Wide area IOT networks on existing power lines

Architecture

Standards based – designed from the ground up for long range, narrow band communications on power lines designed on top of international G3-PLC standards

SIMPLE.

Fast out of the box installation.
Zero field setup: Unique security keys and network IDs pre-configured at factory.
Auto connecting. Nodes automatically join the network.
Flexible front end connectivity. Application connectivity can be via local ethernet, WiFi or Cellular.
Internet connectivity not needed. Multiple data IO pipelines are supported : push to a local database, https push/pull requests, MQTT among others to support both local and cloud connected installations.

SECURE.

256-bit Elliptic Curve Cryptography. All messages on the power line networks are fully encrypted with factory configured security keys and certificates.
No cloud connectivity needed. The entire network can be local with the control/monitoring software (SCADA) running on a local computer connected to the gateway via a hardwired ethernet cable.
Industry standard security for optional cloud connection. https connections with TLS for when cloud connectivity is needed.

RELIABLE.

Standards based. Based on the IEEE standard 1901.2 and ITU-T-G.9903, it is compliant to standards across the world.
Field tested. The G3-PLC alliance has an installed user base of over 50 million nodes making this an extensively field tested technology.
Auto healing IPV6 mesh network. The architecture is designed with a high level of fault tolerance to allow operation with various densities of nodes.

Application overview
Building grid compatibility
Technical specifications
Downloads

Gateway can be placed on on any or all of of the three phases of the low voltage side (80 to 305VAC between phase and neutral) of the building or city power grid.
Additional gateways can be placed downstream of interior distribution transformers. This is typical in large buildings where a single medium voltage feeder is used to feed MV-LV transformers placed in various locations in the large site.
Each gateway can support up to 255 nodes per network (or sub-net if multiple gateways are used in a building with multiple MV-LV transformers.
Each node can be hundreds of feet away from the next node and still maintain network connectivity.

Important Installation notes:

Neutral connection required
Suitable for use on 80 to 305 VAC phase to neutral voltages: this includes 480 3Y, 208 3Y, 240 1P, 120 1P – all rows with a green check mark in the picture to the left are compatible with the PLAN systems.
Do not use on 480 Delta or corner grounded delta: These type of systems do not have a neutral

Building type	Primary distribution	PLAN compatibility
US Large building / small industry	3 Phase, 4 wire 480 Y (277 phase to neutral)	Compatible with connection between phase and neutral
US Residential	Main 1 phase 240 / Split phase 120V phase to neutral	Compatible on main or on split phases. Connect both 240 phases to gateway along with neutral
International	Varies	Refer to compatibility matrix on left

OFDM based physical layer [ BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK]
CENELEC B Band – compliant with world regulatory bodies
IEEE, ITU, IEC/CENELEC standards based
Two layers of forward error correction for robust data communications in harsh power line channels
Adaptive tone mapping for optimal bandwidth utilization
Channel estimation to select the optimal modulation scheme between neighboring nodes.
“Robust” mode to improve communication under noisy channel conditions.
IEEE 802.15.4-based MAC layer well suited to low data rates.
6LoWPAN adaptation layer to transmit IPv6 packets over powerline channels.
Multi layer encryption : Patented Cipher-Stream encryption on top of 256-bit Elliptic Curve Cryptography
Coexistence with older S-FSK (IEC 61334), and broadband IEEE P1901 and ITU G.hn standards.
Supports IPv6 to allow Internet-based energy management systems and applications.
Mesh routing protocol to determine the best path between remote network nodes