The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Mutual interference investigation of CEBus and X-10 powerline signaling
Author:	Pallithotungal, Sajid
View Online:	njit-etd1999-084 (x, 53 pages ~ 4.1 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Telecommunications
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Manikopoulos, Constantine N. (Committee chair) Shi, Yun Q. (Committee member) Karvelas, Dionissios (Committee member)
Date:	1999-08
Keywords:	Household electronics. Local area networks (Computer networks)
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Powerline control signaling using CEBus has great potential towards inexpensive home automation. CEBus transmits at 10 kBps using spread spectrum in the 100-400 kHz band while X-l0 sends 60 Bps using bursts of 120 kHz carrier on the power line. However, these two signals may destructively interfere when present simultaneously. X-10 is narrow band and interferes with the CEBus spread spectrum signal. This thesis looks into the mutual interference patterns of Power Line CEBus communication in the presence of X-l0 module signaling and visa versa. The investigation encompasses a series of tests and measurements on a Power Line CEBus-X10 test bed. The test bed allows progressively attenuated signal levels of X-10 to interact with CEBus and vice versa. Thus, the probability of success of CEBus and X-10 packets were studied at various levels of CEBus and X-10 in absolute as well as in relative terms in the ranges of approximately 0 to 20 dB. In general, the CEBus signal obstructs the X-10 signal. Weak strength X-l0 does not have any effect on CEBus, but a weak strength CEBus does have a discernable adverse effect on X- 10. For the same levels of attenuation, CEBus packets have a higher probability of survival than X- 10, which can be attributed to the processing gain inherent to the CEBus spead spectrum signaling as well as to the lower detection threshold level of CEBus with respect to X-l0. However, when a strong X- 10 signal interferes with a weak CEBus signal some probability of CEBus packet loss was observed. Simulation studies further illuminated the interference behavior of the CEBus X-l0 cohabitating signals under that scenario.