Texas Instruments connects the smart grid with a new modular and scalable smart meter system solution with multiple communication protocols

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Enabling developers to add multiple connectivity, processor and metrology options to their smart meter designs, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today announced a modular and scalable Smart Meter Board (SMB) development platform that supports one-phase to three-phase smart electricity meters with the smart grid's most prolific communications protocols. The Smart Meter Board is an innovative development platform that incorporates key smart grid devices from TI's broad portfolio of embedded, analog and connectivity solutions to demonstrate the capabilities of a smart meter.

The SMB is a unique modular and scalable environment that lets developers include multiple wired and wireless communication protocols including power line communication (PLC), near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi^®, sub-1GHz and 2.4GHz ZigBee® Smart Energy Profile (SEP) on e-metering and pre-payment metering applications to showcase automatic meter reading (AMR) and automatic metering infrastructure (AMI) systems. Developers using the Smart Meter Board development platform benefit from TI's robust smart grid software libraries when implementing key communication standards and typical utility meter functions. The software libraries, combined with TI's Smart Meter Board, let developers choose which development tool matches their project needs.

The new Smart Meter Board system integrates TI's expertise in the smart grid and connectivity markets and highlights TI's broad portfolio of smart grid solutions. TI's recently announced Smart Meter system-on-chip (SoC) is compatible with the Smart Meter Board system and can be plugged into the board for development and expand the functionalities of the SoC. For more information, visit www.ti.com/smb-pr-lp.

Features and benefits of TI's Smart Meter Board:

• Modular and scalable smart meter development platform helps developers design low-end to advanced smart meters for AMR and AMI systems.
• Open platform lets developers customize their designs for further development and/or differentiation.
• Supports processors ranging from ARM® Cortex™-M microcontrollers to Cortex-A8 processors so developers can choose the device features that best suit their project.
• Support for low-power RF (sub-1GHz and 2.4GHz ZigBee) implementations connects a meter to a home area network (HAN) for short-range communication.
• Supports PLC for PRIME/G1/G3/P1901.2 for low-frequency narrowband communication.
• NFC capabilities introduce options for pre-payment of energy.
• Wi-Fi capability allows smart meters to connect to an IP network so customers can communicate with the smart meter through a Wi-Fi-connected computer, smartphone or tablet, without the additional cost and complexity of a gateway.
• Easy software integration with support for TI Smart Grid software libraries, including ZigBee SEP 1.x and 2.0, WMBUS, 802.15.4g, one-phase/two-phase metrology, THD, DLMS, pre-payment, MIFARE™ and encryption.

Pricing and availability:
The Smart Meter Board is available immediately for sampling. Please contact a TI sales representative for samples and pricing information.

Visit TI @ Metering Europe 2012
Texas Instruments will be demonstrating and distributing samples of the Smart Meter Board at the Metering Europe 2012 Expo in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Oct. 9-11. Stop by booth #G30 to see other TI smart grid demonstrations, solutions and meet our team of TI smart grid experts at Metering Europe 2012.

TI's smart grid solutions
With millions of energy meter ICs shipped over the past decade, Texas Instruments is the global systems provider for innovative, secure, economical and future-proof solutions for the worldwide smart grid. TI offers the industry's broadest smart grid portfolio of metrology expertise, application processors, communication systems, wireless connectivity and analog components in readily available silicon, with advanced software, tools and support for compliant solutions in grid infrastructure, utility metering and home or building automation. Learn more at www.ti.com/smartgrid.

Find out more about TI's Smart Grid solutions

• TI's smart grid solutions: www.ti.com/smartgrid
• New Smart Meter Board (SMB) development platform: www.ti.com/smb-pr-lp
• New Smart Meter SoC from TI: www.ti.com/smartmeter-pr-lp
• TI's Smart Metering solutions: www.ti.com/smartmeter
• TI eStore: www.estore.ti.com
• TI E2E™ smart grid community: www.ti.com/smartgride2e

About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun.  Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities.  This is just the beginning of our story.  Learn more at www.ti.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated