Design and implementation of analyzing instrument for broadband powerline communications

This paper deals with the design and implementation of the analyzing instrument for the broadband powerline communication. This instrument has integrated functions for channel estimation, noise power spectrum measurement, and impedance measurement. It consists of a digital board with high speed DSP and FPGA chips, an analog board as a front-end adaptation to the powerline medium, and a Windows GUI application for presenting measurement results. This paper gives measurement algorithms used in this system and a description of the hardware and software prototype.