Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ Plus
Daughter Board
User’s Guide
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A
Note the following details of the code protection feature on Microchip devices:
•
Microchip products meet the specification contained in their particular Microchip Data Sheet.
•
Microchip believes that its family of products is one of the most secure families of its kind on the market today, when used in the
intended manner and under normal conditions.
•
There are dishonest and possibly illegal methods used to breach the code protection feature. All of these methods, to our
knowledge, require using the Microchip products in a manner outside the operating specifications contained in Microchip’s Data
Sheets. Most likely, the person doing so is engaged in theft of intellectual property.
•
Microchip is willing to work with the customer who is concerned about the integrity of their code.
•
Neither Microchip nor any other semiconductor manufacturer can guarantee the security of their code. Code protection does not
mean that we are guaranteeing the product as “unbreakable.”
Code protection is constantly evolving. We at Microchip are committed to continuously improving the code protection features of our
products. Attempts to break Microchip’s code protection feature may be a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If such acts
allow unauthorized access to your software or other copyrighted work, you may have a right to sue for relief under that Act.
Information contained in this publication regarding device
applications and the like is provided only for your convenience
and may be superseded by updates. It is your responsibility to
ensure that your application meets with your specifications.
MICROCHIP MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WHETHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, WRITTEN OR ORAL, STATUTORY OR
OTHERWISE, RELATED TO THE INFORMATION,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ITS CONDITION,
QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR PURPOSE. Microchip disclaims all liability
arising from this information and its use. Use of Microchip
devices in life support and/or safety applications is entirely at
the buyer’s risk, and the buyer agrees to defend, indemnify and
hold harmless Microchip from any and all damages, claims,
suits, or expenses resulting from such use. No licenses are
conveyed, implicitly or otherwise, under any Microchip
intellectual property rights.
Trademarks
The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, dsPIC,
KEELOQ, KEELOQ logo, MPLAB, PIC, PICmicro, PICSTART,
PIC32 logo, rfPIC and UNI/O are registered trademarks of
Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other
countries.
FilterLab, Hampshire, HI-TECH C, Linear Active Thermistor,
MXDEV, MXLAB, SEEVAL and The Embedded Control
Solutions Company are registered trademarks of Microchip
Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A.
Analog-for-the-Digital Age, Application Maestro, CodeGuard,
dsPICDEM, dsPICDEM.net, dsPICworks, dsSPEAK, ECAN,
ECONOMONITOR, FanSense, HI-TIDE, In-Circuit Serial
Programming, ICSP, Mindi, MiWi, MPASM, MPLAB Certified
logo, MPLIB, MPLINK, mTouch, Omniscient Code
Generation, PICC, PICC-18, PICDEM, PICDEM.net, PICkit,
PICtail, REAL ICE, rfLAB, Select Mode, Total Endurance,
TSHARC, UniWinDriver, WiperLock and ZENA are
trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the
U.S.A. and other countries.
SQTP is a service mark of Microchip Technology Incorporated
in the U.S.A.
All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their
respective companies.
© 2011, Microchip Technology Incorporated, Printed in the
U.S.A., All Rights Reserved.
Printed on recycled paper.
ISBN: 978-1-60932-930-3
Microchip received ISO/TS-16949:2002 certification for its worldwide
headquarters, design and wafer fabrication facilities in Chandler and
Tempe, Arizona; Gresham, Oregon and design centers in California
and India. The Company’s quality system processes and procedures
are for its PIC® MCUs and dsPIC® DSCs, KEELOQ® code hopping
devices, Serial EEPROMs, microperipherals, nonvolatile memory and
analog products. In addition, Microchip’s quality system for the design
and manufacture of development systems is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
DS70656A-page 2
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................ 9
1.2 Board Setup ................................................................................................. 10
Chapter 2. Hardware
2.1 Functional Overview ..................................................................................... 15
2.2 Hardware Components ................................................................................ 17
Chapter 3. Demonstration
3.1 Software and Tools ...................................................................................... 19
3.2 Demonstration Applications .......................................................................... 25
Appendix A. Board Layout and Schematics
A.1 HV Adapter Board Layout and Schematic ................................................... 29
A.2 Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board Layout
and Schematics ...................................................................................... 30
Appendix B. Bill of Materials (BOM)
Appendix C. Troubleshooting Guide
C.1 Frequently asked questions ......................................................................... 35
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 3
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
NOTES:
DS70656A-page 4
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Preface
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS
All documentation becomes dated, and this manual is no exception. Microchip tools and
documentation are constantly evolving to meet customer needs, so some actual dialogs
and/or tool descriptions may differ from those in this document. Please refer to our web site
(www.microchip.com) to obtain the latest documentation available.
