Power line communication network

A method for enhancing the reliability of synchronization to a received signal or equalizer adjustment in a communication system using a synchronization preamble to detect synchronization, comprising:

• acquiring N samples for each of the first M symbols in the received signal, where N is a multiple of a Nyquist rate and M is the number of symbols in the synchronization preamble, where N and M are integers;
• correlating each of the N samples for each of the first M symbols with a nominal set of symbols, to resolve each sample to a symbol;
• determining a bit error rate (BER) between a nominal sequence and a resolved sequence for each sample position of the acquired symbols;
• repeating the preceding steps in successive sample positions of the received signal;
• and
• using a sample position of the received signal which yields a lowest BER for synchronization or equalizer adjustment.

A processor configured to enhance the reliability of synchronization to a received signal or equalizer adjustment in a communication system using a synchronization preamble to detect synchronization, the processor configured to perform operations that include:

• a receiver structured and arranged to acquire N samples for each of the first M symbols in the received signal, where N is a multiple of a Nyquist rate and M is the number of symbols in the synchronization preamble, where N and M are integers;
• a correlator structured and arranged to:
• correlating each of the N samples for each of the first M symbols with a nominal set of symbols, to resolve each sample to a symbol;
• determine a bit error rate (BER) between a nominal sequence and a resolved sequence for each sample position of the acquired symbols;
• repeating the preceding steps in successive sample positions of the received signal;
• and
• an equalizer structured and arranged to use a sample position of the received signal which yields a lowest BER for synchronization or equalizer adjustment.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodied with a computer program comprising computer executable instructions to be executed by processor in a communication system to enhance the reliability of synchronization to a received signal or equalizer adjustment using a synchronization preamble to detect synchronization for performing operations, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed on a processor cause the processor to perform operations that include:

• acquiring N samples for each of the first M symbols in the received signal, where N is a multiple of a Nyquist rate and M is the number of symbols in the synchronization preamble, where N and M are integers;
• correlating each of the N samples for each of the first M symbols with a nominal set of symbols, to resolve each sample to a symbol;
• determining a bit error rate (BER) between a nominal sequence and a resolved sequence for each sample position of the acquired symbols;
• repeating the preceding steps in successive sample positions of the received signal;
• and
• using a sample position of the received signal which yields a lowest BER for synchronization or equalizer adjustment.