Wireless M-Bus platform targets the European market
The comprehensive smart metering platform includes the Wireless M-Bus software stack and wireless starter kits to speed time to market. The platform is portable across the company’s wide array of energy-friendly ARM®-based microcontrollers (MCUs) and sub-GHz wireless ICs, and it supports all modes for smart metering in Europe including the popular 169 MHz N modes.
The open Wireless M-Bus protocol provides a proven, easy-to-deploy wireless connectivity system for smart metering and smart grid applications. Based on the EN13757-4/3 European standards, Wireless M-Bus specifies seamless sub-GHz RF communication between smart utility meters, data concentrators, mobile readout devices and heat cost allocators.
Wireless smart meter applications require long life for battery-powered meters such as water, gas and heat meters. To address this need, the Wireless M-Bus protocol requires very little overhead for the small amounts of data used by meters, enabling battery life of up to 15-20 years. Proven over the past several years in numerous field tests and deployments in many countries, Wireless M-Bus has become a widely accepted standard for smart metering in Europe.
The Wireless M-Bus platform covers all region-specific requirements throughout Europe. The software stack complies with the Wireless M-Bus specification (EN13757-4), the Wireless M-Bus Application Layer (EN13757-3) and the Application Layer of the Open Metering System (OMS) Group. The stack supports a wide range of modes at 868 MHz and 169 MHz, from the physical layer to the application layer. Supported modes include T1, T2, S1, S1-M, S2, C1, C2, N1 and N2 (a-g), with ultra-fast preamble detection for the N modes without sacrificing RF performance.
The Wireless M-Bus platform provides modularity and scalability, high RF performance, ultra-low power and a small memory footprint (as small as 32 KB flash depending on mode and device type). The software stack provides application programming interface (API)-based access for both application and extended data link layers. The stack also includes an optional serial command interface to enable control of the Wireless M-Bus software from an external host processor. Unlike competing systems, the company’s Wireless M-Bus platform uses a hardware AES encryption engine to provide security for metering systems.
The Wireless M-Bus platform has a modular architecture that features an open hardware abstraction layer (HAL), providing developers with complete flexibility to select the optimal Silicon Labs MCU and sub-GHz RF devices to meet the performance, cost and size requirements of their metering applications. The Wireless M-Bus software is available in binary/object code format for the company’s 32-bit EZR32 sub-GHz wireless MCUs, as well as a combination of EZRadioPRO sub-GHz RF transceivers and the entire 32-bit EFM32 Gecko MCU portfolio.
The Wireless M-Bus software package includes a quick start guide, complete API documentation, precompiled libraries (for ARM Cortex-M0+, M3 and M4 cores), and PC tools to configure a meter or collector with a demo application. Silicon Labs provides EZR32 starter kits optimized for the developer’s desired frequency bands: 868 MHz (SLWSTK6220A) and 169 MHz (SLWSTK6224A). The Wireless M-Bus Quick Start Guide provides all the essential information developers need to get started with their metering applications. Silicon Labs also offers additional Wireless M-Bus design files including schematics, bill of materials (BOM) and layouts including +27 dBm designs for the Italian market.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