Documents are identified with a “DS” number. This number is located on the bottom of each
page, in front of the page number. The numbering convention for the DS number is
“DSXXXXXA”, where “XXXXX” is the document number and “A” is the revision level of the
document.
For the most up-to-date information on development tools, see the MPLAB® IDE online help.
Select the Help menu, and then Topics to open a list of available online help files.
INTRODUCTION
This preface contains general information that will be useful to know before using the
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board. Items discussed in
this chapter include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Document Layout
Conventions Used in this Guide
Recommended Reading
The Microchip Web Site
Development Systems Customer Change Notification Service
Customer Support
Document Revision History
DOCUMENT LAYOUT
• Chapter 1. “Introduction” provides a brief overview of the daughter board,
highlighting its features and uses.
• Chapter 2. “Hardware” provides the hardware descriptions of the daughter
board.
• Chapter 3. “Demonstration” describes simple applications that demonstrate the
capabilities of the Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter
Board.
• Appendix A. “Board Layout and Schematics” provides a block diagram, board
layouts, and detailed schematics of the daughter board.
• Appendix B. “Bill of Materials (BOM)” provides a Bill of Materials for the
daughter board and the HV adapter.
• Appendix C. “Troubleshooting Guide” discusses common operational issues
and methods to resolve them.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 5
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS GUIDE
This manual uses the following documentation conventions:
DOCUMENTATION CONVENTIONS
Description
Represents
Examples
Arial font:
Italic characters
Initial caps
Referenced books
MPLAB® IDE User’s Guide
Emphasized text
...is the only compiler...
A window
the Output window
A dialog
the Settings dialog
A menu selection
select Enable Programmer
Quotes
A field name in a window or dialog “Save project before build”
Underlined, italic text with right
angle bracket
A menu path
File>Save
Bold characters
A dialog button
Click OK
A tab
Click the Power tab
A key on the keyboard
Press <Enter>, <F1>
Sample source code
#define START
Filenames
autoexec.bat
File paths
C:\mcc18\h
Keywords
_asm, _endasm, static
Command-line options
-Opa+, -Opa-
Bit values
0, 1
Constants (in source code)
0xFF, ‘A’
Italic Courier New
A variable argument
file.o, where file can be any
valid filename
Square brackets [ ]
Optional arguments
mcc18 [options] file
[options]
Curly brackets and pipe
character: { | }
Choice of mutually exclusive
arguments; an OR selection
errorlevel {0|1}
Ellipses...
Replaces repeated text
var_name [, var_name...]
Text in angle brackets < >
Courier New font:
Plain Courier New
Represents code supplied by user void main (void)
{ ...
}
DS70656A-page 6
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
Preface
RECOMMENDED READING
This user’s guide describes how to use the Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM
PICtail Plus Daughter Board. The following Microchip documents are available from the
Microchip web site (www.microchip.com), and are recommended as supplemental
reference resources.
Explorer 16 Development Board User’s Guide (DS51589)
This development board provides a low-cost, modular development system for
Microchip’s line of 16-bit dsPIC33F Digital Signal Controller (DSC) families, and 16-bit
Microcontrollers (MCU) including the PIC24F and PIC24H.
MPLAB® C Compiler for PIC24 MCUs and dsPIC® DSCs User’s Guide
(DS51288)
This document describes the features of the optimizing C compiler, including how it
works with the assembler and linker. The assembler and linker are discussed in detail
in the “MPLAB® Assembler, Linker and Utilities for PIC24 MCUs and dsPIC® DSCs
User’s Guide” (DS51317).
dsPIC33F/PIC24H Family Reference Manual and dsPIC33F Family Data
Sheets
For information on dsPIC33F DSC device functionality, refer to the applicable family
reference manual section and product data sheets.
MPLAB® IDE User’s Guide (DS51519)
Consult this document for more information pertaining to the installation and
implementation of the MPLAB IDE software, as well as the MPLAB Editor and MPLAB
SIM Simulator software that are included with it.
THE MICROCHIP WEB SITE
Microchip provides online support via our web site at: http://www.microchip.com. This
web site makes files and information easily available to customers. Accessible by most
Internet browsers, the web site contains the following information:
• Product Support – Data sheets and errata, application notes and sample
programs, design resources, user’s guides and hardware support documents,
latest software releases and archived software
• General Technical Support – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), technical
support requests, online discussion groups, Microchip consultant program
member listings
• Business of Microchip – Product selector and ordering guides, latest Microchip
press releases, listings of seminars and events; and listings of Microchip sales
offices, distributors and factory representatives
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 7
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS CUSTOMER CHANGE NOTIFICATION SERVICE
Microchip’s customer notification service helps keep customers current on Microchip
products. Subscribers will receive e-mail notification whenever there are changes,
updates, revisions or errata related to a specified product family or development tool of
interest.
