Performance analysis of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems in dispersive indoor power line channels inflicting asynchronous impulsive noise

Abstract

Hidden semi-Markov modelling of the asynchronous impulsive noise (IN) encountered in indoor broadband power line communications (PLCs) is investigated by considering the statistical distributions of both the inter-arrival time and the duration of asynchronous IN components. Then, the bit error ratio (BER) of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems using Q-ary quadrature amplitude modulation is analysed with the aid of the proposed noise model, when communicating over dispersive indoor power line channels inflicting asynchronous IN in addition to the background noise. The authors’ simulation results confirm the accuracy of the analysis and quantify the impact of various factors on the achievable BER performance. The grave impact of asynchronous IN on indoor broadband PLCs suggests that efficient techniques have to be designed for mitigating its effects.