Chipset for G3-PLC hybrid powerline and wireless communication
The ST8500 and S2-LP chipset from STMicroelectronics has become the first to be certified according to the G3-PLC Hybrid communication standard that defines seamless connectivity over powerline and wireless media.
The G3-PLC Hybrid specification allows smart-grid, smart-city, industrial, and IoT equipment to select the best available wireless or powerline channel at any time, automatically and dynamically, according to network conditions. This enables superior coverage, reliability, and scalability, while also allowing cost-efficient system operation and enabling new use cases.
One of the first Hybrid-ready products, ST demonstrated its ST8500 Hybrid chipset at a G3-PLC Alliance interoperability plugfest in 2020. The chipset is now the first to complete the latest G3-PLC certification scheme, published in March 2021, which incorporates the Hybrid profile tests.
The certified chipset combines the ST8500 programmable multi-protocol powerline communication system-on-chip (SoC) and STLD1 line driver with the S2-LP ultra-low-power sub-GHz radio transceiver. The SoC’s programmability enables a software-defined implementation capable of supporting a broad portfolio of powerline protocol stacks, in worldwide frequency bands such as CENELEC and FCC.
Based on 6LowPAN and IPv6 and combining RF connectivity with the native G3-PLC protocol stack, the ST8500 SoC consumes less than 100mW in receive mode, ensuring ultra-low-power performance in line with the latest specifications to minimize the grid load imposed by new smart meters. It contains a high-performance DSP for real-time protocol processing and an ARM® Cortex®-M4F core for upper-layer processing and system management. Both the DSP and ARM core have their own code and data SRAM on-chip, while peripherals including a 128/256-bit AES cryptographic engine are integrated to meet the needs of smart-energy applications. The Analog Front End (AFE) for connecting to the STLD1 line driver is also integrated. The STLD1 communicates reliably, even across noisy power cables and with low impedance, with high drive capability and high linearity.
The S2-LP is a high-performance ultra-low-power RF transceiver, intended for RF wireless applications in the sub-1GHz band. It is designed to operate in both the license-free ISM and SRD frequency bands at 433, 512, 868, and 920 MHz, and can be programmed to operate at additional frequencies in the 413-479 MHz, 452-527 MHz, 826-958 MHz, and 904-1055 MHz bands. The transceiver allows an RF-link budget greater than 140dB for long communication ranges and meets radio-equipment regulations in territories worldwide including Europe, North America, China, and Japan. ST provides companion integrated balun/filter chips for the S2-LP that simplify antenna-connection circuitry and save PCB area in space-constrained applications.
The ST8500 SoC is packaged as a 7- x 7- x 1-mm QFN56. The STLD1 and S2-LP are each packaged as 4- x 4- x 1-mm QFN24. All devices are in full production.
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