Smart Grid 2.0

This presentation by Echelon CTO Robert Dolin explores the next phase of the Smart Grid where the grid and the devices connected to it become a communicating, intelligent system. It also focuses on the increased efficiencies that result from this Smart Grid 2.0.

Smart Grid Report 2009

STANDARDISATION ANALYSIS: recent IEEE P1901 announcement

You may have seen the recent announcement regarding the approval of the first version of the IEEE P1901 draft standard. The purpose of this email is to clarify what this means and how this is related to the ongoing standardization process for the powerline communications industry.

Keep in mind that DS2 works in all standardisation bodies to bring the best technology to the market and that our roadmap includes products compliant with both IEEE and ITU.

1) The Executive Summary

• • The recent IEEE P1901 announcement does not mean the standard is approved. It’s only the first step in a multi-year process before approval.
  • The current draft of P1901 does not guarantee that P1901 devices will interoperate with each other. P1901 does nothing to solve the fragmentation problem in the industry.
  • G.hn, the standard developed by ITU for networking over power lines, phone line and coaxial cable is developing at a much faster pace, guarantees full multi-vendor interoperability and we think it will become the dominant standard in the wired networking industry.

2) Which are the Powerline Standards?

As background information, it’s important to understand that today there are two major projects developing standards for high-speed powerline communications:

• • The ITU G.hn standard, which defines a single PHY/MAC specification that can operate over power lines, phone lines and coaxial cables and that can scale to data rates up to 1 Gbit/s.
  • The IEEE P1901 standard, which specifies multiple non-interoperable PHY/MAC options, and that can only operate over power lines.

Although a number of vendors have announced plans to develop P1901-compliant devices, it’s important to note that in most cases P1901 devices from different vendors will not be interoperable with each other because they will be based on incompatible PHY/MAC specs.

Although DS2 is actively involved in both P1901 and G.hn, we are convinced that G.hn will be the dominant standard in the power line industry, for a number of reasons:

• • G.hn ensures interoperability, because it specifies a single PHY/MAC. IEEE P1901, on the other hand, specifies multiple non-interoperable PHYs, so P1901 devices based on different PHYs will not work with each other.
  • G.hn works over all kinds of wires (power lines, phone lines and coaxial cable), which increases the total addressable market and will facilitate economies of scale and competition from multiple vendors. P1901, on the other hand, only works over power lines.
  • G.hn is the only standard which has received support from multiple silicon vendors with the experience and capabilities to ship millions of chips to the market, including Intel, Infineon, Sigma Designs, DS2 and others. Also, G.hn is the only standard that has received public support from multiple Service Providers including AT&T, British Telecom and others.
  • G.hn provides next generation performance and reliability, while P1901 simply rubber-stamps existing powerline technologies that have been around for more than 5 years.
  • G.hn’s development is moving at a very fast pace. The PHY layer of G.hn (now called G.9960) was adopted by ITU last year, while the MAC layer is expected to be adopted in Oct 2009. Multiple silicon vendors (including DS2) have announced products based on G.hn shortly after the standard is adopted.

What does the recent IEEE P1901 announcement mean?

During the last P1901 meeting, the Working Group decide to hold a “Working Group Letter Ballot” (WGLB). The WGLB, which will finish on Sept 14th, will allow WG members to vote on the current text and to submit comments on the technical content. According to IEEE rules, the WG will have to collect these comments and resolve them before conducting another Letter Ballot.

IEEE standards usually go through several steps of Letter Ballots before final approval. As an example, 802.11n has gone through 8 iterations of WG Letter Ballot and at least 3 iterations of Sponsor Letter Ballots in a period of more than 3 years. (Detailed information can be found here)

Is IEEE P1901 approved?

No, IEEE P1901 is not approved. P1901 is now simply going through the first Working Group Letter Ballot. IEEE standards usually go through multiple iterations of WG Letter Ballots and multiple iterations of Sponsor Letter Ballot and have then to get IEEE Standards Board Review Committee Approval.

When will IEEE P1901 be approved?

Although IEEE P1901 (against common IEEE practice) has not published an official time-line, there is public information available regarding how much time it has historically taken for other IEEE Working Groups (such as 802.11) to approve standards of similar or lower complexity.

A few examples will clarify this: According to 802.11, it took 4 years and 5 months for 802.11e (a 211-page long amendment to the IEEE 802.11 standard that defines a set of Quality of Service enhancements for wireless LAN applications) to go from the first letter ballot to final IEEE-SA approval. It took 3 years and 2 months for 802.11i (a 190-page long amendment to the original IEEE 802.11 standard specifying security mechanisms for wireless networks) to go from first letter ballot to final IEEE-SA approval.

The current IEEE P1901 draft has more than 1600 pages, which is more than 7 times longer than 802.11e and more than 8 times longer than 802.11i, so it’s safe to assume that the time required to go from first WGLB to final approval will be significantly longer.

Are current products based on HomePlug or HD-PLC technology compliant with P1901?

No, they are not. Current products in the market are not compliant with the P1901 standard, and they will not be firmware upgradable for P1901 compliance.

Are current products based on HomePlug or HD-PLC technology interoperable with P1901?

No, they are not. In general, P1901 devices are not guaranteed to interoperate with existing products based on HomePlug and HD-PLC technologies. Even P1901 devices are not guaranteed to interoperate with each other.

