Renesas Electronics’ software configurable orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based power-line communication (PLC) solution was given the ‘Smart Metering Technology of the Year Award 2013’ at this year’s Smart Metering UK & Europe Summit in London.
Selected by an independent judging panel of industry experts, the award is recognition of Renesas’ achievement in implementing a PLC modem solution that meets today’s most important market requirements.
The solution is based on a highly flexible concept with a combined hardware architecture and software framework that allows for flexible standards support. All layers are remotely programmable, assuring upgradeability to future versions of existing and emerging standards.
The flexibility is also required due to the fact that smart meter specifications from various countries, or even from various utilities within one country, differ with respect to communication standards as well as application requirements.
The platform is based on a highly integrated narrowband modem system-on-chip (uPD809504), integrating a MAC controller and high-performance digital signal processor for physical layer implementation. It is combined with an embedded analog front end that includes an adaptive gain amplifier with automatic gain control functions and an embedded AES128 hardware security engine.
The solution offers leading communication robustness over power lines, showing unique sensitivity characteristics and low overall power consumption. This achievement was imperative for Renesas as power consumption goes hand in hand with CO2 emission, which is one of the key issues addressed by the introduction of smart metering/grid infrastructures.
Coupled with a Renesas RX family 32-bit microcontroller (MCU), offering 1,65 DMIPS/MHz performance, zero-wait 100 MHz Flash memory and a peripheral mix highly tuned to smart grid applications, this solution offers not only support for the most advanced communications protocols, but also complete system control. The solution is delivered with fully certified software libraries.
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