To register, access the Microchip web site at http://www.microchip.com, click
Customer Change Notification and follow the registration instructions.
The Development Systems product group categories are:
• Compilers – The latest information on Microchip C compilers and other language
tools. These include the MPLAB® C compiler; MPASM™ and MPLAB 16-bit
assemblers; MPLINK™ and MPLAB 16-bit object linkers; and MPLIB™ and
MPLAB 16-bit object librarians.
• Emulators – The latest information on the Microchip MPLAB REAL ICE™
in-circuit emulator.
• In-Circuit Debuggers – The latest information on the Microchip in-circuit
debugger, MPLAB ICD 3.
• MPLAB IDE – The latest information on Microchip MPLAB IDE, the Windows®
Integrated Development Environment for development systems tools. This list is
focused on the MPLAB IDE, MPLAB SIM simulator, MPLAB IDE Project Manager
and general editing and debugging features.
• Programmers – The latest information on Microchip programmers. These include
the MPLAB PM3 device programmer and the PICkit™ 3 development
programmers.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Users of Microchip products can receive assistance through several channels:
•
•
•
•
Distributor or Representative
Local Sales Office
Field Application Engineer (FAE)
Technical Support
Customers should contact their distributor, representative or field application engineer
(FAE) for support. Local sales offices are also available to help customers. A listing of
sales offices and locations is included in the back of this document.
Technical support is available through the web site at:
http://www.microchip.com/support
DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY
Revision A (March 2011)
This is the initial release of the Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus
Daughter Board User’s Guide.
DS70656A-page 8
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Chapter 1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Microchip Technology’s Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board. This daughter board provides a low-cost solution for
implementing a Power Line Modem (PLM) using the Microchip Explorer 16
Development Board.
The daughter board is used with the Explorer 16 Development Board to demonstrate
a software-based PLM implementing the Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation
technique.
This chapter introduces the daughter board and provides an overview of its features.
Topics covered include:
• Overview
• Board Setup
1.1
OVERVIEW
A PLM, also referred to as a Power Line Communication (PLC) modem, uses the
existing power lines to provide a cost-effective communication medium. This
technology can be used for a wide range of applications including, but not limited to,
Automated Meter Reading (AMR), energy consumption monitoring of individual
appliances, and lighting, heating, and solar applications. Data rate and robustness of a
power line communication link are the main parameters that decide its application
spectrum.
The Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board incorporates
Analog Front End (AFE) circuitry, which is required to implement a software-based
modem, using the dsPIC33F Digital Signal Controller (DSC) device on the Explorer 16
Development Board. The daughter board fits into the expansion slot on the Explorer 16
Development Board. A HV adapter cable (included in the package) interfaces the
daughter board to the power line. The HV adapter cable incorporates the circuitry
required to provide noise-filtering and isolation from the power line. The daughter board
and the HV adapter cable are designed to operate at a carrier frequency of 129.6 kHz
(CENELEC-C band).
WARNING
SHOCK HAZARD – Do not open the HV adapter cable enclosure.
Failure to heed this warning could result in bodily harm.
The daughter board does not implement any particular modulation technique. Software
on the dsPIC33F DSC device generates 4-channel PWM output, which when
summed-up and filtered suitably by the daughter board circuitry, forms an approximated sine wave. This approximated sine wave is modulated in the software using the
BPSK modulation technique by controlling the PWM channels. On the receive path, the
modulated signal on the power line is filtered and amplified by the daughter board
before being fed to the ADC input of the dsPIC33F DSC device. The ADC module on
the dsPIC33F DSC device converts this received signal into the digital domain where
further filtering and demodulation is performed in software to recover the data.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 9
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
The Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board is shown in
Figure 1-1. Refer to 2.2 “Hardware Components” for detailed information on the
board components.
FIGURE 1-1:
1.2
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS
DAUGHTER BOARD
BOARD SETUP
Figure 1-2 illustrates the setup of the daughter board with the Explorer 16 Development
Board. The dsPIC33F Plug-in Module (PIM) and the 9V power supply are plugged into
the Explorer 16 Development Board.
Note:
If you want to debug or program the software on the dsPIC33F DSC device,
the MPLAB® REAL ICE™ in-circuit emulator or ICD3 or PICkit3 should be
connected to the Explorer 16 Development Board.