What do third parties say about G.hn?

Michael Wolf, director at ABI Research said:
“We at ABI Research see several applications, such as multi-room high-definition video, that would ultimately benefit from the move towards a single MAC/PHY for multiple media in the home” […] The effort to build a higher-speed single specification for the three primary in-home wiring types (powerline, coax and phoneline) will provide a roadmap for next-generation service provider deployments. “While it is still early, ABI Research sees promise in the efforts by ITU G.hn,” says Wolf. “Ultimately, if G.hn sees integration into carrier devices by 2010, we expect that in 2013 some 42 million G.hn-compliant nodes will ship into the market, in devices such as set-top boxes, residential gateways and other service provider CPE hardware.”

Joyce Putscher, Principal Analyst at market research firm In-Stat, said:
“Service operators have been looking for an international standard that encompasses multiple existing-wire mediums for video distribution. G.hn meets that requirement and it seems clear that with significant industry backing from service providers, semiconductor and equipment vendors, and the fast rate at which the process is moving to achieve a standard, we will see first equipment by 2010.”

Kurt Scherf, analyst with market research firm Parks Associates, said:
“A single, unified technology for multimedia networks over power lines, coaxial cable, and phone lines has the potential to enable a simple, easy-to-use means of networking devices in the home […] We believe ITU’s work is an important step towards eliminating fragmentation in the industry and in achieving the vision of a networked home.”

Steve Rago, principal analyst at market researcher iSuppli, said:
“G.hn provides the next-generation standard for networking over customer-owned wiring. It is destined to become the first universal standard for home networking. […] G.hn nodes will grow at a CAGR of 257% between 2010 and 2013.”

Joseph Byrne, senior analyst at Linley Group, said:
“G.hn is likely to emerge the victor for powerline and phoneline networking. Telcos tend to favour ITU specs, and G.hn has the support of AT&T and BT, which is on the board of the group promoting G.hn, the Home Grid Forum. U.S. retailer Best Buy is on the board. ”

Where can I get more information on IEEE P1901?

DS2: Driving Industry Standards
Tom’s Hardware Guide: The Non-standard Powerline Networking Standard

Where can I get more information on ITU G.hn?

HomeGrid Forum website
New G.hn draft approved
AT&T’s perspective on the new G.hn standard
Top Ten Things You Need to Know About the New G.hn Standard
How fast can G.hn be?
Intel publishes white-paper on G.hn standard

FAQ: What the smart grid means to you

By Martin LaMonica

Yet again, the tech industry has a buzzword everyone seems to be using but few really understand.

The smart grid follows the footsteps of the Internet and the interstate highway system–they are giant investments in infrastructure. It’s not so much a single thing as it is a goal to give the electricity system a digital makeover to make it more efficient and reliable.

Governments and utilities around the world are devoting billions of dollars to lay new transmission lines and make the electricity network operate more like the computer networks we access every day. Big tech vendors and hundreds of start-ups are jockeying for prominence in the smart grid.

The buzz reflects how important reliable, affordable, and cleaner energy is to our modern lifestyle and economy. But what does it mean for individuals? And what technologies make up the smart grid? To give you a clue on what the smart-grid fuss is all about, we offer this FAQ.

Images: The many faces of the smart grid

What is the smart grid?
Building the smart grid means adding computer and communications technology to the existing electricity grid. With an overlay of digital technology, the grid promises to operate more efficiently and reliably. It can also accommodate more solar and wind power, which are inconsistent sources of energy that can become more reliable with better controls. Much like computers and routers manage the flow of bits on the Internet, smart-grid technologies use information to optimize the flow of electricity.

What would a smart grid be able to do that today’s not-so-smart grid can’t?
Right now, if there’s a breakdown at your local substation, the utility usually finds out when customers call to complain. Placing a networked sensor inside a transformer or along wires could locate and report a problem, or prevent it from happening in the first place.

Despite living in the age of information, most of us only get a glimpse of our energy consumption when the utility bills come once a month. In people’s homes, the smart grid should mean more detailed information through home energy-monitoring tools. These can be small displays or Web-based programs that give a real-time view of how much energy you’re using, which appliances consume the most, and how your home compares to others. Just surfacing that information will give people ideas on how to shave energy bills by 5 to 15 percent, utility executives say.

What’s needed to start is a smart meter with two-way communications or some other kind of gateway. Once that conduit is put in place, consumers can get more detailed energy data and start taking advantage of efficiency incentives, such as charging your plug-in electric vehicle in the middle of the night to get off-peak rates.

In theory, networked appliances are smarter and more efficient. GE and start-up display-maker Tendril, for example, will test big appliances–refrigerators, washing machines, and the like–that can get information on fluctuating electricity prices to do its job more efficiently. It could be as simple as making ice or running the dishwasher in the middle of the night. Or, as part of a home-area network, consumers could program lighting and major appliances on a schedule.

The next step toward efficiency is what’s called demand response. The goal here is to dial back energy consumption at peak times. This is very important to utilities because it’s costly and polluting to bring on auxiliary power plants to meet, say, a spike in demand from the air conditioning load on a hot summer day. Consumers and businesses have financial incentives to participate, such as a discounted rate. “Shedding load” could mean turning the gas heat off of the clothes drier for a few minutes or dimming the lights in a supermarket in the middle of the day.

