Dynamic Peak Threshold Estimation Method for Noise Mitigation in Hybrid PLC/VLC Systems

Most communication systems suffer from signal distortions as a result of noise interference. These distortions have multiple effects on communication channels, including higher bit error rate (BER), reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and restricted channel capacity. It has been determined that impulsive noise is one of the most detrimental noise types in hybrid power line communication-visible light communication (PLC/VLC) systems. Several techniques to combat impulsive noise in telecommunication systems have been discussed in scholarly research. Most impulsive mitigation methods discussed in the literature require knowledge of the noise parameters in order to function properly. Their principle of operation is based on prior knowledge of impulsive noise characteristics such as probability of occurrence of impulsive noise and noise power at the receiver, to ascertain the optimum blanking threshold. However, it is important to acknowledge that it is extremely difficult to determine such parameters in real-life applications due to the dynamic nature of impulsive noise. Thus, in this paper, we exploit the dynamic peak threshold estimation (DPTE) method in asymmetrically clipped optical-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) based hybrid PLC/VLC system. This is essential for determining the ideal blanking threshold without prior knowledge concerning the distinctive characteristics of impulsive noise. The acquired results demonstrate that the proposed method does not only eliminates the need to know impulsive noise parameters, but also enhances the receiver’s output SNR. Moreover, the results showed a clear correlation between the optimal blanking threshold and the peak-to-average power value of the ACO-OFDM symbol which we leveraged to ascertain the optimal blanking threshold.