Technology

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Overview

Semitech Semiconductor

Semitech provides semiconductor devices that enable the transformation of the electricity grid into a smart grid. Specialzing in narrowband powerline communication, our chips help to transform existing infrastructures into its “smart” counterparts, reacting to conditions on the grid and implementing a worldwide communications network based on the existing power grid.

Powerline Communications

Power line communications (PLC) is a term describing different systems for using electric power lines to carry information.

  • All power line communications systems operate by impressing a modulated carrier signal on the power wires. Different types of power line communications may use different frequency bands, depending on regulations and the system characteristics.

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  • Since the power wiring system was originally intended for transmission of AC (or DC) power, it has limited ability to propagate higher frequencies. Data rates over a PLC system vary widely. Higher data rates generally imply shorter ranges, such that a local area network operating at megabits per second may only cover several meters.

Narrowband PLC

Narrowband PLC (NB PLC) is a generic term for PLC that typically operates in frequencies below 500KHz. Specifically, frequencies below 148.5KHz have been authorized by Europe’s CENELEC for broadly deployable PLC systems. Within this range high-voltage transmission lines may carry data to distances ranging from hundreds of meters to a few kilometers. The resulting data rates are modest, ranging from 1Kbps to 200Kbps. These rates are appropriate for telemetry, data gathering and control applications.

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The most broadly deployed Narrowband PLC solutions employ relatively simple, but extremely cost effective FSK and B-PSK modulation techniques.

  • Several interoperable standards have been developed based on these techniques including EIA709.2 and PLC4TRUCKS. With the advancement of communication technology, more advanced modulation techniques have developed and are being deployed.

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  • Most notably Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has proven to be particularly effective due to its inherent ability to adjust to the noise environment, resulting in a more robust more capable communication network. OFDM forms the basis of more recent standards such as G3-PLC, PRIME and IEEE1901.2.  Semitech has devices that support each and all of these standards.

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Organizational Affiliation

Semitech is recognized by or is a member of the following organizations and standards.

Partners

What Can We Help You Build?

Our engineers have extensive experience designing cost effective, robust communication across various media across a variety of applications. How can we help you innovate?

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