A smarter grid also makes distributed energy, such as home solar systems, more viable and user-friendly. With a smart meter and monitoring software, a homeowner can see how much solar panels are producing and their carbon footprint is being reduced. A utility, too, is keenly interested in how much distributed energy is available so it can calibrate its own daily power generation.

What are some examples?
Xcel Energy has dubbed Boulder, Colo., “Smart Grid City” and is installing the equipment on power lines and people’s homes. Consumers get access to a free Web-based program that gives them a real-time read-out of use, which helps them lower their usage. It also lets them know when they are buying electricity made from clean sources.

When you go deeper into the smart grid, though, you realize it isn’t just about a more detailed utility bill. It can also diversify our energy sources, potentially avoiding the need to build new power plants to meet growing demand.

Consider Duke Energy’s smart-grid trial in Charlotte, N.C. A substation–the point that distributes electricity from long-haul transmission lines to a neighborhood–is equipped with 213 solar panels and a large battery. About 100 households have smart meters and in-home energy management tools.

When the sun is shining, the 50-kilowatt solar array makes electricity for the homes in the neighborhood. It also feeds the battery, giving the area a few hours of backup power in the case of an outage and a buffer to draw from during peak times. Consumers can take part in demand-response programs, too, to get a reduction on their electricity bill.

One of the more aggressive utilities in this area, Duke plans to have millions of smart meters installed in homes over the next two years. In addition, it envisions putting sensors along power lines, and networking gear, such as routers, in substations and transformers. In people’s homes, individual appliances like water heaters could eventually be networked as well.

The project reflects how the utility industry seems to be following the path of the computing industry, which went from centralized processing with mainframes to a much more distributed and varied architecture.

Who are the companies participating in the smart grid?
The smart grid is shaping up to be a giant mash-up of the electricity utility, computing, and communications industries.

Heavyweight tech companies–Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Google–all have serious initiatives in this area and loom large among utility executives working on smart-grid programs.

IBM, which sees big dollar signs when it gets involved in large infrastructure projects, is building the technology backbone for many grid modernization programs. That includes installing communications equipment along the grid as well as the software and servers to process the mountains of data that need to be processed.

Cisco, too, is jumping in with both feet with a broad initiative to supply networking equipment for utilities as well as in-home energy management tools. Verizon is looking at this as well, seeing the home network as a point to gather data on home energy use and, potentially, control lighting and appliances for better efficiency.

Microsoft and Google are going after consumers as well while trying to sign on utility partners.

The other key players are the host of start-ups in the area, many of which focus on energy displays. A handful of stronger network-oriented companies are emerging, notably Silver Spring Networks, which offers a wireless card that goes into smart meters.

Finally, there’s the electrical infrastructure itself: meters, transformers, transmission equipment, and other hardware that makes the grid tick. In addition to a number of smart meter makers, there are the global infrastructure companies like GE, Siemens, and ABB that are introducing modern control systems to manage the flow of electricity.

OK, so the smart grid is supposed to reduce wasted energy, give consumers better information, and allow the grid to use more solar and wind power. What’s the hold-up?
Where to start?

Utilities aren’t known as the most fleet-of-foot businesses and the energy industry invests a lower percentage of revenue in technology than most industries. This helps explain why we’ve been hearing about the grid for 10 years but very few of us actually have it.

But lack of investment is only part of the picture. The whole point of a smarter grid is to use electricity more efficiently, but in many states in the U.S. utilities operate without strong incentives for efficiency, say industry executives. They invest big dollars–think multibillion-dollar power plants–based on their ability to sell more kilowatt-hours, not less. The more progressive utilities have found ways to justify their investments in the smart grid based on savings from energy reductions, but many utilities aren’t nearly as enthusiastic because of how they are regulated.

A key regulatory piece of the smart grid is time-of-day pricing, which is supposed to reflect the fluctuating cost of energy delivery in a day. Some sort of tiered pricing would allow a consumer to take advantage of off-peak rates, but it isn’t the norm in many states.

Then there’s the lack of standards for a dizzying number of tasks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is responsible for establishing an interoperability framework for smart-grid standards, recently released a road map but everyone agrees there’s much work to be done.

The basic idea: be more efficient, resilient, and able to use more renewable energy.

(Credit: Department of Energy)

Amid all the technical and business challenges, there’s the question of consumer acceptance. Consumers, in general, are likely to welcome more detailed information on how much electricity, natural gas, and water they use. But even though there’s the promise of energy savings, it’s not clear that people are willing to pay much money for home energy-management tools.

Some people and businesses are willing to allow a utility to communicate through a smart meter to remotely control the thermostat on the air conditioner in exchange for cheaper rates. But these demand-response programs are clearly not for everyone. The trick for successful demand response programs is to entice consumers with lower electricity bills without being intrusive or forcing a dramatic change, say industry executives.

Finally, these technology businesses need to be profitable, but many of the technologies and business models need to be ironed out. There’s even some concern that a mini-investment bubble is building around smart grids.

Is the smart grid more secure?
Given the smart grid’s fledgling status, it’s hard to provide a definitive report card. But the rush to modernize the grid has gotten some security experts raising the alarm and calling for more scrutiny.

