Advancing Power Line Communication: Cognitive, Cooperative, and MIMO Communication

Power line communication is a an established wired communication technology that has been investigated for low and high bit rate data communication systems. Currently, there is a great interests in providing new power line communication solutions for embedded systems, smart grid communication, and digital inclusion. Due to the impairments of electric power grids for data communications, new schemes and techniques need to be devised for the introduction of a new generation of power line communication systems.This overview-type paper addresses some of the weaknesses of current PLC technologies and the possible benefits from using concepts of cooperative, cognitive and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communications.