Optimal Topology Discovery for Automatic Meter Reading Using Powerline Carrier

i Declaration of Originality ii Acknowledgements iii Table of Figures and Tables vi Glossary of Terms vii 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 General Background on Powerline Communications 1 1.2 Objectives of the Project 1 1.3 Overview of Chapters 2 2.0 Details of Automatic Meter Reading Systems 2 2.1 General Description 2 2.2 Ongoing Development of AMR 3 2.3 AMR System Using Power Line Carrier Technology 4 2.4 Major Developers of AMR Systems 5 2.4.1 Echelon Corporation 5 2.4.2 Enel S.p.A. 6 2.4.3 AMR System Using CEBus Technology 6 2.4.4 Domosys Corporation and PowerBus 7 3.0 Routing Techniques 7 3.1 The Need for Adaptive Routing 7 3.2 Network Link Services Protocol (NLSP) 8 3.3 Adaptive Token Passing Protocol 8 3.4 Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) 9 4.0 Decision Making and Parameter Selection 9 4.1 Software Selection 9 4.2 Power Distribution Network in New Zealand 10 4.3 Regulatory Standards for Powerline Communications 12 4.4 Modelling Power Cable Attenuation 13 4.5 Powerline Channel Impairments 14 4.5.1 Four Types of Noise 14 4.5.2 Standing Waves and Multipath Interference 16 Year IV Project 2003 Final Report Dan Xu Project 32 v 4.5.3 Modelling the Channel Impairments 17 4.6 Modulation Scheme Selection 18 4.6.1 Binary Frequency Shift Keying (BFSK) 18 4.6.2 Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) 19 4.7 Choosing the SIR Threshold 19 5.0 Software Model Design 22 5.1 Modelling the AMR Network Structure 22 5.2 Basic Parameters of the Model 24 5.2.1 The Meter ID 24 5.2.2 The Electronic ID 24 5.3 Data Packet Design and Simulation 25 5.4 Proposed Database Structures 27 5.5 Communication Relay Designation 28 5.6 Software Model Operation 30 5.6.1 Overview 30 5.6.2 Network Topology Update 34 5.7 The Incorporation of Adaptive Routing 34 5.8 Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Model 35 5.9 Flow Chart of the Model Operation 38 6.0 Future Development and Enhancements 39