IEEE P1901 is the global standard for power line communications. During its Tokyo meeting in July 2009, the P1901 working group approved the "IEEE 1901 Draft Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications" as an IEEE draft standard for broadband over power line networks defining medium access control and physical layer specifications. During its Boston meeting 13 October 2009, the working group decided to stop the development of the ITU-T G.hn Compatible PHY/MAC Draft option. Related chapters and annexes were removed from the Draft. (see http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1901/).

The P1901 Draft Standard includes two different PHY layers, one based on OFDM modulation and another based on Wavelet modulation. Each PHY is optional, and implementers of the specification may, but are not required to include both. Devices that use the OFDM PHY only would not interoperate with devices based on Wavelet PHY. A small minority of members of P1901 maintain that this lack of interoperability defeats the purpose of having a standard^[1]. Others maintain that it is a necessary step to market consolidation^[2].

Contents 1 Dual PHY 2 P1901 timeline 3 Related Standards 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

[edit] Dual PHY

P1901 includes two PHY options. The first option ("FFT PHY") is based on FFT OFDM modulation, with a Forward error correction (FEC) scheme based on Convolutional Turbo code (CTC). The second option ("Wavelet PHY") is based on Wavelet OFDM modulation, with a mandatory FEC based on concatenated Reed-Solomon (RS) and Convolutional code, and an option to use Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code.^[3].

[edit] P1901 timeline

In October 2007 the working group completed the down selection process. The final proposal selected by the group was a combined Homeplug/Panasonic proposal. All other proposals were eliminated ^[4]

In December 2008 the working group voted to adopt the Baseline with broad support (85% for the in-home cluster, 97% for the access cluster and 100% for the coexistence cluster)^[5].

In February 2009, the tasks of updating the baseline document were allocated to four Technical Subgroups (TSGs). TSG1 is in charge of editorial tasks, TSG2 is in charge of the confirmed FFT and Wavelet PHYs and MACs, TSG3 is in charge of developing a potential ITU-T G.hn Compatible PHY/MAC option (subsequently removed), and TSG4 is in charge of all coexistence aspects.

In July 2009, the working group voted to approve the Draft Standard^[6].

IEEE P1901 is currently in the drafting stage. A first version of the draft was submitted for Working Group Letter Ballot on July 2009. By October 2009, the working group had resolved more than 50% of comments received on the Draft Standard document^[7].

Although IEEE P1901 has not published an official timeline, there is public information available regarding how much time it has historically taken for other IEEE Working Groups (such as 802.11) to approve standards of similar or lower complexity. However as the other IEEE Working Groups operate under different policies and procedures and are individual rather than entity based, a direct comparison could be misleading.

[edit] Related Standards

IEEE P1675 is another IEEE standard related to Broadband over Power Line. P1675 provides testing and verification standards for the hardware commonly used for Broadband over Power Line (BPL) installations (primarily couplers and enclosures) and provides standard installation methods to ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards.

IEEE P1775 ("Powerline Communication Equipment — Electromagnetic Compatibility Requirements — Testing and Measurement Methods") is an IEEE working group focused on PLC equipment, electromagnetic compatibility requirements, and testing and measurement methods.

[edit] See also

• Power line communication

[edit] External links

• IEEE P1901 Official site
• IEEE P1901 PAR describes the official scope of the work group

[edit] References

1. ^ How To Kill The Home Networking Industry, provides an overview of the controversy around the dual-PHY proposal at P1901
2. ^ Setting The Standard In Wireline Home Networking
3. ^ Recent Developments in the Standardization of Power Line Communications within the IEEE, (Stefano Galli et al., IEEE Communications Magazine, July 2008), provides an overview of P1901 PHY/MAC proposal
4. ^ HomePlug/Panasonic Merged Proposal Takes the First Step in Becoming a Worldwide Standard through the Efforts of the IEEE P1901 Work Group
5. ^ [http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_broadbandstandard.html IEEE Confirms Baseline for Broadband-Over-Power Line Standard], IEEE
6. ^ IEEE 1901 Draft Standard Announcement
7. ^ IEEE P1901 Working Group Takes Significant Steps toward Completion of Powerline Communications Standard

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This article incorporates some information taken from IEEE P1901 Official site with permission.