Embodiments of methods and systems are presented for handling PHY frames with multiple Reed-Solomon encoded blocks in PLC networks. A PHY frame is receive from a PLC device, the PHY frame comprising two or more Reed-Solomon encoded blocks. A first Reed-Solomon encoded block comprises a media access control (MAC) header. The first Reed-Solomon encoded block is decoded. An error-detection check is performed on the first decoded Reed-Solomon encoded block.

A method for optimizing a home automation system is provided having a plurality of communicating devices capable of exchanging information therebetween via a local low bandwidth PLC (Power Line Communication) network. The method includes a phase in which the PLC transmission power is adjusted for each new device added to the network. The phase includes the following successive steps: installing (10) the new device configured to transmit at a predefined maximum power on said PLC network; cutting off (20) all ongoing communications on the PLC network except for the new device; testing communication for each pre-existing device on the PLC network with which the new device is to be paired and, if communication fails, ensuring an automatic incremental increase (30) of the PLC transmission power of the pre-existing device until a first PLC transmission power value is reached at which PLC communication can be initialized between the pre-existing device and the new device; and ensuring an automatic reduction (40) of the PLC transmission power of the new device while communication between each pre-existing device and the new device is active.

A slotted message access protocol can be implemented for transmitting short packets. Each beacon period may be divided into multiple time slots. At least one time slot may be assigned to a network device per beacon period based, at least in part, on latency specifications of packets that the network device is configured to transmit. In one example, some of the unassigned time slots may be designated as contention-based time slots. Network devices may contend with each other to gain control of and transmit packets during a contention-based time slot based on the priority level of the packets to be transmitted. Network devices may also use an encryption key and an initialization vector for securely exchanging short packets. Furthermore, a repeater network device may be designated to retransmit a packet, received from an original transmitting network device, during a communication time slot assigned to the original transmitting network device.

A communication device and a communication signal generation method are provided that perform receiving input data; and processing the input data according to a determined channel to generate a communication frame. The determined channel corresponds to one of a plurality of channels including at least one first channel defined by a first mode and at least one second channel defined by a second mode. A frequency band of the first channel including subcarriers is different from a frequency band of the second channel including subcarriers. A frequency interval of the subcarriers in the first channel is different from a frequency interval of the subcarriers in the second channel. A number of the first channel(s) in the first mode is different from a number of the second channel(s) in the second mode.

A method includes a gateway node that obtains a data transmission parameter between a first-level node and each node in a first node set, where the first-level node is located on a first-level power distribution device in a power distribution grid, and the first node set includes a node located on a power distribution device at another level in the power distribution grid other than the first-level power distribution device; determines a second-level node directly coupled to the first-level node from the first node set based on the data transmission parameter between the first-level node and each node in the first node set; and generates a physical network topology of the power distribution grid.

Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing beacon-enabled communications for variable payload transfers are described. In various embodiments, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, a method may include implementing a superframe having a plurality of beacon slots, a plurality of intermediate slots following the beacon slots, and a poll-based Contention Free Period (CFP) slot following the intermediate slots. Each of the beacon slots and each of the intermediate slots may correspond to a respective one of a plurality of frequency subbands, and the poll-based CFP slot may correspond to a combination of the plurality of frequency subbands. The method may also include receiving a poll request over a first of the plurality of frequency subbands during the poll-based CFP slot, and then transmitting a data packet over a second of the plurality of frequency subbands during the poll-based CFP slot.

A system includes a switch of an electric power distribution system, the switch being configured to receive data and to transmit data, and the system includes a controller configured to communicatively couple to the switch. The controller is configured to create a software defined network by instructing the switch to transmit data to a location, and the controller is configured to generate a set of keys and to provide the set of keys to the switch to enable the switch to communicate data via a Media Access Security (MACsec) communication link, a MACsec key agreement (MKA) connectivity association, or both.

A method and computer readable medium for communication on a shared media. In one embodiment, the method comprises holding a token by a first coordinator on a virtual ring, only a token-holding coordinator is permitted to transmit data associated with a first service level; transmitting data associated with the first service level, by the first coordinator, to device(s) on a first local domain; passing, by the first coordinator, the token to a second coordinator; periodically transmitting data associated with the first service level, by the second coordinator, to device(s) on a second local domain; receiving, by a third coordinator while the second coordinator holds the token, a message to transmit data associated with a second service level to device(s) of a third local domain; and transmitting, by the third coordinator while the second coordinator is not transmitting, the data associated with the second service level.

An algorithm for the promotion of terminal nodes to switch nodes in a PLC network reduces overall network overhead and collisions, while ensuring the appropriate selection of a switch node and minimizing the number of levels in a PLC network. It also ensures that the terminal nodes with appropriate signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are promoted. It is desirable to have a network with fewer levels. The disclosed approach favors the nodes that are closer to the DC to promote them as switch nodes. This is achieved by waiting for a smaller number of PNPDUs for a node that is closer to the DC in comparison to a node that is farther away from the DC.

An embodiment method implemented by an agent device comprises receiving, by the agent device, from a device, a bootstrap request message over a first communication channel; transmitting, by the agent device, to a coordinating device, a request message comprising the bootstrap request message and a first channel type indicator indicating a channel type of the first communication channel; receiving, by the agent device, from the coordinating device, a response message comprising a bootstrap response message and a second channel type indicator indicating the channel type of the first communication channel; and transmitting, by the agent device, to a device, the bootstrap response message over a second communication channel in accordance with the second channel type indicator.