Customisable PLC module to create smart grid devices

4th March 2014

Nat Bowers

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Enabling customers to implement PLC technology in any design, Texas Instruments introduce what they claim to be one of the industry’s most flexible, robust and optimised power line communication (PLC) system-on-modules (SoM). This customisable field-tested PLC module is available with a variety of modifications, including SoM packages, form factors and interfaces.

Developed in collaboration with Tailyn Technologies, the optimised PLC module allows developers to overcome multiple design challenges at once, such as creating products that support multiple PLC standards, supporting a wide variety of customisations based on utilities’ design needs and meeting time-to-market, performance and certification requirements. Customers can have the PLC module customised in terms of form factors, communication interfaces and applications to meet any design needs.

Pairing TI’s real-time C2000 microcontroller with its AFE031 or AFE032 PLC analog front ends provides support for multiple PLC standards, including S-FSK, G3, PRIME, and IEEE-1901.2. The field-tested PLC module is ready for many types of conditions found in real-world smart grid implementations, such as automatic meter reading or advanced metering infrastructure metering, solar inverter control, street lighting control, and machinery control. Developers can expect a high-quality product that will meet the individual needs of their implementation. An accompanying reference design can be customised with application-specific software.