Integrating the latest in metrology, security and power line communications (G3-PLC) technology, Maxim’s Newport smart meter reference platform gives utilities a versatile way to evaluate smart grid technology, and gives manufacturers an easy-to-use smart meter design to accelerate time to market. A separate G3-PLC concentrator board is available to support meter-to-concentrator communications testing.
The Newport platform includes two communications sockets, allowing for independent neighbourhood area network (NAN) and home are network (HAN) interfaces. Maxim’s G3-PLC chipset (MAX2991/MAX2992) is installed in one socket to provide communication for either meter to concentrator (route A), meter to in-home display and home gateway (route B), or both. The chipset complies with the emerging IEEE P1901.2 standard for OFDM-based communication over power lines and offers guaranteed interoperability. The MAX2992 also includes an on-chip CCM authentication coprocessor with AES-128 encryption/decryption.
The 71M6541 highly integrated metering SoC provides the metrology for the Newport platform. This field-proven solution features < 0,1% accuracy over the
-40°C to +85°C temperature range and 2000:1 current range. The 71M6541 combines a powerful, programmable and customisable 32-bit metrology computation engine - a 22-bit delta-sigma ADC featuring the company’s Single Converter Technology; a 5 MHz 8051-compatible MPU core with a low-power RTC and digital temperature compensation; Flash memory; LCD driver; UARTs; and I²C interface.
This combination of blocks allows the system to be optimised for specialised measurements and to work with various sensors including shunts, current transformers and Rogowski coils. The Newport platform also supports isolated shunt metering technology that reduces BOM cost, while enhancing reliability and immunity to magnetic tampering.
A major concern about smart grid security is the ability to access the grid through the meter. If perpetrated by a cyber criminal, potentially disastrous actions could cause widespread harm to the grid. To combat this, the Newport platform adds the MAXQ1050, which supports advanced asymmetric encryption schemes such as elliptic curve and also protects against physical hacking.
The MAXQ1050 incorporates a sophisticated security mechanism to protect secret key data. Two self-destruct inputs and various other environmental monitors (temperature and voltage sensors) erase secret key data when an attack condition is detected, thereby preventing sensitive information from falling into the hands of an attacker. The device supports high-speed encryption with hardware accelerators for AES, RSA, DSA, ECDSA, SHA-1, SHA-224, SHA-256 and 3DES. A true hardware random number generator is included for key generation and challenge generation.
Complete power management is provided by the MAX17498, a current-mode, pulse width modulated regulator for AC-DC and DC-DC power-conversion applications. The DS3231M real-time clock offers enhanced timing accuracy, and the MAX13256 and MAX13412 provide an isolated RS485 interface.
For more information contact Michelle Parreira, CST Electronics, +27 (0)11 608 0070, [email protected], www.cstelectronics.co.za
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