Enabling robust automated meter reading (AMR), advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), and sensor network automation applications, Texas Instruments (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today announced the Smart Data Concentrator evaluation module (EVM) with accompanying power line communication (PLC) system-on-module and supporting software for smart grid developers. The highly integrated TMDSDC3359 EVM provides the ultimate level of flexibility and scalability with numerous performance, cost and connectivity options so developers can create data concentrator designs that can adapt to many worldwide smart grid standards. For more information about this new Smart Data Concentrator EVM, visit www.ti.com/dc-pr-lp.

TI's highly scalable Sitara™ AM3359 processor enables expanded wired and wireless connectivity options through flexible peripherals. Developers can easily add multiple connectivity options including <1GHz (LPRF), general packet radio service (GPRS), ZigBee®, Wi-Fi, near field communication (NFC) and multiple PLC standards. The PLC system-on-module (SOMPLC-F28PLC83) contains TI's C2000™ Piccolo™ F28PLC83 microcontroller and AFE031 analog front end (AFE) for robust G3, PRIME and S-FSK support. Adding the system-on-module and TI's PLC software stacks (PRIME, G3, IEEE P1901.2 or PLC-Lite™) to the Smart Data Concentrator EVM allows developers to set up a data concentrator demo with PLC connectivity in as little as 10 minutes.

The new Smart Data Concentrator EVM highlights the ease of using TI's broad portfolio of complementary analog, embedded processing and wireless connectivity products for the smart grid. As a full TI system solution, the TMDSDC3359 EVM includes more than 20 analog components from TI's power management (such as TPS65910), interface (such as SN65HVD3082 and TRS3221), isolation (such as ISO3082 and ISO7131) and logic portfolios (SN74LVC1G08), which makes it easier for smart grid developers to design with TI's processors, microcontrollers and connectivity solutions with these analog products. A full list of components on the bill of materials is available at www.ti.com/dc-pr-lp.

An extensive open-source Linux software development kit that includes fully customizable, pre-written code allows developers to easily add functionality and features to data concentrator designs without the hassle of writing and tweaking code. It also includes resources such as PLC stacks (PLC-Lite, PRIME, G3, IEEE-P1901.2), network protocols and applications like DLMS/COSEM so developers can customize their products for multiple regional and global standards. Developers can also leverage the customizable hardware and software to easily fit the new Smart Data Concentrator EVM into a final product. With a sophisticated evaluation module that saves up to nine months in the design cycle, developers can instead focus on getting a differentiated product to market more quickly.

Features and benefits of the new Smart Data Concentrator EVM:

• Contains TI's Sitara AM3359 processor to provide the necessary performance headroom for the complex routing algorithm in the data concentrator to connect with more than 2,000 e-meters.
  
• Implementing a Sitara AM335x processor or an alternate Tiva™ C Series ARM MCU provides developers a larger range of performance (80MHz to 1GHz) and cost options.
  
• Includes advanced hardware and software that reduce development time by up to nine months while still supporting quick connectivity to more than 2,000 smart e-meters.
  
• TI's AFE031 for power metering works with a C2000 MCU to offer the industry's only complete 2-chip PLC solution including all active circuitry for transmission, receive and control. A cost-effective, integrated PLC AFE, the AFE031 is capable of capacitive- or transformer-coupled connections to the power line while under the control of a C2000 MCU.
  
• Integrated communication interfaces include two Ethernet (MAC) ports, USB and up to eight UARTs for quick and easy connectivity to other systems on the smart grid.
  
• Available with multiple PLC stacks for MAC and PHY layers so developers can create designs that support PLC-Lite, PRIME, G3 and IEEE-P1901.2 standards.
  
• DLMS/COSEM applications standard, supported by third party Aricent, pre-determines how the data concentrator will organize metrology data and send it back to the utility.