frames are transmitted to the second device using the second communication protocol.