(Source: Business Wire)
ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ONNN), a leading global supplier of high performance, energy efficient, silicon solutions, has introduced the AMIS-49587, the latest member of the company's power line carrier (PLC) modem family. The AMIS-49587 provides a highly integrated, standard compliant, low power PLC solution for use in applications such as smart electric automatic meter reading and management, street lighting control, smart power plug, and building automation. Utilizing ON Semiconductor's mixed-signal technology allows the AMIS-49587 to combine both the analog modem front end and digital post processing capability in the same integrated circuit.
By offering an integrated single chip solution, the IEC1334 compliant AMIS-49587 helps to simplify designs, lower development and implementation costs, and speed time to market. This new device is based around an ARM7TDMI processor core and includes both the physical interface transceiver (PHY) and the media access controller (MAC) layers, whereas most competing solutions require complex embedded software to perform the same functions as the AMIS-49587. Using the spread frequency shift keying (S-FSK) modulation technique coupled with accurate filtering gives robust low data rate communications on power lines over long distances. Half-duplex selectable communication speeds of 2400 bits/sec (baud) can be achieved. A low operating frequency of less than 20 kilohertz (kHz) with an automatic repeater function further supports dependable communications with fewer communication errors than alternative and existing solutions. Synchronization to the mains signal is done via an onboard low jitter PLL, and an embedded filter provides superior white noise and narrowband interference rejection. Direct connection to the host MCU is via a two-wire serial interface.
Due to its high level of integration and the onboard protocol embodiment, the AMIS-49587 accepts high level data inputs and eliminates the need for designers to go into PHY and MAC protocol transmission details. This higher-level interface means that up to 50 percent of the software development effort can be saved, leading to a shorter time to market and reduced overall cost.
Driven by governmental regulation and various energy efficiency initiatives, the emerging smart meter market is set to develop at a fast rate. According to IMS Research's ongoing analysis of the global smart meter market, in 2008, global smart meter shipmentsreached a market size of roughly10 million units. The North American market was particularly strong, estimated to have surged by almost 50% in annual growth from 2007.
