Asymmetric mixed-mode powerline communication transceiver

A powerline communication receiver comprising:

• a network interface;
• a mode selection unit coupled with the network interface, the mode selection unit configured to:
• receive a communication from a source powerline communication device communicatively coupled to the network interface;
• determine whether an operational mode associated with the source powerline communication device is a multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) mode or a single-output single-input (SISO) mode;
• determine whether the operational mode of the source powerline communication device matches an operational mode of the powerline communication receiver;
• and
• dynamically change the operational mode of the powerline communication receiver to either the MIMO mode or the SISO mode to match the operational mode of the source powerline communication device in response to determining the operational mode of the source powerline communication device does not match the operational mode of the powerline communication receiver.

An apparatus comprising:

• a powerline communication transmitter configured to:
• determine whether an operational mode associated with a destination powerline communication device is a multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) mode or a single-output single-input (SISO) mode;
• determine whether the operational mode of the destination powerline communication device matches an operational mode of the powerline communication transmitter;
• dynamically change the operational mode of the powerline communication transmitter to either the MIMO mode or the SISO mode to match the operational mode of the destination powerline communication device in response to determining the operational mode of the destination powerline communication device does not match the operational mode of the powerline communication transmitter;
• and
• a powerline communication receiver configured to:
• receive a communication from a source powerline communication device;
• determine whether an operational mode associated with the source powerline communication device is a multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) mode or a single-output single-input (SISO) mode;
• determine whether the operational mode of the source powerline communication device matches an operational mode of the powerline communication receiver;
• and
• dynamically change the operational mode of the powerline communication receiver to either the MIMO mode or the SISO mode to match the operational mode of the source powerline communication device in response to determining the operational mode of the source powerline communication device does not match the operational mode of the powerline communication receiver.

An apparatus comprising:

• a powerline communication transmitter including a first transmit chain and a second transmit chain, wherein the first and second transmit chains of the powerline communication transmitter are configurable to operate in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) mode, and the first transmit chain of the powerline communication transmitter is configurable to operate in a single-input single-output (SISO) mode;
• a powerline communication receiver including a first receive chain and a second receive chain, wherein the first and second receive chains of the powerline communication receiver are configurable to operate in the MIMO mode, and the first receive chain of the powerline communication receiver is configurable to operate in the SISO mode;
• and
• a shared fast Fourier transform (FFT) engine included in the powerline communication transmitter and the powerline communication receiver, wherein the shared FFT engine is common to the powerline communication transmitter and the powerline communication receiver.

A method comprising:

• determining, at a first powerline communication device, whether an operational mode associated with a second powerline communication device is a multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) mode or a single-output single-input (SISO) mode;
• determining whether the operational mode of the second powerline communication device matches an operational mode of the first powerline communication device;
• and
• dynamically changing the operational mode of the first powerline communication device to either the MIMO mode or the SISO mode to match the operational mode of the second powerline communication device in response to determining the operational mode of the second powerline communication device does not match the operational mode of the first powerline communication device.

A method comprising:

• receiving a communication at a first powerline communication device from a second powerline communication device;
• determine whether an operational mode associated with the second powerline communication device is a multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) mode or a single-output single-input (SISO) mode;
• determine whether the operational mode of the second powerline communication device matches an operational mode of the first powerline communication device;
• and
• dynamically change the operational mode of the first powerline communication device to either the MIMO mode or the SISO mode to match the operational mode of the second powerline communication device in response to determining the operational mode of the second powerline communication device does not match the operational mode of the first powerline communication device.