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Dual Mode PLC Processor with Integrated Sub-GHz RF

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General Description

VC83X0 (VC8310/VC8320) is a dual mode Power Line Communication (PLC) processor with integrated sub-GHz RF Transceiver. VC83X0 incorporates one 32-bit ARM Cortex M4 MCU, one 32-bit DSP, one embedded Flash memory, 6 UART interfaces, one SPI interface, one 10/100M Ethernet MAC, PLC MAC/PHY layer functions, Analog Front-End (AFE) and high current Line Driver.

VC83X0 supports multiple modern narrowband and broadband PLC standards for Smart Grid and other IIoT applications. In cooperation with the integrated high performance sub-GHz RF transceiver, VC83X0 delivers the optimum dual-mode (PLC + RF) hardware platform for AMI networking in Smart Grid connections. On top of VC83X0 Vertexcom’s mesh software stack based on hop-by-hop PLC/RF transmission media selection provides the most effective solution to solve coverage and reliability difficulties encountered in a complicated outdoor environment.

Key Features

 32-bit ARM Cortex M4 MCU

 Up to 6 UART interfaces

 One SPI interface (Master/Slave)

 2 PWM

 One Ethernet MAC with RMII interface

 2 MB embedded Flash memory

 128 KB SRAM

 Support In-System Programming (ISP) of Flash memory via UART0 or SPI interface

 3.3-V digital I/O

 Integrated DC/DC (3.3V to 1.2V) buck converter

 Package: QFN-88 (10 x 10mm)

 Operating temperature range: -40 ~ +85°C

PLC Processor Features

 Support multiple narrowband and broadband PLC Standards:

  • VC8310G: G3-PLC, IEEE P1901.2
  • VC8310P: PRIMEVC8320: China SGCC Q/GDW 11612, IEEE 1901.1

 Frequency band:

  • VC8310G/P: 0 ~ 500 KHz
  • VC8320: SGCC HPLC 0 ~ 12 MHz
    • Band0: 1.95 ~ 12MHz
    • Band1: 2.4 ~ 5.6MHz
    • Band2: 0.78 ~ 2.93MHz
    • Band3: 1.76 ~ 2.93MHz

 Integrated high linearity, high current and power efficient Line Driver to offer the lowest BOM cost for PLC applications

 Companion DC/DC buck converter VC6100 (Patented) for better power efficiency

 Modulation schemes: BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK and 16QAM

 Support HW AES-128/192/256 and SM2/SM3/SM4

Sub-GHz Transceiver Features

 Support IEEE 802.15.4g/Wi-SUN

 Support wireless M-Bus

 ISM Frequency bands: 315, 433, 490, 868, 915 MHz ISM

 Excellent selectivity performance

  • Adjacent channel rejection: 48 dB
  • Blocking performance: > 75 dB

 Best-in-class receiver sensitivity

  • -109 dBm at 50 kbps GFSK

 Maximum data rate: 300 kbps

 Configurable maximum transmit output power :

  • +20 dBm
  • +13 dBm

 Current consumption

  • Shut-down: 70 nA
  • Sleep mode: 0.8 µA
  • Receive mode: 16 mA
  • Transmit mode: 96 mA at +20 dBm

 Automatic output power ramping

 Modulation schemes: OOK, (G)FSK, 4(G)FSK and GMSK

 Automatic RX wake-up for low power listen

 Fast wake-up and AGC for low-power listen

 Functions for wireless link robustness

  • RF channel hopping
  • Retransmission
  • Auto-acknowledgement

 Digital RSSI and clear channel assessment for CSMA and listen-before-talk systems

 Support packet over packet reception for reliable communication

 Early termination of receive mode for incorrect preamble reception

 Hardware-based user identification listen to eliminate false wake-up

Dual-Mode Features

  Seamless integration of PLC and sub-GHz communication.

  Best path selection mixing of wired and wireless channels

  L2 hybrid networking with common upper layers

  • Less memory overhead
  • Less delay through the path
  • Applicable to arbitrary upper-layer protocols
  • No modification effort for user applications

  Hop-by-hop selection of RF & PLC (RF-PLC-RF-PLC...)

  • Higher packet success rate than end-to-end approach (RF-RF-...-RF or PLC-PLC-...-PLC)
  • Interoperable with existing PLC nodes
  • Flexible to deploy (partial replacement is possible)

  Backbone for electricity/ gas/ heat/ water AMR

Applications

 Smart Grid Communications

 Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)

 Smart Meters

 Power Line Communications Data Concentrators

 Street Lighting Automation

 Industrial monitoring and control

 Smart Home and building

Block Diagram

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Ordering Information

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