Statistical Modeling of Asynchronous Impulsive Noise in Powerline Communication Networks

Powerline distribution networks are increasingly being employed to support smart grid communication infrastructure and in-home LAN connectivity. However, their primary function of power distribution results in a hostile environment for communication systems. In particular, asynchronous impulsive noise, with levels as high as 50dB above thermal noise, causes significant degradation in communication performance. Much of the prior work uses limited empirical measurements to propose a statistical model for instantaneous statistics of asynchronous noise. In this paper, we (i) derive a canonical statistical-physical model of the instantaneous statistics of asynchronous noise based on the physical properties of the PLC network, and (ii) validate the distribution using simulated and measured PLC noise data. The results of this paper can be used to analyze, simulate, and mitigate the effect of the asynchronous noise on PLC systems.