Abstract: A hybrid model for broadband multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) relay-aided indoor power line communications (PLC) system was proposed in this paper. The proposed model combines the top-down and bottom-up approaches and extends to a two-hop relay-aided cooperative system with variable gain relay in amplify-and-forward (AF) mode. Based on the proposed PLC model and generated channel, the channel statistical characteristics are further investigated in 2MHz - 100MHz bandwidth. Simulated results show that the proposed model overcomes the difficulties that the existing models need a lot of topological information of the network or measurements information. It provides a practical simulation analysis method for cooperative relay MIMO-PLC system. The results also show that cooperative MIMO relaying communications can improve the indoor PLC performances and communication reliability.

Key words: broadband communication, channel frequency response (CFR), hybrid model, MIMO-PLC, power line communications (PLC), relay-aided