The increased use of the Internet instead of private networks for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control systems and the bleeding together of existing corporate networks with energy providers’ control networks opens up more potential cyber-vulnerabilities, they say. Security experts are calling for security to be better baked into the standards for the smart grid and for industry professionals to use better security practices to avoid dangerous hacks.

So when will I have my smart grid?
Like the highways and the Internet, the smart grid will take years to build, probably decades.

The first signs will be better energy-saving tools for consumers, much like the Web brought consumers better tools for managing personal finances. Some enthusiasts will want to closely monitor energy use and ratchet down consumption for environmental and financial reasons. Others may just set up “auto pilot” programs to take advantage of off-peak rates, much like you might use a programmable thermostat.

That said, it’s early on and there may be a killer application that will emerge from the smart grid platform.

Martin LaMonica is a senior writer for CNET’s Green Tech blog. He started at CNET News in 2002, covering IT and Web development. Before that, he was executive editor at IT publication InfoWorld. E-mail Martin.

Powerline Networking to create energy management opportunities

Via Appliancedesign.com . Imagine a world where the skyrocketing demand for energy, driven by the increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and the rapid economic development of emerging economies, leads to frequent electrical brownouts and blackouts. Now imagine if local utilities could communicate with appliances in homes such as a water heater, air conditioner, clothes dryer, or dishwasher, and instruct each one to cycle down during high-demand periods. This can help minimize power demand across the grid and avoid blackouts. Or better yet, imagine load-management programs that automatically drive down consumer electrical bills by turning off appliances and lights during high-cost peak periods and reinstating them when electricity rates are lower.

That’s the promise of powerline communications (PLC). By leveraging the vast electrical infrastructure already in place, PLC systems can use existing electrical lines rather than dedicated cabling to transmit data. The technology basically eliminates the high cost of installing network cable by allowing devices to communicate with one another after being plugged into standard electrical outlets. The concept is hardly new. Utilities have used PLC since the early 20th century to remotely control equipment on the grid. Only recently, however, have designers looked to PLC as a suitable low-cost methodology to precisely and efficiently manage electrical usage in home and building automation applications.

Early implementations of powerline-based technology for control applications offered limited performance. Initial derivations of the technology, such as CEBus and X-10, supported data rates of less than 1 kbps. Moreover, utilities using powerline networks had to grapple with extensive interference and a great deal of noise. Fluctuations in powerline conditions, in addition to noise from motors and other sources, frequently disrupted or terminated transmission.

Today’s PLC technologies use different methods to encode the information, including amplitude shift keying (ASK), frequency shift keying (FSK), phase shift keying (PSK), spread spectrum (SS), or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Among them, the most efficient solution for cost-sensitive, medium data rate applications is narrowband FSK. With this technique, digital data (0 and 1) are represented by two different frequencies, narrowly shifted from the central carrier frequency.

Such PLC systems operate by impressing this modulated carrier signal on the wiring system. Different types of PLC systems use different frequency bands. Home control systems usually modulate a carrier signal between 20 kHz and 200 kHz. As transmission rates have risen, designers have proposed PLC as a networking scheme for the interconnectivity of a wider array of electronic products via standard Ethernet or USB interfaces.

Today, industry groups are eyeing opportunities for PLC in higher-speed home networks for multimedia or entertainment applications such as high-definition TVs and home theaters. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance, a U.S.-based group of leading network technology, service and content providers, came together in March 2000 to develop and promote a common approach to PLC. The organization’s first act was to define the HomePlug 1.0 specification and outline a certification program to promote interoperability. More recently, the alliance has defined HomePlug AV (HPAV), a higher-speed standard designed to support video distribution with secure connectivity and integrated Quality of Service (QoS).

In the meantime, the rapidly rising cost of energy has refocused attention on a potentially vast market for lower-speed, PLC-based command and control applications. For home networking control of lighting, appliances, climate control appliances, and other basic functions, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance has drafted the HomePlug Command and Control (HPCC) specification as a lower-speed, lower-cost complement to HPAV. Using existing household electrical wiring as a transmission medium, PLC offers a low-cost and highly reliable networking solution for remote control of appliances and lighting systems without requiring the installation of additional wiring. The technology also offers a relatively high level of security. Unauthorized access to the medium is generally difficult when dealing with high voltages, and designers can add encryption with a network key and on-chip security features to further protect information.

Networks of this type not only give utilities and building managers more visibility into the electricity distribution and monitoring system, they also enable the use of completely remote, automated meter reading (AMR) as well as instant reporting of outages and system failures. Rather than a human meter reader visiting every customer’s house to manually log power usage, utilities can now track power usage in real time and use smart meters to manage power consumption. Ideally, this capability will enable utilities to respond more quickly and efficiently to changes in demand across the distribution network. It will also enable customers to use power more efficiently and drive down costs.

In this type of home area network or building automation application, utilities would use a variety of PLC products to intelligently manage lighting, heating and cooling, security, access control, and energy usage. Keypad controllers, for example, would act as standalone transceivers and replace standard switches in the powerline home or building network, and communicate with intelligent PLC-enabled appliances. The PLC system manufacturer would provide software to program the keypad controller and create various control scenarios for the managed network.

