A system includes server that performs operations including obtaining, from sensors, measurements of physical parameters related to electrical power transmission and data transfer corresponding to a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) data links and a multi-use power interface configured to be electrically and communicatively coupled to a vehicle via the BPL data links. The operations also include receiving identification and location information, and a timestamp associated with a connector of the multi-use power interface, and then storing the measurements, the identification and location information, and the timestamp. The operations further include detecting a change of the connector, and identifying trends in parameters by comparing the measurements and the identification and location information to historical data. The operations also include predicting, based on correlating the identified trends to the detected change, a pending failure of a network or electrical component, and transmitting an alert indicating the pending failure to a stakeholder.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a network device that accesses internet protocol addresses associated with a group of end point devices where the network device is a closest network device to the group of end point devices, and transmitting data to another network device responsive to a determination that an internet protocol address associated with the data from an end point device is one of the internet protocol addresses associated with the group of end point devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A receiving device for receiving PLC signals, including a filtering stage linked to an input of the receiving device and configurable in at least two modes including a default mode, wherein the filtering stage passes at least first PLC signals included in a first frequency band and second PLC signals included in a second frequency band separate from the first frequency band, and a first selection mode, in which the filtering stage passes the first PLC signals and stops the second PLC signals; and a processing circuit linked to the filtering stage and arranged to receive frames of PLC signals, and, for each received frame, to analyse a preamble of the frame, and to dynamically configure the filtering stage in the first selection mode if the frame is a frame of first PLC signals.

Embodiments of methods and systems for supporting coexistence of multiple technologies in a Power Line Communication (PLC) network are disclosed. A long coexistence preamble sequence may be transmitted by a device that has been forced to back off the PLC channel multiple times. The long coexistence sequence provides a way for the device to request channel access from devices on the channel using other technology. The device may transmit a data packet after transmitting the long coexistence preamble sequence. A network duty cycle time may also be defined as a maximum allowed duration for nodes of the same network to access the channel. When the network duty cycle time occurs, all nodes will back off the channel for a duty cycle extended inter frame space before transmitting again. The long coexistence preamble sequence and the network duty cycle time may be used together.

A double alternating frequency algorithm (DAFA) uses a high frequency carrier wave (>1 GHz) that lies above environmental noise and is capable of carrying large amounts of data, stacks a plurality of N frequency channels on the carrier wave (e.g., one channel for each transformer serviced by a substation) and changes the frequency of the carrier wave at each transformer to repeat the data for downstream and upstream propagation for providing broadband Internet over power lines. This approach will fulfill the promise of broadband Internet to the vast rural areas of the United States that do not have access to broadband Internet. Furthermore, this approach will provide another revenue source for utility companies to leverage the existing power distribution system.

A communication device in a network may receive a stream of frames from the network, in which each frame includes one or more beacon packets. A communication protocol being used by the network may be identified by tracking a preselected field within a sequence of beacon packets, in which the preselected field varies in a first known manner for a first protocol and in a second known manner for a second protocol. The communication device may then join to the network using the identified communication protocol to transmit and receive data.

Embodiments of the invention provide multiple cyclic prefix lengths for either both the data-payload and frame control header or only the data payload. Frame control header (FCH) and data symbols have an associated cyclic prefix. A table is transmitted in the FCH symbols, which includes a cyclic prefix field to identify the cyclic prefix length used in the data payload. A receiver may know the cyclic prefix length used in the FCH symbols in one embodiment. In other embodiments, the receiver does not know the FCH cyclic prefix length and, therefore, attempts to decode the FCH symbols using different possible cyclic prefix lengths until the FCH symbols are successfully decoded.

Built-in instrumentation for power measurement integrating power monitoring, delivery and management, power safety, and automation control.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving wirelessly a first transmission of data from a network interface device, wherein the network interface device includes a receiver and a transmitter. The network interface device receives, via the receiver, electromagnetic waves that propagate on a surface of a dielectric transmission medium. The network interface device converts, via the receiver, the electromagnetic waves to an electrical signal, and transmits, via the transmitter, a first transmission of the data based on the electrical signal. A determination is made that the data is to be directed towards a recipient device connected to at least one electrical circuit and, based on the determination, a second transmission of the data is initiated as a power line communication transmission of a utility power line via the at least one electrical circuit. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Systems and methods for setting a carrier-sensing mechanism in a PLC node are disclosed. In a PLC standard, coexistence is achieved by having the nodes detect a common preamble and backing off by a Coexistence InterFrame Space (cEIFS) time period to help the node to avoid interfering with the other technologies. In one embodiment, a PHY primitive is sent from the PHY to the MAC know that there has been a preamble detection. A two-level indication may be usedone indication after receiving the preamble and other indication after decoding the entire frame. The MAC sets the carrier-sensing mechanism based on the preamble detection.