A web service-based portal framework for distance learning on power line network

This paper proposes a portal framework for distance learning on power line network (PLN) based on Web service and SOAP technologies. Power line communication has high influence and is high speed medium that can be utilized as platform for Web based applications such as e-learning. In addition, because of distributed and hierarchical architecture of power line network, distributed portal e-learning system on power line network, distributes load of requests on multiple servers and improves their performances. To achieve this idea, we benefit the distributed, hierarchical and tree structure of power line network and implement a portal e-learning system on power line network. In this architecture, the back-end tier includes learning content providers on the Web; middle-ware tier includes e-learning engine in multiple MV/MV (63 kV/20 kV) electrical power substations that aggregate learning contents from various learning object repositories and front-end tier is presentation component of e-learning in multiple MV/LV (20 kV/400 V) electrical power substations. This architecture has two benefits, first, easy access of electrical power customers to distance learning. Second, this system collects and aggregates learning contents from learning content providers on the Internet and presents them as customized, personalized and uniform pages to customers. Also, we analyze the performance of e-learning engine and presentation centers for different loads of users and various structures of PLN.