Analog Full-Duplex Amplify-and-Forward Relay for Power Line Communication Networks

Signal relays in power line communication networks are usually implemented using the decode-and-forward protocol, which requires complex relays. In this letter, we propose a real-time amplify-and-forward relay that is mainly based on an analog full-duplex architecture. The speed of analog circuits enables the amplification of the incoming signal without introducing a significant communication delay. Our system-level analysis explains the optimization of the relay design and, based on a measured channel database, shows what increase in communication rate can be achieved by using the proposed solution.