Cypress intros first programmable, flexible PSOC architecture based powerline communication solution

SAN JOSE, USA: Cypress Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the world’s first truly programmable solution for data communication over existing power lines.

Leveraging the programmable analog and digital resources of Cypress’s PSoC architecture, the Cypress Powerline Communication (PLC) solution integrates multiple functions beyond communication, such as power measurement, system management and LCD drive.

In addition to its flexibility and integration, the new solution offers industry-leading reliability with greater than 97 percent packet success rates without retries and 100% success rates with retries built into the solution’s coding. The solution offers the flexibility to communicate over high-voltage and low-voltage power lines for lighting and industrial control, home automation, automatic meter reading and smart energy management applications.

Whereas existing solutions require external microcontrollers and filters, the Cypress PLC solution integrates a Frequency-Shift Key (FSK) PHY modem, network protocol and application code with the programmable analog and digital blocks and microcontroller of the PSoC architecture.

This combination provides a single hardware platform for multiple applications, reducing BOM cost, board size and chip count while improving manufacturability. Cypress offers reference designs for both high-voltage (110V – 240V AC) and low-voltage (12V – 24V AC/DC) coupling circuits based on boards compliant with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) standards. The precertified boards provide developers with a complete solution with fast time-to-market.

"Smart energy metering, renewable energy, intelligent LED lighting, and advanced industrial applications have the market for powerline communication poised for strong growth," said Linnea Brush, senior research analyst at Darnell Group. "The programmable Cypress PLC solution addresses smart communication, and smart grid connectivity, over existing power lines with no new wires."

“Our lead customers have raved about the unparalleled reliability of our PLC solution, and the versatility it offers with PSoC,” said Dinesh Ramanathan, executive vice president of the Data Communication Division at Cypress. “Our PowerPSoC line has helped us build strong expertise with lighting and other control applications, further adding value to our complete PLC solution for customers.”

The PowerPSoC family offers the industry’s first single-chip solution to control and drive high-power LEDs. The Cypress PLC solution integrates LED driving support.