PC-based powerline transceivers ensure reliable communication of data across the network, communicating with host computers via Ethernet or USB interfaces. An analog front end performs signal conditioning and couples the modulated signals, generated from a custom modem chip with the powerlines. Using specialized software, the modem chip is capable of implementing custom configurations and more advanced functions such as signal-level measuring and signal repetition. At the networking level, simple plug-in PLC load modules provide remote control of individual appliances or lights via command signals transmitted over the same electrical wires that power the appliance. Each module is programmed by a keypad controller or transceiver to respond to on/off, bright/dim, or ramp up/ramp down commands. Installation is simple. The user plugs each load module into the wall outlet closest to the appliance or light. The appliance or light is then plugged directly into a receptacle on the module. No wiring installation is required.

Each powerline module and transceiver capable of functioning within a powerline network will require a digital modem IC and a controller. Eventually this functionality could be either embedded in an appliance’s motherboard or mounted on a separate daughtercard. The daughtercard approach allows appliance manufacturers to easily modify or update their designs by replacing the card as industry standards evolve. Once industry standards are resolved, most appliance manufacturers will probably opt to embed the modem onto the motherboard to reduce space requirements and minimize cost.

Design flexibility and cost are key considerations when selecting a modem IC for PLC applications. Ideally, a PLC modem must support a wide range of programmable transmission rates as well as communication frequencies. It should also offer a range of on-chip security peripherals. Reliability is also crucial. To reap the benefit of PLC technology, utilities need command and control solutions that are always available. Proven IC manufacturing processes and the integration of extensive on-chip error correction capabilities help ensure data accuracy and system uptime.

To give the PLC network designer maximum flexibility, a modem IC should also support the use of more than one protocol within the same network and the use of more than a single protocol in a given application. Given the stringent cost requirements of the appliance market, the IC must deliver those capabilities in a low-cost, compact, and reliable package compliant with industry-standard, high-volume manufacturing techniques.

While most appliances can be controlled via a hardwire connection, some functions such as gas or water meters or door sensors may not have access to a powerline. In other situations, utilities may need to transport commands from one wireless device to another via wired powerline networks. To cover all potential scenarios and offer complete command and control, utilities in the future will likely expand their home area networks by integrating wireless communications capabilities.

The leading wireless networking technology for sensing and control applications today is called ZigBee. Many utilities and manufacturers are rapidly adopting ZigBee Smart Energy, a new standard for energy management and efficiency built around the ZigBee language. This program is designed to enable wireless communication between utilities and common household devices such as thermostats and appliances. The program improves energy efficiency by allowing consumers to choose interoperable products from different manufacturers, enabling them to manage their energy consumption more precisely using automation and near real-time information. The program also helps utilities implement new advanced metering and demand response programs to improve energy efficiency and meet emerging government requirements.

Recently, the industry took a major step forward when the Homeplug Powerline Alliance, the ZigBee Alliance, and leading utilities announced plans to develop a common application layer for advanced metering applications that will allow devices compliant with the ZigBee Smart Energy initiative and devices compliant with the Homeplug standard to run on the same Home Area Network (HAN). This agreement will give utilities tremendous flexibility to create unified wireless and wired solutions for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and other smart metering programs by accelerating the development and certification of plug-and-play interoperable devices such as thermostats, water heaters, pool pumps, and other high-energy devices for use in a HAN. Ultimately, it will encourage the widespread adoption of energy management programs that automatically shift energy loads to help customers conserve energy, reduce energy costs and preserve the environment.

Given today’s focus on the environmental impact and rising cost of energy consumption, demand is already building for more precise and efficient energy-management tools. By combining a reliable, cost-effective technology that can be simply installed without using new wiring, PLC-based command and control networks offer a highly attractive solution for both utilities and energy consumers.

For more information, visit:
Ariane Controls: http://www.arianecontrols.com
NEC Electronics: http://www.am.necel.com

Sidebar: Design Flexibility

Enlarge this picture Fig. 2. PLM-1 block diagram.

Cost-effective and highly configurable modules are crtical to wide-scale adoption of PLC-based command and control systems. To achieve that goal, designers need highly reliable and affordable components.

One of the first modem ICs for these applications is the PLM-1, designed by Ariane Controls and available in volume from NEC Electronics America. Utilizing licensed intellectual property from Ariane’s PLC technology. The PLM-1 integrated circuit was designed on NEC Electronics’ CMOS-9HD quick-turn, gate-array platform and fabricated on a small, 44-pin, low-profile, quad-flatpack package, allowing for easy integration into the powerline transceivers applications. The PLC modem IP is easily migratable throughout NEC Electronics’ process technologies to provide ASIC customers with a critical PLC building block, as well as added functionality to NEC Electronics’ standard solutions lineup for emerging applications in the smart grid, intelligent lighting control and HAN markets.

The PLM-1 modem implements a half-duplex transmitter/receiver for PLCs using a frequency shift-key modulation technique. The modem also supports programmable transmission rates ranging from 100 baud to 20,000 baud and communication frequencies ranging from 50 kHz to 500 kHz. The protocol-neutral device also features a set of high-level functions designed to simplify the implementation of high-performance PLC networks. To ensure reliable communication, the chip also provides on-chip cyclical redundancy check (CRC), error detection and forward-error detection functions. Operating at 3.3 V, the chip minimizes power consumption by dissipating as little as 24 mW of power.

Designers developing complete PLC solutions can complement the PLM-1 with different devices in NEC Electronics’ line of microcontrollers (MCUs) for different applications. For example, a designer could combine the PLM-1 with a low-cost 8-bit 78K0 MCU for simple appliance control functions. For more sophisticated applications, such as network bridging or combination PLC + Zigbee communications, an efficient solution offering more integrated memory support for NEC Electronics’ Zigbee software protocol stack would fall under the 16-bit 78K0R MCU family. Finally, in complex applications, such as a smart meter to manage signals between multiple appliances and the utility, the designer could select one of NEC Electronics’ higher-performance 32-bit V850 MCUs.

Telkonet Wins Cutting Edge PLC Implementation for Sandia s National Solar Thermal Test Facility

BUSINESS WIRE–Telkonet, Inc. (NSYE Alternext: TKO), a Clean Technology company that develops and manufactures proprietary energy management and SmartGrid networking technology, has won a ground-breaking contract to supply the Telkonet Series 5^™ 200 Mbps powerline communications (PLC) system to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sandia National Laboratories, the operator of the NSTTF, required a cutting edge solution that would provide updated data connectivity for the site’s solar array of 218 heliostats (individually-guided mirrors that reflect concentrated sunlight to a target located at various positions on a 200 ft tall tower. Telkonet Series 5 was selected after a comprehensive market evaluation of all viable technologies, including competing PLC solutions, demonstrating its networking capabilities for high performance, critical applications to handle the project’s scale across a 9-acre site and challenging outdoor operational conditions. Telkonet’s advanced PLC technology will provide the platform to communicate between a central control computer and each heliostat. Targeting coordinates will be transferred to each heliostat and heliostat position will be returned to the control computer. Installation is scheduled to commence in early 2009.

Source: Telkonet, Inc.
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The NSTTF is the only test facility of its kind in the United States, providing experimental engineering data specializing in testing solar technologies, such as concentrating sunlight to heat a fluid that generates thermal energy to generate electricity. The facility is available to a wide cross-section of users for all types of solar and non-solar test applications, with projects including the U.S. Air Force, NASA and even applications requiring the simulation of a nuclear blast. The ability to analyze real-time data from the heliostats was a prime requirement as part of an ongoing upgrade program, as Cheryl Ghanbari, Test Engineer of Sandia National Laboratories explains, “The heliostat field has been in operation for more than 30 years. In spite of a site-wide counter poise system the field has experienced numerous direct lightning strikes that have caused a large number of component failures. The heliostat field has 480 volt AC power out to each heliostat, that is converted to 24 V DC to drive the motors that control the heliostats in azimuth and elevation, One of our main objectives was to be able to communicate utilizing the 480 V AC powerlines. After careful market research, we identified PLC as a viable option and conducted a series of tests. Telkonet provided hours of customer support and worked closely with us to optimize their equipment into our unique application.”

Prime Core Systems is contracted to handle Sandia’s NSTTF PLC implementation, and was responsible for conducting the preliminary testing during December 2008 to prove Telkonet Series 5’s suitability. Key issues included proving resilience and reliability, as well as consistently high bandwidth performance across the site, as Systems Engineer Juan Ortiz-Moyet explains, “Setting up the Telkonet units was very straightforward, and they performed very well across every parameter we tested. Unlike other PLC equipment we tested, Telkonet Series 5 worked predictably from the outset. We were impressed, as this is a unique application for the Telkonet equipment despite the fact that they have been well tested in the harsh substation environment.” More than 240 Telkonet iBridges^™ and 260 inductive Telkonet Couplers^™, plus 10 Telkonet eXtenders^™ and 2 Telkonet Gateways for full redundancy will be deployed across the site. The entire upgrade will be completed by late summer 2009.

Telkonet Series 5 has been designed specifically to meet high performance, critical applications, setting unprecedented performance levels for security, speed, QoS and capacity. Telkonet Series 5 delivers a range of significant performance advances, including the following.

• Secure transmission – Incorporates hardware-based 128-bit AES encryption that meets stringent commercial requirements and provides industrial users with a highly secure remote management solution
• Incorporates additional optional physical access ports – Including both RS232 and RS485 to enable a wide range of different devices to be networked, such as non Ethernet-enabled monitoring and metering devices used in electric utility substations
• Optional support for both DC and AC applications – Meets environmental standards for both AC and DC operating environments for utility substations and the utility marketplace
• Withstands extended temperature ranges – Enables monitoring and control in tough, outdoor industrial environments
• Enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) – Handles up to 8 different communication levels, across high-speed data, Voice over IP (VoIP) and surveillance, with rate-limited bandwidth management per application
• Integrated energy management – Incorporates an optional ZigBee adapter for the initial integration of Networked Telkonet SmartEnergy, combining Ethernet connectivity with wireless-based monitoring and management

HDMI transmitted over power lines

Audiovox Corp. of the U.S., which develops and sells high-end audio equipment such as the ‘Acoustic Research’ line in countries such as the U.S., released ‘HDP100,’ a PLC adaptor with a built-in converter for digital TVs for the U.S. market in Oct. 2008. By using HD-PLC, this device enables video from a tuner or DVD player to be displayed on a digital TV that is not physically connected.

HDP100 is a device which transmits and receives video and data transferred with HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), the standard interface for digital television, via electric power lines using HD-PLC technology. It comes as a set of two devices: a transmitter which connects to tuners or DVD players using HDMI cables, and a receiver which also connects to TV sets using HDMI cables. By plugging each device into the electrical outlet in the house, users can enjoy video without directly connecting the tuner or DVD player to the TV set.

A need for such a device came about because users in the U.S. with large rooms wanted to place their flat-screen TV sets flush with the wall. Especially, if the flat-screen TV can be hung from the wall, there now is no need to place tuners and DVD players right underneath the TV; therefore, maximizing the space-saving benefits of flat-screen TVs.

Because HDMI sends data using parallel data interface*, the length of the standard cable that connect the tuners/DVD players with the TVs is not long enough. If the cable is too long, it may not be able to transmit high definition data properly. High spec HDMI cables can be used for long-distance transmissions, but the cost would be too high. This is why it is most common to place the TV tuners and DVD players near the flat-screen TVs. Because of this, the development of wireless HDMI system is under research, but its product development and widespread use need more consideration for the market. Also, there is a possibility that devices that are not in line of sight with one another may not be able to communicate because the EHF airwaves, which is what the device plans to use, tend to transmit data in a straight line.

Given this situation, HDP100, the wireless connection device, aims to relieve users from the hassle of cables by using HD-PLC to connect TV tuners and TVs. For example, the DVD player can be placed by the bookshelf where CDs and DVDs are stored. The DVD player can then be connected to the HDP100 transmitter. The TV will be connected to the HDP100 receiver, and by connecting all the other devices with electrical power lines using HD-PLC, users can place audio visual equipment such as TVs and tuners wherever they want, as long as there is an electrical outlet nearby.

The HDP100 receiver has an IR sensor which is compatible with remote controls for each audio-video equipment manufacturers. By placing this IR receiver near the TV, users can operate the remote controls for TV tuners or DVD players at a remote location via the HD-PLC network. There is no need to directly point the remote control to the DVD players or the tuners, but instead simply point the remote control to the TV as before.

The HDP100 is currently only available for the U.S. market, at US$399.

(* note) Parallel Transmission: A method of sending multiple data simultaneously. It is faster compared to serial transmission that sends data one by one, but since it needs to synchronize data, it is difficult to make the cable longer.

Power-line-based broadband is back from the dead

The story of Infoworld: It’s one of those technologies that have never been ready for prime time or even an understudy role. If someone could only get it to work, broadband-over-power-line (BPL) technology could become an alternative to DSL and cable and perhaps complement Wi-Fi in the networking space. Obstacles still remain, but the perennial also-ran may be ready for a starring role.

Key breakthroughs, notably by silicon vendor DS2, include a new generation of chips that has pushed transmission speeds to 200Mbps, with 400Mbps now being tested, compared with throughput of 13Mbps a decade ago, says Trip Chowdry, managing director of Global Equities Research. What’s more, the chips are significantly cheaper.

And another recent innovation, called notching, lets the chips switch frequencies when meeting interference. This upgrade should quiet the fears of ham radio operators (who amazingly enough have still have significant clout) and others that BPL will cause problems for various radio services, says Ray Blair, IBM’s head of advanced networking.

IBM is teaming with local utilities to supply broadband in rural areas not served by other technologies. Big Blue’s partner, International Broadband Electric Communications, will have access to 340,000 homes in Alabama, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Because BPL essentially turns the electrical grid into an Internet-based network, every device attached to the grid will be able to communicate with other devices on it. This means BPL technology has the potential to develop a “smart grid,” which could allow for such services as automated meter reading, real-time system monitoring, preventive maintenance and diagnostics, and outage detection and restoration.

Bullish as he is on the technology, Blair figures that latecomer BPL is more likely to supplement broadband over DSL and cable than to replace it. “Broadband service by any of the major utilities doesn’t make sense. It will never be able to compete head on.”

But in rural areas, where other broadband providers can’t afford to build infrastructure, the technology has come far enough in the past few years to make the power-line model economical, he says.

Similarly, BPL won’t replace Wi-Fi, but hotels that have found Wi-Fi spotty or those that want to cater to government guests who are forbidden to work on unwired connections could deploy BPL instead, says Blair. Cruise ships and buildings with asbestos or other problems that make running Ethernet impractical or Wi-Fi difficult are also target markets.

And if WiMax turns out to be a turkey, there’s a good chance that BPL may get a second (or a third?) look from even urban broadband providers, says Chowdhry.

The bottom line: BPL doesn’t have to take over the broadband world to become significant in the marketplace and a useful addition to IT’s tool bag when other technologies don’t fit the bill.

HomePlug(R) Technology Incorporated into IEEE P1901 Standard Baseline

The HomePlug(R) Powerline Alliance today announced that the IEEE P1901 Working Group approved proposals including key HomePlug technology as the baseline for an IEEE powerline communications standard. The balloting took place Thursday at the P1901 Working Group meeting in Kyoto, Japan.

The proposals, which were divided into three clusters – In-Home, Access and Coexistence, all achieved more than 75 percent affirmative votes from the voting members of the working group. The baseline specification was confirmed by the majority of the group, well exceeding the required 75 percent threshold.

“Confirming the baseline technology for the P1901 draft standard is a significant achievement for the HomePlug Alliance and the entire powerline communications industry,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “The formation of a ubiquitous IEEE standard will help to unite the industry, create even faster market growth and provide strong benefits to the consumer.”

The baseline confirmation is the result of more than a year of intense effort among technical representatives from over 50 companies and organizations, including many members of the HomePlug Alliance, ensuring that the P1901 standard will reflect the best available technology and serve the needs of the powerline communications industry as a whole.

Multiple semiconductor vendors have already announced plans to deliver integrated circuits (ICs) based on the P1901 standard. Additionally, products using HomePlug AV powerline communications ICs are expected to be fully interoperable with products using ICs based on the P1901 standard, assuring a seamless roadmap for existing HomePlug customers. As a result, the HomePlug Alliance expects that products based on the draft of the IEEE P1901 specification will be introduced by multiple HomePlug member companies well in advance of final ratification of the P1901 standard.

As previously announced, the HomePlug Alliance plans to provide a comprehensive compliance and interoperability (C&I) certification program for products based on the IEEE P1901 standard. This program will benefit HomePlug members and consumers by ensuring reliable interoperable products will be available from multiple suppliers. The HomePlug Alliance leads the powerline communications industry in compliance and interoperability testing, having already certified more than 160 products based on HomePlug standards from over 30 companies since 2002.

For additional details on the IEEE P1901 standard, please visit http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1901/. More information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance can be found at http://www.homeplug.org

ITU-T G.hn Specification Achieves Key Milestone With Successful Consent at Geneva ITU-T Meeting

HomeGrid Forum, a global, non-profit trade group promoting International Telecommunication Union’s Standardization Sector (ITU-T) G.hn standardization efforts for next-generation home networking, today announced that ITU-T has successfully Consented the PHY and architecture portions of the ITU-T G.hn specification at its Geneva meeting held at the United Nations, December 1-12. The ITU is a global standards body that is under the auspices of the United Nations. Comprising more than 185 member countries, the ITU sets standards for global networks. This Consent demonstrates significant momentum for G.hn and helps establish one global networking standard for the exploding digital home market.

“We applaud ITU’s success in achieving this major milestone,” said Matthew Theall, president of HomeGrid Forum. “This achievement allows chipset providers to begin design of silicon which will be used to create new products that will form the foundation for next-generation whole-home networking. HomeGrid Forum continues to be committed to driving the rapid and broad adoption of G.hn technology in the consumer electronics, PC, and service provider markets.”

The G.hn standard is aimed to deliver a single unified technology for the wired home network that addresses key issues for service providers, electronics manufacturers, and consumers alike. Through one worldwide standard, G.hn will unify the networking of content and devices over any wire — coax cable, phone, and power lines. With it, ITU enables service providers to deploy new offerings including IPTV more cost effectively; allows consumer electronics manufacturers to provide powerful devices for connecting all types of entertainment, home automation, and security products throughout the house; and greatly simplifies consumer purchasing and installation processes.

“There’s a clear market need for a unified networking approach,” said Malcolm Johnson, director, ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. “We appreciate the efforts of the HomeGrid Forum in bringing about commercial products that effectively deliver on the promise of G.hn, and look forward to continued cooperation between our two organizations to help streamline the provision of advanced, multimedia services in homes throughout the world.”

HomeGrid Forum members share their extensive technical and marketplace expertise to make well-vetted and impactful G.hn technology contributions to ITU-T. On December 19^th, the organization will host a webinar covering the consent and its implications for the consumer market. The event will begin at 10am PST. For additional details on the webcast, please visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/110360035. HomeGrid Forum is also actively developing compliance and interoperability test programs for the G.hn standard. These programs will simplify the development, purchase, installation and use of HomeGrid Forum-Certified products through the entire ecosystem of silicon providers, service providers, CE companies, PC companies, retailers, and consumers. Finally, HomeGrid Forum continues to seek new members that can help drive the success of G.hn. To learn more about becoming a HomeGrid member, please visit www.HomeGridForum.org/join.

About ITU

ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues, and the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services. For more than 140 years, ITU has coordinated shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoted international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, worked to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, and established the worldwide standards that assure seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems.

ITU also organizes worldwide and regional exhibitions and forums bringing together the most influential representatives of government and the telecommunications industry to exchange ideas, knowledge and technology for the benefit of the global community, and in particular the developing world.

From broadband Internet to latest-generation wireless technologies, from aeronautical and maritime navigation to radio astronomy and satellite-based meteorology, from phone and fax services to TV broadcasting and next-generation networks, ITU is committed to connecting the world.

About G.hn

The members of the ITU-T’s G.hn Rapporteur Group are creating a specification for a single MAC/PHY technology which can run over coaxial cable, phone lines, or power lines. G.hn participants include service providers, consumer electronics and information technology manufacturers, and component and intellectual property providers from around the world.

About HomeGrid Forum

HomeGrid Forum is a global, non-profit trade group promoting the International Telecommunication Union’s G.hn standardization efforts for next-generation home networking. HomeGrid Forum promotes adoption of G.hn through technical and marketing efforts, addresses certification and interoperability of G.hn-compliant products, and cooperates with complementary industry alliances.