Abstract: Optimum routing for communications between a central control unit (CCU) and remote units (nodes), such as electricity meters, distributed on an electrical power line is established by broadcasting from the CCU an interrogation signal to be received by the remote units. In response to a receipt of the interrogation signal, each remote unit returns an acknowledgement signal, time multiplexed with the acknowledgement signals of the other remote units, to the CCU which determines which units, if any, are "mute", i.e., have not acknowledged. The CCU then selects remote units in proximity to the mute remote units if it has already a good knowledge of the network or at random otherwise, to function as relays and repeats interrogation of the remote units via the relays. This process is repeated, if necessary, until communication paths between the CCU and all remote units are established directly or via delay units, to form maps.

Abstract: The transmitter in a power line communications system applies to the power line encoded logical-one and logical-zero bit signals consisting of signals formed respectively of predetermined different sequences of frequencies. The receiver, coupled to the power line, includes a first homodyne, non-coherent, quadratic demodulator for demodulating the logical-one bits and a second for demodulating the logical-zero bits. The first demodulator produces, locally, and in first and second channels, respectively, a first reference signal that is a replica of the logical-one bit sequence of frequencies and a second reference signal that is the replica in quadrature. The second demodulator produces, locally, and in third and fourth channels, respectively, cooresponding third and fourth reference signals for the logical-zero bit sequence. Each of the four reference signals is applied to a corresponding analog multiplier for multiplication by the input signal in each channel.