Power line communication methods and devices

Method for operating PLC modem device in a communication arrangement, said communication arrangement comprising a plurality of PLC modem devices, the method comprising:

• at least one of generating and providing communication quality data with respect to at least one communication channel between said PLC modem device and at least one communication partner device, said communication quality data being descriptive for at least one of communication capabilities, communication quality and communication features of at least one of said at least one communication partner device and said at least one communication channel, wherein a pre-defined reference signal is generated by the PLC modem device and transmitted via at least one available communication channel and wherein possible communication partner devices measure said pre-defined reference signal via channels other than said available communication channels and/or analyze the respective measurement data;
• determining at least one of communication spectrum data and communication channel data based on said communication quality data and being descriptive for at least one of at least one communication spectrum for said PLC modem device and for said at least one communication channel each of which with respect to said at least one communication partner device;
• at least one of determining and selecting at least one of a communication spectrum and a communication channel from said at least one communication channel each of which based on at least one of said communication spectrum data and on said communication channel data;
• and
• communicating with said at least one communication partner device via at least one of said selected communication channel and said selected communication spectrum,
• wherein by a measurement process at least one of possible communication channels and communication spectra are monitored within said step of at least one of generating and providing said communication quality data, wherein for each of said PLC modem devices a presence of interferences caused by operating other PLC modem devices or caused by a communication line used for own power line communication is monitored, and
• wherein in said step of at least one of determining and selecting at least one of a communication spectrum and a communication channel at least one of an actual communication spectrum and an actual communication channel is selected and chosen for said step of communicating for which a comparable low interference from signal sources or signals other than the communication partner devices associated in said step communicating and the signal stemming there from, respectively, is given,
• thereby avoiding and de-allocating partly or completely at least one of communication spectra and communication channels of devices or services other than devices and services associated in said step of communication.