The daughter board is plugged into the PICtail slot of the Explorer 16 Development
Board. The RCA jack of the HV adapter cable is connected to the daughter board. The
AC end of the HV adapter cable is plugged into a mains power outlet. The daughter
board is compatible with 110V/60 Hz mains supply and the 220V/50 Hz mains supply.
WARNING
SHOCK HAZARD – Do not open the HV adapter cable enclosure.
Failure to heed this warning could result in bodily harm.
DS70656A-page 10
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
FIGURE 1-2:
BOARD SETUP
HV Adapter Cable
Explorer 16 Development Board
Daughter Board
dsPIC33F
PIM
Power Supply
To summarize, following are the items that will be required to evaluate the two daughter
boards included in the box:
• Two Explorer 16 Development boards (DM240001)
• Two 9V Power Supplies (AC002014)
• One REAL ICE (DV244005) / ICD3 (DV164035) / PICkit3 (PG164130)
It is important to understand that some countries have multi-phase power supplies
within buildings. In this case, connecting daughter boards to power outlets on different
phases may result in partial or total loss of the communication link. A signal coupler
device will be required to communicate across different phases of the power supply. A
typical signal coupler device consists of a high voltage rated capacitor, optionally in
series with an inductor, connected across the two phases of the power supply as shown
in Figure 1-4. The capacitor used in the coupler should be rated to handle the instantaneous voltage between the two phases. Using an X-2 or X-1 rating capacitor is highly
recommended.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 11
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
FIGURE 1-3:
SIGNAL COUPLER DEVICE
Signal Coupler
To power line
Phase 1 (2)
18 μH(1)
0.1 μF
To power line
Phase 2 (2)
Note 1:
2:
Optional
Phases can be interchanged
For domestic applications a signal coupler, such as Smarthome™ SignaLinc
Model-4816B2, can be plugged into the nearest 220V outlet (typically used for heaters
and dryers) as illustrated by Example 1 in Figure 1-4. For application scenarios where
a cross-phase 220V outlet is not available, a wire-in type of phase coupler device, such
as Smarthome™ SignaLinc V2 Passive Coupler, will have to be used at the circuit
breaker panel as illustrated by Example 2 in Figure 1-4.
WARNING
SHOCK HAZARD – The signal coupler might be charged to the line voltage even after it
is disconnected from the power line. Please discharge the capacitor by shorting the
signal coupler terminals before handling or disassembling the signal coupler.
DS70656A-page 12
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
FIGURE 1-4:
DUAL-PHASE POWER SUPPLY EXAMPLES
Power Transformer
Phase 2
Example 1
Neutral
Circuit Breaker
Panel
Phase 1
Example 2
M2
M2
C
R
M1
M1
110V
Mx
110V
Power Line Modem
R
Wire-in type Signal Coupler
C
Plug-in type Signal Coupler
Insert into
220V Outlet
DS70656A-page 13
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
NOTES:
DS70656A-page 14
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Chapter 2. Hardware
This chapter provides a functional overview of the daughter board and identifies its
major hardware components. Topics covered include:
• Functional Overview
• Hardware Components
2.1
FUNCTIONAL OVERVIEW
A block diagram illustrating the functional operation of the daughter board is shown in
Figure 2-1.
FIGURE 2-1:
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD
BLOCK DIAGRAM
Daughter Board
Transmit Amplifier
PWM
Channels
OC1-OC4
CS
dsPIC33F
Explorer 16
Development
Board
RG0
RG1
RF0
RF1
Push-pull
Line Driver
Adder
and
Band-Pass
Filter
HV Adapter
Cable
(see Warning below)
HiZ
AN8
AN9
AN16
AN17
Band-Pass
Filter
RX
RX
2-Stage
Receive Band-Pass Filter
To
Power Line
Tuned
Amplifier
WARNING
SHOCK HAZARD – Do not open the HV adapter cable enclosure.
Failure to heed this warning could result in bodily harm.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 15
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
2.1.1
Transmit Path
The daughter board utilizes four PWM channels to generate an approximated sine
wave. The PWM channels are shifted in phase such that a sum of their instantaneous
amplitude resembles a stepped sine wave. By filtering this stepped sine wave using a
band-pass filter, a relatively clean sine wave is obtained, as shown in Figure 2-2. The
amount of filtering required is dependent on the number of PWM channels. Using
higher number of PWM channels will require less filtering.
