PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT USING FORWARD ERROR-CORRECTION ON POWER-LINE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

The use of forward error correction (FEC) coding is investigated, to enhance communication throughput and reliability on noisy power line networks. Rate one-half self-orthogonal convolutional codes are considered. These codes are known to be effective in other environments, and can be decoded inexpensively in real-time using majority logic decoders. Extensive bit and packet error rate tests were conducted on actual, noisy in-building power line links. Coding gains of 15 dB were observed at 10(-3) decoded bit error rates. A self-orthogonal (2, 1, 6) convolutional code with interleaving to degree 7 was particularly effective, and was implemented as a VLSI microelectronic chip. Its use improved data throughput and packet error rates substantially, at data transmission rates of 9,600 bits/s.