Japanese electronics company Renesas has introduced a power line communications (PLC) modem IC for HVAC and lighting system control in offices.

The R9A06G061 delivers communications at up to 1Mbit/s over distances of a kilometre or more, without the need for relays, expanding the range of practical applications for PLC.

Optimised analogue peripheral functions reduce the number of external components required, allowing for less expensive and more compact systems. With this combination, the device is suitable for HVAC control, lighting system control in office buildings, and string monitoring and power conditioner control in solar power systems.

Since it does not require the installation of dedicated cables, it can also enable low-cost system monitoring in applications such as monitoring of cellular antennas or motors in submersible pumps.

While the firm’s current R9A06G037 PLC modem IC supports the G3-PLC, Prime and Meters & More standards and can be used to implement large-scale multi-hop networks with a mesh topology, the latest device is designed specifically for configuring simple peer-to-peer (P2P) networks with a bus or star topology. Improved transmission drive capability lets designers increase the number of devices that can be connected twofold to more than 200 without the use of additional line drivers. In addition, the IC’s noise tolerance makes it suitable for a wide range of applications and environments.

“The cost and extended construction time associated with the installation of dedicated signal lines as well as the maintenance cost of additional devices are key issues for building and infrastructure device management,” said Toshihide Tsuboi, vice president at Renesas. “PLC is an outstanding solution that overcomes these issues, and I am confident that our new product, designed specifically for P2P networks, will further broaden the scope of practical applications for PLC.”

Renesas also released evaluation kits for AC and DC power lines. These kits, along with tools for evaluating communication performance that run on a PC, support communication characteristics evaluation, error analysis and troubleshooting. The company provides the evaluation software and documentation so developers can immediately begin development and debugging. Design data for the hardware of the evaluation kits are available on request to support more rapid product development.

Renesas has combined the R9A06G061 with complementary analogue and power offerings that work together seamlessly for various applications.