Valencia, SPAIN, 26th April 2010 - DS2, a leading technology innovator and global supplier of
high-speed, robust, and scalable powerline silicon, today announced the
availability for the global utility market of DS2's Wideband PLC Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) silicon and firmware package and its AMI
Evaluation Kit. The Solution combines DS2’s UPA wideband powerline
communications hardware operating on the 2-12 MHz range with a software package
field-tested and optimized for AMI. It includes the DR200 Head End Reference
Design package for the service aggregation point, the DE95B embedded module
Reference Design for Smart Meters, and specialized Alma AMI Firmware. The
package offers full and comprehensive AMI functionality with the ability to
reach the most remote parts of the grid. DS2's AMI Evaluation Kit is a
fully functioning version of the DS2 AMI package allowing DS2 customers to test
the concept and accelerate the development of Smart Grid products for the
utility market.
The DS2 Wideband PLC AMI package provides a true plug and play mesh network.
When a new meter node is connected to the network, it is automatically
recognized, the communication is automatically established, and the network
automatically reconfigures to optimize its mesh capabilities adding the node as
a network member and extender. The result is that network self-healing is
guaranteed. When a node fails, the network impacted components
automatically reconfigure themselves re-establishing communication paths. The
firmware includes a complete IP-stack and a fully featured SNMP agent. The
agent implements both standard (RFC 1213) and extended DS2 MIBs so that
standard off-the-self management tools can be used to remotely control each
network node. In addition, communication between the nodes is encrypted using
advanced industry-accepted algorithms. The embedded RADIUS client ensures that
only authorized meter nodes can join the network.
The DS2 AMI package supports current and future Smart Grid needs including
real-time network planning and management, outage avoidance, and demand
management, while eliminating customer service time spent answering queries
over estimated bills.
DR200 Head End Reference Design
The DR200 Reference Design is for a high performance AMI
gateway/concentrator integrating the DSS9002 digital IC and DSS7700 analog IC.
The DR200 Head End supports AMI networks with as many as (nodes). The
powerful DSS7700 Analog Front End is fully programmable in reception and
transmission, allowing the signal to reach long distances over any medium, be
it powerline, coax or other.
DE95B embedded meter module reference Design
This is the meter component of the DS2 AMI package. It easily integrates
into existing or new residential and industrial meters facilitating the
addition of next generation functionality to a successful product line or the
introduction of a differentiated new product line using the ready to
manufacture reference design.
The design
is powered by a single DC power supply (8-15V) or it can get power from
the existing design in the meter for a completely embedded solution. The design
includes MII and serial interfaces to ensure interface to virtually all
standards-based meter designs. The Reference Design includes an embedded
coupling unit to facilitate direct connection to electricity lines enabling
immediate communication in the lab.
Alma AMI Firmware
The software comes with a complete Application Programming Interface (API).
It enables a design team to add or remove existing logic blocks and create new
applications that run on the DSS9002’s embedded processor. Integration and
enabling communication with any type of Meter is a straightforward process
using the API.
For
over a decade DS2 has helped utilities worldwide implement pioneering powerline
communication solutions. "We have leveraged our experience and expertise
of working with different topologies and networks to develop the DS2 AMI
Reference Design package. The meter component easily integrates into
existing or new commercial and industrial meters helping manufacturers speed
the development of their Smart Grid product portfolio. By increasing the
bandwidth and providing a full mesh network foundation, utilities are able to
add new services, eliminate technical restrictions they face with other AMI
options, and resolve lost billing data issues ". said Jose Calero, DS2 CTO
and VP of Product Management.
About DS2
DS2 is a leading technology innovator and a global
provider of high-speed semiconductor solutions for Powerline Communications and
other wire-line network communications products. DS2 invented high-speed
Powerline Communications delivering the first 200 Mbps Powerline Communications
IC to enable quality multimedia home networking, networked entertainment and
broadband access applications to and throughout the home, office, or building,
to and throughout urban and rural communities.
Contact for
DS2
Ann Whyte
DS2 -Director
of Corporate Communications
E-mail:
ann.whyte@ds2.es
Tel: +34 627 00 96 49