A communication method and related device of a power line broadband carrier communication network

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method of a power line broadband carrier communication network and related equipment, and belongs to the technical field of power line communication. The method is executed by a CCO, network communication is carried out based on a superframe time slot structure of a beacon period; the CCO allocates a service identifier to a periodic reporting service of a node and sets a timer; when the timer reaches, the CCO allocates a special time slot to the service in a binding CSMA time slot area; for a temporary triggered service, the node uses random competition access in the CSMA time slot area; for the periodic reporting service, an adaptive channel access strategy is used: if a 136 byte physical block is used for a beacon signal, the node competes for access in the CSMA time slot area; if a 520 byte physical block is used, the node starts to send at the start time of the allocated special time slot, and all relay nodes directly forward without listening in the special time slot of the relay nodes, until the message is uploaded to the CCO, so that conflicts are avoided. The application effectively improves the efficiency and reliability of high-frequency data collection, is compatible with existing standards, and is easy to deploy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of power line communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and related equipment for a power line broadband carrier communication network. Background Technology

[0002] Power line communication (PLC) technology utilizes existing power lines as the transmission medium for data communication. It offers advantages such as no need for re-laying the network and wide coverage, and is widely used in fields such as intelligent meter reading (AMR), home automation, and smart grid monitoring. Among these, wideband power line communication (HPLC) technology, compared to narrowband technology, boasts higher communication speeds, stronger anti-interference capabilities, and better networking capabilities, making it the mainstream local communication technology for current electricity information collection systems.

[0003] Current HPLC communication standards (such as the State Grid / Southern Power Grid interconnection specifications) typically employ a beacon period-based superframe time slot structure for network communication. A superframe period usually includes a beacon time slot area for transmitting beacon signals and a CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) time slot area for service data transmission. The standard also defines TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) time slot areas and bonded CSMA time slot areas; however, in practical applications, due to compatibility issues with traditional meter reading service modes, these time slot areas are usually disabled (length set to 0), and all service data accesses the channel within the CSMA time slot area in a random contention manner.

[0004] With the construction of new power systems, a large number of new devices such as distributed photovoltaics, energy storage systems, charging piles, and adjustable loads are being connected to distribution transformer areas. This has led to a dramatic expansion in the scale of network nodes, a diversification of service types, and increasingly stringent requirements for real-time data acquisition, moving from the traditional 15-minute intervals to minutes or even seconds. Against this backdrop, the traditional pure CSMA contention access method has revealed serious flaws: when the network load increases, the probability of data packet collisions increases exponentially, resulting in a decrease in transmission success rate, increased latency, and a sharp drop in network throughput, failing to meet the reliability requirements of high-frequency data acquisition. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this application is to propose a communication method, electronic device, storage medium, and program product for a power line broadband carrier communication network, which can effectively improve channel utilization, reduce signal interference, and ensure the transmission quality of high-frequency services.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, one aspect of this application proposes a communication method for a power line broadband carrier communication network. The Central Coordinator (CCO) uses a beacon period-based superframe time slot structure for network communication. One beacon period includes a beacon time slot area, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) time slot area, a Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) time slot area, and a bonded CSMA time slot area. The method includes the following steps:

[0007] The CCO sets a timer for the periodic reporting service of each node in the network, and starts the copying process for that service when the timer expires.

[0008] The CCO allocates dedicated time slots for nodes performing the periodic reporting service within the bound CSMA time slot area;

[0009] For temporary triggered services, nodes use a random contention method to access the channel in the CSMA time slot area to send uplink data packets.

[0010] For periodic reporting services, the node's uplink data packets adopt an adaptive channel access method:

[0011] If the beacon signal payload in the current beacon cycle uses the first type of physical block format (such as a 136-byte physical block), then the node will access the CSMA time slot in a random contention manner.

[0012] If the beacon signal payload in the current beacon period uses the second type of physical block format (e.g., 520-byte physical block), the node starts sending uplink data packets at the beginning of the bound CSMA dedicated time slot allocated to itself. In subsequent multi-hop relay transmission, each hop relay node forwards the packet directly at the beginning of its allocated bound CSMA dedicated time slot without listening to the channel, until the uplink data packet is uploaded to the CCO.

[0013] The signaling capacity of the second type of physical block format is greater than that of the first type of physical block format.

[0014] In some embodiments, if a node fails to transmit its uplink data packet to the CCO after the end of its allocated CSMA-dedicated time slot, the last receiving relay node of the uplink data packet will continue the uplink transmission of the packet in a random contention manner within the CSMA time slot area of ​​the next beacon period.

