A power-line communications (PLC) system-on-module from Texas Instruments is set to ease problems facing Smart Grid designers. The company collaborated with Tailyn Technologies to create a customisable PLC module with a variety of possible modifications.
The module overcomes multiple design challenges at once, such as supporting multiple PLC standards (including S-FSK, G3, PRIME, and IEEE-1901.2), supporting a wide variety of customizations based on utilities’ design needs (form factor/communication interfaces), and meeting performance and certification requirements. It features TI’s real-time C2000 MCU with the company’s AFE031 or AFE032 PLC analogue front end.
The field-tested PLC module is suitable for automatic meter reading (AMR) or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) metering, solar inverter control, street lighting control, and machinery control.