Modeling and Performance Analysis of Automatic Meter-Reading Systems Using PLC Under Impulsive Noise Interference

This paper presents analytical models to study the performances of two schemes for automatic meter-reading (AMR) systems using power-line-communication (PLC)-access networks. These two schemes, namely, clustered simple polling and neighbor relay polling, are shown to be typically effective and efficient AMR schemes for overcoming the “silent node” problem associated with AMR systems. The analytical models also present the analysis of two different topological structures, radial and tree, of the PLC-access network assuming an automatic three-level clustering mechanism. The performances of the AMR schemes in terms of data-collection delay and throughput under impulsive noise interference are analyzed. The models are used to study the optimum packet size and data rate to mitigate the effect of impulsive noise on AMR system performance. Through comparison of the analytical results with the simulation results, it is verified that the analytical models have been accurately developed.