AC164142 Microchip Technology, AC164142 Datasheet - Page 9

• Manufacturer Part Number: AC164142
• Description: Consumer-band BPSK 7.2kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board Other
• Manufacturer: Microchip Technology
• Series: PICtail™ Plusr

Specifications of AC164142

• Kit Application Type: Communication
• Silicon Family Name: DsPIC
• Kit Contents: 2x Power-Line Soft-Modem PICtail Plus Daughter Boards, 2x High Voltage Adapter Cables, Info Sheet
• Features: Operates On 5V And 9V
• Rohs Compliant: Yes
• Processor To Be Evaluated: dsPIC33F
• Processor Series: dsPIC33F
• Operating Supply Voltage: 5 V, 9 V
• Featured Product: AC164142 PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board
• Main Purpose: Interface, Power Line Transceiver
• Embedded: No
• Utilized Ic / Part: -
• Primary Attributes: AC Power Line Transceiver, BPSK 7.2 Kbps
• Secondary Attributes: Requires Explorer 16 Boards
• Lead Free Status / Rohs Status: Lead free / RoHS Compliant

1.1
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
OVERVIEW
Thank you for purchasing Microchip Technology’s Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board. This daughter board provides a low-cost solution for
implementing a Power Line Modem (PLM) using the Microchip Explorer 16
Development Board.
The daughter board is used with the Explorer 16 Development Board to demonstrate
a software-based PLM implementing the Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation
technique.
This chapter introduces the daughter board and provides an overview of its features.
Topics covered include:
•
•
A PLM, also referred to as a Power Line Communication (PLC) modem, uses the
existing power lines to provide a cost-effective communication medium. This
technology can be used for a wide range of applications including, but not limited to,
Automated Meter Reading (AMR), energy consumption monitoring of individual
appliances, and lighting, heating, and solar applications. Data rate and robustness of a
power line communication link are the main parameters that decide its application
spectrum.
The Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board incorporates
Analog Front End (AFE) circuitry, which is required to implement a software-based
modem, using the dsPIC33F Digital Signal Controller (DSC) device on the Explorer 16
Development Board. The daughter board fits into the expansion slot on the Explorer 16
Development Board. A HV adapter cable (included in the package) interfaces the
daughter board to the power line. The HV adapter cable incorporates the circuitry
required to provide noise-filtering and isolation from the power line. The daughter board
and the HV adapter cable are designed to operate at a carrier frequency of 129.6 kHz
(CENELEC-C band).
The daughter board does not implement any particular modulation technique. Software
on the dsPIC33F DSC device generates 4-channel PWM output, which when
summed-up and filtered suitably by the daughter board circuitry, forms an approxi-
mated sine wave. This approximated sine wave is modulated in the software using the
BPSK modulation technique by controlling the PWM channels. On the receive path, the
modulated signal on the power line is filtered and amplified by the daughter board
before being fed to the ADC input of the dsPIC33F DSC device. The ADC module on
the dsPIC33F DSC device converts this received signal into the digital domain where
further filtering and demodulation is performed in software to recover the data.
Overview
Board Setup
Chapter 1. Introduction
SHOCK HAZARD – Do not open the HV adapter cable enclosure.
Failure to heed this warning could result in bodily harm.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
WARNING
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
DS70656A-page 9