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Smart meter platform available on a family of 32-bit microcontrollers incorporating an MPL460 PLC modem

smart meters

Microchip's PIC32CXMT family offers maximum flexibility with three devices,
single-core, dual-core, and system-on-chip (SOC), to speed development of
smart meters and communications infrastructure

The design complexity of smart meters continues to grow as different communications solutions are integrated into one environment and regulatory compliance requirements are enforced. Microchip Technology Inc. today announces the PIC32CXMT family of 32-bit microprocessors with a new MPL460 PLC (Power Line Communication) modem to meet the growing demand for a simple yet feature-rich solution for smart meter development. The new microcontroller devices provide a next-generation smart meter platform for industrial, commercial, and industrial IoT applications. This platform stands out for its higher performance up to 200 MHz and great scalability with up to 560 KB of memory (SRAM).

To provide developers with the optimal flexibility to tailor their products, the PIC32CXMT family is offered in three versions based on a single Arm core.® Cortex®-M4F, a dual Arm Cortex-M4 core and a system-on-chip (SoC) device. The MPL460 PLC modem integrates the line driver to amplify the signal, which reduces the bill of materials and maintains a maximum performance signal injection efficiency above 40% thanks to its class D topology. The PLC modem helps to increase efficiency and reliability based on the power delivered to the load and the power taken from the source. The result is an overall reduction in consumption from the source during transmission.

“The new PIC32CXMT microcontrollers, coupled with an MPL460 PLC modem, offer an unmatched level of scalability and performance for multi-meter architecture,” said Kourosh Boutorabi, director of Microchip's Smart Energy business unit. “This second generation of our successful meter products demonstrates our commitment to offer a broad portfolio of SoCs that enable a flexible and secure platform for smart meters with options to select from the best metrology and most advanced connectivity.”

The platform provides several transceiver solutions such as a radio/PHY, a PLC/PHY or the possibility to select a hybrid PLC+RF solution. There is also an option for a metrology and communications software package that conforms to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for meters with accuracy up to 0,2 percent. It is also compatible with standards for wired or wireless communications such as G3-PLC and PRIME.

Since smart meter devices are connected, security is a primary requirement in any design. PIC32CXMT microcontrollers offer built-in standard and proprietary security features to optimize performance and memory utilization.