[0015] In some embodiments, if the CCO does not receive an uplink data packet from a node after the end of the dedicated CSMA time slot allocated to that node, the CCO waits for a preset time in the CSMA time slot area of ​​the next beacon cycle to receive the packet; if it is still not received within the preset time, the CCO initiates an active copying process for that node to copy the data.

[0016] In some embodiments, after initiating the active copying process, the CCO increases the length of the bound CSMA dedicated time slot allocated to the node during the next round of service copying for that node.

[0017] In some embodiments, if the CCO receives a complete uplink data packet from a node before the end of the dedicated CSMA-bound time slot allocated to that node, the length of the dedicated CSMA-bound time slot allocated to that node will be reduced in the next round of service data transfer for that node.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes networking and discovery steps:

[0019] After the node is powered on, it listens for and receives the central beacon signal sent by the CCO;

[0020] Nodes on the whitelist apply to the CCO for network access, and the CCO assigns them a network short address (TEI).

[0021] The CCO periodically allocates a basic time slot in the TDMA time slot area according to the frequency of the discovery list messages that each node needs to send, so that each node can send its own discovery list messages without conflict.

[0022] In some embodiments, allocating a basic time slot for each node in the TDMA time slot region includes:

[0023] The CCO specifies a start TEI and an end TEI through a time slot allocation message in the beacon signal;

[0024] The TDMA time slot region is divided into R+1 basic time slots, where R = End TEI - Start TEI;

[0025] The R+1 nodes within the starting TEI and ending TEI ranges are sequentially bound to a basic time slot, enabling each node to send discovery list messages within its bound basic time slot.

[0026] To achieve the above objectives, another aspect of this application provides an electronic device, which includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method described above.

[0027] To achieve the above objectives, another aspect of the embodiments of this application proposes a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described above.

[0028] To achieve the above objectives, another aspect of this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described above.

[0029] The embodiments of this application include at least the following beneficial effects: This application provides a communication method, electronic device, storage medium, and program product for a power line broadband carrier communication network. This solution significantly improves the data transmission efficiency and reliability of the network under high load conditions by distinguishing network services, adaptively selecting channel access strategies, and dynamically allocating time slot resources, thereby meeting the application requirements of minute-level high-frequency data acquisition. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tree network topology of the power line broadband carrier communication network in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the time axis division of the broadband power line carrier communication network in the embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the definition of the "non-central beacon information" field in beacon signals;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of CCO actively reading a single node in the existing technology;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a general flowchart of the communication method of the power line broadband carrier communication network in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a communication method for a power line broadband carrier communication network in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit it. In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with those of this application; they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the embodiments of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0038] Before providing a detailed description of the embodiments of this application, some of the nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained first. The nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of this application are subject to the following interpretations.

[0039] 1) CCO: Abbreviation for Central Coordinator. It is the master node in a communication network, responsible for network control, network maintenance and management, etc. Its corresponding device entity is the concentrator local communication unit.

[0040] 2) TDMA: an abbreviation for Time Division Multiple Access.

[0041] 3) CSMA: an abbreviation for Carrier Sense Multiple Access.

[0042] To address the existing technical problems, this application provides a communication method, electronic device, storage medium, and program product for a power line broadband carrier communication network. Within the framework of existing power line broadband carrier communication standards, this solution fully utilizes the TDMA and bound CSMA time slots in the beacon cycle. The beacon signal uses excess signaling space to carry TDMA and bound CSMA time slot allocation signaling. In the TDMA time slot, a time slot is periodically allocated for each node's locally broadcast discovery list message, ensuring conflict-free transmission of this type of service signal. In the bound CSMA time slot, an appropriate length of time slot is allocated as needed for the uplink transmission of the node's periodically reported service messages. By adopting an adaptive channel access strategy, the multi-hop uplink transmission process of this message is ensured to operate without channel listening or backoff. The communication signals are tightly sequenced in time, achieving efficient utilization of channel resources while avoiding signal collisions and conflicts. This effectively improves the acquisition efficiency of periodically reported data, which accounts for a major proportion of network services. Field test results show that this application can improve the efficiency of data collection and communication across the entire network, and can meet the information construction needs of minute-level high-frequency data collection in new distribution radio areas.

[0043] This application provides a communication method for a power line broadband carrier communication network, relating to the field of broadband carrier communication technology. The communication method provided in this application can be applied to a terminal, a server, or software running on a terminal or server. In some embodiments, the terminal can be a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, smart speaker, smartwatch, or vehicle terminal, but is not limited thereto; the server can be configured as an independent physical server, a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server providing basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communication, middleware services, domain name services, security services, CDN, and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. The server can also be a node server in a blockchain network; the software can be an application implementing the communication method of a power line broadband carrier communication network, but is not limited to the above forms.

[0044] This application can be used in a wide variety of general-purpose or special-purpose computer system environments or configurations. Examples include: personal computers, server computers, handheld or portable devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and distributed computing environments including any of the above systems or devices. This application can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions executed by a computer, such as program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. This application can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected via a communication network. In distributed computing environments, program modules can reside in local and remote computer storage media, including storage devices.

[0045] like Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment provides a communication method for a power line broadband carrier communication network. The Central Coordinator (CCO) uses a beacon period-based superframe time slot structure for network communication. One beacon period includes a beacon time slot area, a TDMA time slot area, a CSMA time slot area, and a bound CSMA time slot area. The method includes the following steps:

[0046] S1: Networking and Discovery Steps: After a node powers on, it listens for and receives the central beacon signal sent by the CCO; nodes in the pre-configured whitelist apply to the CCO to join the network, and the CCO assigns them a unique network short address (TEI); the CCO periodically allocates a basic time slot in the TDMA time slot area for each node according to the frequency of the discovery list messages that each node needs to send, so that each node can send its own discovery list messages without conflict.

[0047] S2: Service Management and Scheduling Steps: The CCO assigns a unique service link identifier (lid) to each type of periodic reporting service, and starts a corresponding timer for each periodic service of each node based on the service information reported by each node when it joins the network (such as reporting frequency and data packet size).

[0048] S3: Time slot allocation steps: When the periodic service timer of a node expires, the CCO starts the reading process for that service and allocates a dedicated time slot for the node in the bound CSMA time slot area of ​​the current or next beacon cycle.

[0049] S4: Adaptive Channel Access and Data Transmission Steps:

[0050] S41: For temporary triggered services (such as event alarms), their uplink data packets still use the traditional CSMA random contention method for channel access within the CSMA time slot area.

[0051] S42: For periodic reporting services, the access method for uplink data packets is adaptively selected based on network scale:

[0052] S421: Light load mode: If the beacon signal of the current beacon cycle uses the 136-byte physical block format due to the small number of network nodes (limited remaining signaling space), the node will still access the network in the CSMA time slot area in a random contention manner.

[0053] S422: Heavy Load Mode: If the beacon signal for the current beacon cycle uses a 520-byte physical block format due to the large number of network nodes (with sufficient remaining signaling space), the node begins sending uplink data packets at the beginning of its allocated CSMA-bound dedicated time slot. Crucially, in subsequent multi-hop relay transmissions, each hop relay node forwards the packet directly at the beginning of its pre-allocated CSMA-bound dedicated time slot by the CCO, without needing to listen to the channel or back off, until the packet reaches the CCO. This method avoids accumulated contention and collisions in multi-hop transmissions, greatly improving transmission efficiency.

[0054] S5: Dynamic Optimization Steps: The CCO dynamically adjusts the binding CSMA time slot length allocated to each node in subsequent cycles based on the actual data transmission situation. If the message transmission is completed ahead of schedule, the allocated length is reduced to save resources; if the transmission is not completed by the end of the time slot, the allocated length is extended or a re-copying mechanism is activated.

[0055] Compared with the prior art, the method of this embodiment has the following significant advantages:

[0056] 1) High efficiency and high reliability: By allocating dedicated time slots for periodic services (TDMA for discovery packets and CSMA binding for service data), conflicts between such high-percentage services are completely avoided, significantly improving network throughput and data acquisition success rate under high load.

[0057] 2) High adaptability: The method adaptively switches access strategies according to the network size (reflected in the beacon physical block format), which can ensure flexibility in small networks and solve congestion problems in large networks.

[0058] 3) High compatibility and deployability: This invention is based entirely on the existing HPLC communication standard signaling structure and superframe format extension (such as adding a TDMA time slot allocation field), is compatible with existing equipment and standards, and can be deployed through software upgrades without replacing hardware, resulting in low implementation costs.

[0059] 4) High resource utilization: By dynamically adjusting the binding CSMA time slot length, it can intelligently match the actual transmission time required by the service, avoiding over-allocation or under-allocation of time slot resources and optimizing channel resource utilization.

[0060] 5) Good robustness: It provides a complete anomaly handling mechanism (such as recopying and time slot adjustment) to ensure the reliability of communication in harsh power line channel environments.

[0061] The following detailed description and explanation of the embodiments of the present invention, in conjunction with specific application examples in the accompanying drawings, will be provided.

[0062] Power distribution areas typically use the low-voltage side of transformers as the power supply source, with a radius that can reach hundreds or even thousands of meters. However, the single-hop transmission distance of power line broadband carrier communication signals is generally only tens of meters. Therefore, power line broadband carrier communication networks generally form... Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a multi-level, hierarchical tree network centered on a Concentrator Control Operator (CCO) and relayed by Power Coordinators Control Operators (PCOs), connecting all slave stations (STAs). Around this tree topology, the power line broadband carrier communication network achieves orderly operation by implementing a beacon mechanism. Specifically, the CCO, acting as the central control node (master node) for network operation, uses a superframe time slot structure based on beacon periods for network communication, while simultaneously using beacon signals to maintain the synchronization and orderly operation of the entire network.

[0063] According to the "Technical Specifications for Interconnection and Interoperability of Broadband Carrier Communication on Low-Voltage Power Lines" issued by the State Grid Corporation of China, the time slot division of superframes is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, a beacon cycle includes four time slots: beacon time slot area, TDMA time slot area, CSMA time slot area, and bound CSMA time slot area. China Southern Power Grid's "Technical Requirements for Broadband Carrier Communication in Centralized Meter Reading Systems for Low-Voltage Power Users" also uses a similar structure for superframe time slot division, only the order of the four time slots is different. The beacon time slot area contains X central beacon time slots (sent by the CCO node), Y proxy beacon time slots, and Z discovery beacon time slots.

[0064] The beacon signal transmission mechanism is as follows: Using the central beacon signal sent by the CCO as the source, when a node in the network receives a beacon signal sent by another node, if it discovers through signaling content parsing that it is one of the Y+Z sending nodes and its assigned beacon time slot has not yet arrived on the timeline, then it will relay a proxy beacon signal or a discovery beacon signal in that time slot after its time slot arrives. Based on this mechanism and the selection of appropriate proxy relay nodes, the central coordinator can utilize X+Y+Z beacon time slots to achieve downlink network-wide broadcast transmission of its beacon signaling information within one beacon cycle.

[0065] According to existing communication standards, the "Beacon Management Information" field in the beacon signal payload is used to carry network time slot parameter information and other network management information. This field has a length of bytes 20-128 or 20-512. The "Payload Field Verification Sequence" field in the beacon signal payload is used to carry verification payload information. This field has a length of bytes 129-132 or 513-516. The "Physical Block Verification Sequence" field in the beacon signal payload is used to carry verification physical block information. This field has a length of bytes 133-135 or 517-519. Bytes 0-19 of the beacon signal payload are other signaling content fields. The definition of the "Beacon Management Information" field is shown in Table 1, and the type definition of management messages in the "Beacon Management Information" field is shown in Table 2. Beacon signals will not repeatedly carry the same type of management message; that is, at most one message of each defined type will be sent.

[0066] Table 1

[0067]

[0068] Table 2

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] The core content of the time slot allocation message in Table 2 is to notify all nodes in the network of the time slot allocation for this beacon period, such as... Figure 2 The time slot structure and specific parameter values ​​shown are dynamic in length and represent the longest management message in the payload field. The definition of the time slot allocation message is shown in Table 3.

[0072] Table 3

[0073]

[0074] According to existing communication standards, for Figure 2 In the TDMA time slot area, when the 'TDMA time slot length' field in the beacon signal is greater than 0, the short address sequences of the central beacon and proxy beacons are reused. That is, the TDMA time slot area will be divided into X+Y time slots of equal length. The first X time slots belong to the CCO, and the remaining Y time slots are sequentially allocated to the Y proxy nodes. These time slots will only be used to transmit service packets corresponding to the service lid supporting the TDMA time slot. And for... Figure 2Regarding the bound CSMA time slot, the signaling content in Table 3 does not directly provide its time length value. The calculation method for its time length is: Bound CSMA time slot time length = 'Beacon cycle length' - 'Beacon time slot length' - 'TDMA time slot length' - 'CSMA time slot length'. Current standards stipulate that the channel access rules for bound CSMA time slots and CSMA time slots are the same. The only difference is that the CCO specifies the allowed message types for the bound CSMA time slot in the current beacon cycle in the 'Bound CSMA Time Slot Link Identifier' field of the beacon signal. However, in practical applications, due to the poor compatibility between the usage rules of TDMA time slots and bound CSMA time slots and network meter reading models, they are rarely used. That is, the lengths of both time slots are generally set to 0, meaning that a beacon cycle actually only includes the beacon time slot and the CSMA time slot.

[0075] The length of the 'Non-Central Beacon Information' field in Table 3 is a dynamic value. The signaling information it carries indicates the allocation information for Y+Z non-central beacon time slots, including the short address of the allocation node and the beacon type for that time slot, as detailed below. Figure 3 As shown. Because beacon signals carry network time, critical network operation information such as the time slot allocation and scheduling information for this beacon cycle must be broadcast across the entire network before the end of the beacon time slots within this beacon cycle. To meet this information transmission requirement, in non-central beacon information, the selection of the agent node set must ensure that the sum of the coverage areas of its beacon relay signals includes all network-connected nodes; at the same time, the function of discovering beacon signals includes guiding non-network-connected nodes, as well as topology discovery and quality probing between network-connected nodes. Therefore, all network slave stations (STAs) need to periodically send discovery beacon signals.

[0076] Analysis of the time slot allocation message definition reveals that its content length is 44 + (Y + Z) × 2 bytes. Current communication standards stipulate that beacon signals are only allowed to use one 136-byte or one 520-byte physical block in their payload signal portion. However, the signaling content length of the 'time slot allocation message' increases rapidly with the network node size. Specifically, when the number of nodes in the entire network becomes slightly larger, and the sum of the number of proxy nodes (Y) and the number of nodes discovering the beacon (Z) exceeds 25, the beacon signaling content length will exceed 136 bytes. In this case, the beacon payload signal must use the 520-byte physical block, which has the largest physical layer length. In practical applications, even if the value of Y + Z reaches 100, the actual length of the signaling content is only about 270 bytes, leaving a significant amount of remaining signaling content space.

[0077] In traditional low-voltage distribution networks, the carrier communication module is embedded within the smart meter and powered by the meter. Network-wide meter reading is a core service of the electricity information collection system; the system periodically reads data from each meter in a distribution area, typically every 15 minutes in traditional distribution areas. When the power grid system wants to obtain data from a specific meter in a distribution area, the CCO (Controlled Operations Center) for that area sends a downlink meter reading message to the meter's carrier communication module. This message carries the address of the meter to be read and the corresponding data items (each carrier communication module sends its own meter address information to the CCO when joining the network, thus the CCO has access to the address information of all communication modules within its subnetwork). Upon receiving the message, the carrier communication module communicates with its own meter, and the meter sends the electrical parameter data requested by the downlink meter reading message to the communication module. The carrier communication module then sends the data to the CCO via an uplink meter reading message, thus completing the data reading for one meter. See [link to specific process details] for details. Figure 4 This master-slave copying method simplifies the protocol complexity of the slave node, but it also introduces drawbacks such as downlink signaling overhead and increased message transmission latency. As the number of network nodes increases and the types of services become more complex, this copying method becomes inefficient.

[0078] Furthermore, existing communication methods employ the simplest CSMA contention access strategy for channel access. This means that, except for beacon signals which are transmitted without collision using TDMA within the beacon time slot, all other types of signals in the network access the CSMA time slot through random contention. Theoretical analysis and experimental results both indicate that in distributed multi-hop networks, when the service load is low, the CSMA-type channel contention access scheme has a low signal collision probability and can effectively meet the multi-hop transmission requirements of relevant messages. However, as the load level increases, the signal collision probability increases significantly, the single-hop transmission success rate decreases, leading to a rapid decline in the overall network throughput.

[0079] With the rapid advancement of the construction of new power systems, power grid departments require local communication systems using power line broadband carrier communication networks to further support distributed new energy sources, new energy storage, adjustable loads, V2G, and related virtual power plants and load aggregators on the user side of distribution transformer areas, building upon traditional meter reading services (increasing the meter reading frequency from 15 minutes / time to 5 minutes / time). This aims to achieve "four capabilities" (i.e., the ability to read, read, and execute) in these areas. There are as many as 36 related business requirements across marketing, distribution, dispatching, and emerging services. The frequency of new business information collection covers hourly, minute-level, and second-level intervals, posing a significant challenge to the local communication capacity of low-voltage distribution transformer areas and demanding higher requirements for communication effectiveness and reliability.

[0080] Based on the above analysis, to meet the minute-level high-frequency data acquisition requirements of medium and large power line broadband carrier communication networks, this embodiment proposes a communication method employing an adaptive channel access strategy. This embodiment classifies the service types in the network and adopts different channel access methods for different service types. This embodiment divides all network services other than beacon signals into two categories: periodic reporting services and temporary triggering services. Periodic reporting services generate transmission requests at fixed time intervals. The size of each data packet transmitted for this type of service is relatively fixed, and it is typically used for non-real-time data, allowing for a certain delay. Temporarily triggered services are triggered by specific conditions (such as faults or user commands), have no fixed period, and the data packet size and transmission time are not fixed (such as fault alarm signals). This type of service uses a CSMA contention scheme for channel access in the CSMA time slot area.

[0081] This embodiment utilizes the TDMA time slot area and the bound CSMA time slot area of ​​the beacon period when designing the beacon period. Based on existing communication standards, this embodiment adds a "TDMA Time Slot Allocation" field to the time slot allocation message definition in Table 3. This "TDMA Time Slot Allocation" field is 24 bits long and contains a start TEI (12 bits) and an end TEI (12 bits), with the end TEI value being greater than the start TEI value. Simultaneously, the "TDMA Time Slot Link Identifier" field is further limited to a value of AA. The contents of the two modified fields are shown in Table 4.

[0082] Table 4

[0083]

[0084] Based on the definition of the new time slot allocation information above, if the value of the TDMA time slot link identifier is AA, then the allocation rule of the TDMA time slot area in this beacon period is as follows: the TDMA time slot area is divided into R+1 basic time slots on average. The R+1 nodes in [start TEI, end TEI] will occupy one basic time slot in turn to send their own discovery list messages, where R = end TEI - start TEI.

[0085] This embodiment also defines the bound CSMA time slot area field to use the CSMA time slot area, as shown in Table 5. The bound CSMA time slot area is allocated based on the fields shown in Table 5. The signaling length required to allocate a bound CSMA time slot resource to a node is 12 + 12 + 8 = 32 bits = 4 bytes.

[0086] Table 5

[0087]

[0088] Based on the improvements made in this application within the framework of existing communication standards, such as Figure 5 As shown, the steps of the communication method provided in this embodiment are as follows:

[0089] After the nodes are powered on, network formation begins. The CCO sends a central beacon signal, and non-CCO nodes join the network. When a node on the whitelist applies to join the network, the CCO will select the address with the smallest value from the unassigned address set according to the order of the node's network application and assign it to the current applicant node. The short address is the node's identity identifier in this subnet. The whitelist refers to a list prepared in advance by the power grid customer and issued to the CCO before the network is formed in each distribution area. The CCO only allows nodes on the whitelist to join the network. There are K nodes in the whitelist, and the short address (TEI) of the node ranges from 2 to K+1. When each node applies to join the network, it will inform the CCO of the relevant parameters of its periodic reporting services, including the reporting / sending frequency of various messages and the size of the corresponding data packets.

[0090] Once the CCO determines the frequency of the node's discovery list message transmission, the CCO periodically allocates a basic time slot in the TDMA time slot area of ​​the beacon period for each node to transmit its own discovery list message based on this value. This ensures that each node transmits its discovery list message periodically according to the existing communication standard, and also ensures that each node's discovery list message does not conflict with the messages of other nodes.

[0091] The CCO assigns a service lid to each periodic reporting service of various devices and terminals and sets a corresponding priority. Based on the reporting information when each node applies for network access, the CCO sets a timer for the periodic reporting service of each node. When the timer expires, the CCO starts the reading process for the periodic reporting service of that node.

[0092] In the bound CSMA time slot area, the CCO allocates time slots to each node. For node M, a certain segment of the bound CSMA time slot is allocated to node M. Node M starts sending uplink data packets for the corresponding service lid at the beginning of the segment. After its proxy node completes the transmission of the received acknowledgment packet, it does not need to listen to the channel and can directly continue to transmit the packet. The same applies to the next hop until it is uploaded to the CCO.

[0093] For temporarily triggered services, uplink data packets use the following channel access method: nodes use random contention to access the channel in the CSMA time slot area;

[0094] For periodic reporting services, uplink data packets use the following channel access method:

[0095] If the beacon signal payload uses a 136-byte physical block (with little remaining signaling space), it indicates that the number of nodes in this carrier subnet is very small, approximately a few dozen nodes, and the network service load level is low. Nodes access the network in a random contention manner within the CSMA time slot area.

[0096] If the beacon signal payload uses a 520-byte physical block (with ample remaining signaling space to support the allocation of CSMA time slots for dozens of nodes), this indicates that the number of nodes in this carrier subnet is large, approximately several hundred, and the network service load level is high. Nodes begin sending uplink data packets for the corresponding service lid at the beginning of the segment allocated to them for their CSMA time slot. After their proxy nodes complete the transmission of the receive acknowledgment message, they directly continue transmitting the packet. The next-hop node also begins sending uplink data packets for the corresponding service lid at the beginning of the segment allocated to it for its CSMA time slot. After its proxy nodes complete the transmission of the receive acknowledgment message, they directly continue transmitting the packet until it is uploaded to the CCO.

