Talkative Power Conversion: A Tutorial

This article provides a systematic overview of the basics of talkative power conversion (TPC). TPC is an emerging technique for simultaneous information and power transmission, in which data modulation is integrated into a switched-mode power converter. The data sequence is embedded in the ripple voltage, which is superimposing the output voltage of the converter. In contrast to conventional power line communication (PLC), TPC can be used universally, not only in grid applications. Aspects of power electronics (PE) and digital communication are presented in a structured form, including new perspectives such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques applied to TPC, adaptive modulation and channel coding, and advanced receiver design with adaptive channel and load estimation. The new aspects aim to mitigate the inherent shortcomings of TPC.