Socionext Inc. ("Socionext"), a leader in SoC design and application technology, announced that samples of the HD-PLC communication chip "SC1320A" based on the IEEE1901-2020 standard will start shipping in June and are scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2022 mass production. The chip is the world's first semiconductor design IP core chip authorized by Panasonic that conforms to the IEEE1901-2020 standard.
HD-PLC (High Definition Power Line Communication) is a wired communication technology that superimposes high-frequency signals (2~28MHz) on wires such as power lines, telephone lines, twisted pairs, and coaxial cables. In 2021, the fourth-generation HD-PLC technology released 1/2 and 1/4 transmission modes in the IEEE1901-2020 standard that can realize longer-distance communication, and the maximum communication distance can reach 10 kilometers when using multi-hop technology. The new technology is expected to be widely used in large-scale networks of social infrastructure such as smart cities.
SC1320A Features and Specifications
SC1320A is the world's first communication chip using the fourth-generation HD-PLC technology, and integrates a semiconductor design IP core authorized by Panasonic that conforms to the IEEE1901-2020 standard. With its technical advantages in signal processing, analog front end and circuit design, and the characteristics of HD-PLC, Socionext has achieved 200mW ultra-low power consumption on SC1320A, 3.3V power supply, and a compact 7mm x 7 mm package. In addition, the SC1320A chip also has built-in SPI/UART and Ethernet MAC (RMII) interfaces, which can be widely used in home energy management systems, Internet of Things and other products.
Future development
Socionext provides a millimeter-wave radar that can detect human position and movement, and a low-power and low-cost IoT tag chip SC1330A compatible with LPWAN2.0. Combining the SC1320A chip with the above two products can provide a variety of solutions for things Networked and intelligently connected systems and devices bring more value. For example, by using the combination scheme of SC1320A and SC1330A, high-precision presence detection can be realized in mixed communication networks.