[0097] Considering the unreliability of power line channels, retransmissions are likely to occur during the multi-hop transmission of uplink data packets. Therefore, the transmission time required for each node's uplink data packet to reach the CCO has a certain degree of random jitter. As an optional implementation, if a node's uplink data packet has not reached the CCO after its allocated binding CSMA time slot ends, the last receiving relay node of that uplink data packet will continue the uplink transmission of the packet in the next beacon cycle's CSMA time slot using the traditional CSMA channel access scheme (random contention).

[0098] As an optional implementation, if the CCO does not receive an uplink data packet from a node after the end of the bound CSMA time slot allocated to that node, it will continue to wait for a period of time in the CSMA time slot area of ​​the next beacon cycle (the waiting time can be set according to the actual situation and is not limited here) to allow the packet to continue uplink transmission. If it still does not receive the packet after waiting for a period of time, it will actively copy the data from that node. Furthermore, in the next round of service copying for that node, the length of the bound CSMA time slot allocated to that node will be increased to improve the probability of receiving the node's packet within the specified time period.

[0099] As an optional implementation, if the CCO receives an uplink data packet from a node when there is still a lot of time remaining in the bound CSMA time slot allocated to that node, it indicates that the bound CSMA time slot resources allocated to the node are too excessive. In the next round of service reading for that node, the length of the bound CSMA time slot allocation for that node will be reduced to reduce the waste of time slot resources.

[0100] Existing communication standards define over ten different types and uses of MAC layer management messages. Among them, the discovery list message is sent most frequently. This message is broadcast locally (without relay) and carries information such as the site's discovery list, helping the site obtain local topology information and thus make its own proxy routing decisions. Existing communication standards stipulate that after network deployment, the CCO and all incoming sites must send at least 10 discovery list messages within a routing cycle (the value is determined autonomously by the CCO, ranging from 20 to 420 seconds). The number of discovery list message transmissions by all network nodes increases linearly with the number of network nodes. These messages compete for channel access in the CSMA time slot area through random contention. With the increasing number of network nodes and high-frequency data acquisition, the probability of these messages colliding with other types of service messages is relatively high. Compared with the traditional pure CSMA channel access scheme (which competes for channel access in the CSMA time slot area through random contention), the method in this embodiment has the following advantages:

[0101] 1) The design is carried out within the framework of existing standards, and can be compatible with the content of existing standards;

[0102] 2) Allow beacon signals to use excess signaling space to carry TDMA time slot allocation signaling, and periodically allocate a time slot resource for the discovery list message broadcast locally by each node in the TDMA time slot area to ensure conflict-free transmission of this type of service signal;

[0103] 3) Allows beacon signals to use excess signaling space to carry the allocation signaling for the CSMA-bound time slots. In the CSMA-bound time slot area, allocates appropriate length time slot resources for the uplink transmission process of the periodic reporting service messages of the nodes as needed, ensuring that the multi-hop uplink transmission process of the message does not require channel listening and backoff. The communication signals are tightly ordered in time, achieving efficient utilization of channel resources while avoiding signal collisions.

[0104] 4) The transmission process of high-percentage periodic transmission services is arranged in the TDMA time slot area and the bound CSMA time slot area. Therefore, the service load level of the CSMA time slot area is greatly reduced, thus ensuring that the transmission performance of those temporarily triggered services meets customer needs.

[0105] To verify the effectiveness of the method of this invention, with the support of Zhuhai Power Grid Company, a demonstration area with a large network node scale and containing distributed photovoltaic and energy storage systems was selected for performance testing. The demonstration area had a total of 335 user smart meters, 22 meter box branch units, 8 user charging piles, and 10 photovoltaic + energy storage power generation users. During the experimental phase, observation data from January 15th to January 21st, 2025, were collected and statistically analyzed. Simultaneous 1-minute and 5-minute curve data were collected on-site, using an active data reporting method. Simultaneously, data on orderly charging, daily meter freezing, and branch monitoring status within the area were collected normally. When there were equipment and status event reporting tasks, their uplink communication was prioritized. During the experimental statistical period, the daily freezing success rate was 100%, and the 1-minute and 5-minute curve acquisition success rates were greater than 98.6%.

[0106] This embodiment optimizes the channel access scheme for high-percentage periodic transmission services, significantly improves the utilization rate of power line channel resources, and greatly increases network throughput, thereby better meeting customers' needs for more network nodes and higher frequency data collection.

[0107] This application also provides an electronic device, which includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the above-described method. This electronic device can be any smart terminal, including tablet computers, in-vehicle computers, etc.

[0108] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this device embodiment. The specific functions implemented by this device embodiment are the same as those of the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the above method embodiments.

[0109] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0110] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this storage medium embodiment. The specific functions implemented in this storage medium embodiment are the same as those in the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved in the above method embodiments.

[0111] Memory, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer-executable programs. Furthermore, memory may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor, and these remote memories can be connected to the processor via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0112] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0113] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to the embodiments of this program product. The specific functions implemented in the embodiments of this program product are the same as those in the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved in the above method embodiments. The executable computer program code or "code" used to perform the various embodiments can be written in high-level programming languages ​​such as C, C++, Python, Smalltalk, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Structured Query Language (e.g., Transact-SQL), Perl, or in various other programming languages.

[0114] The embodiments described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of technology and the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0115] Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions shown in the figures do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application, and may include more or fewer steps than shown, or combine certain steps, or different steps.

[0116] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0117] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps in the methods disclosed above, as well as the functional modules / units in the systems and devices, can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or suitable combinations thereof.

[0118] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0119] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0120] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of the units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0121] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0122] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0123] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes multiple instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing programs, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0124] The preferred embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the scope of the claims of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and substance of the embodiments of the present application shall be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A communication method for a power line broadband carrier communication network, characterized in that, The Central Coordinator (CCO) uses a beacon period-based superframe time slot structure for network communication, wherein one beacon period includes a beacon time slot area, a time division multiple access (TDMA) time slot area, a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) time slot area, and a bonded CSMA time slot area; the method includes the following steps: The CCO sets a timer for the periodic reporting service of each node in the network, and starts the copying process for that service when the timer expires. The CCO allocates dedicated time slots for nodes performing the periodic reporting service within the bound CSMA time slot area; For temporary triggered services, nodes use a random contention method to access the channel in the CSMA time slot area to send uplink data packets. For periodic reporting services, the node's uplink data packets adopt an adaptive channel access method: If the beacon signal payload in the current beacon cycle uses the Type I physical block format, then the node will access the CSMA time slot in a random contention manner. If the beacon signal payload in the current beacon cycle uses the second type of physical block format, the node starts sending uplink data packets at the beginning of the bound CSMA dedicated time slot allocated to itself. In subsequent multi-hop relay transmission, each hop relay node forwards the packet directly at the beginning of its allocated bound CSMA dedicated time slot without listening to the channel, until the uplink data packet is uploaded to the CCO. The signaling capacity of the second type of physical block format is greater than that of the first type of physical block format. The method also includes networking and discovery steps: After the node is powered on, it listens for and receives the central beacon signal sent by the CCO; Nodes on the whitelist apply to the CCO for network access, and the CCO assigns them a network short address (TEI). The CCO periodically allocates a basic time slot in the TDMA time slot area according to the frequency of the discovery list messages that each node needs to send, so that each node can send its own discovery list messages without conflict. The allocation of a basic time slot for each node in the TDMA time slot region includes: The CCO specifies a start TEI and an end TEI through a time slot allocation message in the beacon signal; The TDMA time slot region is divided into R+1 basic time slots on average, where ; The R+1 nodes within the starting TEI and ending TEI ranges are sequentially bound to a basic time slot, enabling each node to send discovery list messages within its bound basic time slot.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If a node fails to transmit its uplink data packet to the CCO after the end of its allocated CSMA-dedicated time slot, the last receiving relay node of the uplink data packet will continue the uplink transmission of the packet in a random contention manner within the CSMA time slot area of ​​the next beacon cycle.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the CCO does not receive an uplink data packet from a node after the end of the dedicated CSMA time slot allocated to a node, the CCO will wait for a preset time in the CSMA time slot area of ​​the next beacon cycle to receive the packet. If no data is received within the preset time, the CCO initiates an active data copying process for that node to re-copy the data.

4. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After initiating the active copying process, the CCO increases the length of the dedicated CSMA time slot allocated to the node during the next round of service copying for that node.

5. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the CCO receives a complete uplink data packet from a node before the end of the dedicated CSMA time slot allocated to that node, the length of the dedicated CSMA time slot allocated to that node will be reduced in the next round of service data transfer for that node.

6. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method of any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method of any one of claims 1 to 5.

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