FIGURE 2-2:
PWM-BASED ANALOG SIGNAL GENERATION
PWM1
PWM2
PWM3
PWM4
Band-pass
Filter
Output
After the approximated sine wave is obtained, it is amplified by the MCP6283 Op amp.
The Chip Select pin of this Op amp is used to implement flow-control. By asserting the
HiZ pin, the transmit amplifier is enabled, thus enabling the transmission path. This HiZ
pin can be configured on RG0/ RG1/RF0/RF1 using the jumper, JP2.
The output of this transmit amplifier is fed to the line driver circuit implemented using
transistors in a push-pull configuration. The line driver output is then coupled into the
power line through the HV adapter cable.
2.1.2
Receive Path
The modulated signal on the power line is received by the HV adapter cable and is
passed through an LC band-pass filter to filter out the noise and interference. This filtered signal is then fed to the tuned amplifier, which is implemented using a transistor
amplifier in a common-emitter configuration. This amplified signal is then filtered using
a high-gain 2-stage active band-pass filter designed around the MCP6282 Op amp.
The output of this filter is then fed to the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) input of the
dsPIC33F DSC device on the Explorer 16 Development Board. The ADC input pins,
AN8/AN9/AN16/AN17, can be selected by appropriately setting the jumper, JP3.
DS70656A-page 16
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
2.2
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
Figure 2-3 identifies the key hardware components of the daughter board. Table 2-1
lists the descriptions for each hardware component.
FIGURE 2-3:
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
3
2
8
7
3
1
4
6
5
9
10
TABLE 2-1:
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
Item No.
Description
Item No.
Description
1
Transmit-level set potentiometer (P1)
6
ADC input select jumper (JP3)
2
Transmit amplifier (U1A)
7
Tuned amplifier transistor (T9)
3
Output transistors (T5, T6)
8
Receive Band-pass filter (U2A, U2B)
4
RCA connector (CON1)
9
Transient Voltage Suppressor (D7)
5
HiZ select jumper (JP2)
10
Explorer 16 PICtail connector (CON2)
2.2.1
Transmit-level Set Potentiometer (P1)
This 100 kΩ potentiometer sets the average signal output amplitude transmitted from
the daughter board. Refer to A.2 “Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™
Plus Daughter Board Layout and Schematics” for the daughter board schematics.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 17
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
2.2.2
Transmit Amplifier (U1A)
The transmit amplifier is used to implement flow control on the transmit path.
2.2.3
Output Transistors (T5, T6)
Output transistors are implemented in the push-pull configuration to amplify the
transmit signal before coupling the signal into the HV adapter cable.
Note:
2.2.4
The output transistors should have good thermal contact with a large
copper plane on the PCB to dissipate heat.
RCA Connector (CON1)
The RCA connector is used to connect the daughter board to the HV adapter cable.
2.2.5
HiZ Select Jumper (JP2)
This jumper is used to select the dsPIC33F DSC device pin used for switching the
transmit amplifier. Changing this jumper setting will require appropriate changes in the
software. See Figure A-5 for the schematic of the jumper connections.
2.2.6
ADC Input Select Jumper (JP3)
This jumper is used to select the dsPIC33F DSC device analog pin required to sample
the received signal from the power line. Changing this jumper setting will require
appropriate changes in the software. See Figure A-5 for the schematic of the jumper
connections.
2.2.7
Tuned Amplifier Transistor (T9)
This transistor configured in the common-emitter configuration is used to implement a
tuned amplifier on the receive path.
2.2.8
Receive Band-pass Filter (U2A, U2B)
This 2-stage band-pass filter provides high gain to the received signal while filtering
out power line noises and interference signals. The circuit is essentially a high-pass
filter with a very high gain. The gain bandwidth product limits the higher frequencies
(low-pass response), thereby resulting in a band-pass filter.
2.2.9
Transient Voltage Suppressor (D7)
The transient voltage suppressor is used to protect the daughter board from high
voltage transients on the power line.
2.2.10
Explorer 16 Development Board PICtail™ Connector (CON2)
The daughter board connects to the Explorer 16 Development Board using edge
connector J3. The daughter board uses the following signals on the Explorer 16
Development Board PICtail Plus connector:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
+3.3V power
+5V power
+9V power
Ground
dsPIC33F DSC device Output Compare module signals (OC1-OC4)
dsPIC33F DSC device ADC module input signals (AN8/AN9/AN16/AN17)
One GPIO for HiZ signal (RG0/RG1/RF0/RF1).
Note:
DS70656A-page 18
The source code provided on the Microchip website uses the AN8 pin for
ADC input and the RF0 pin for the HiZ signal. Please ensure that jumpers
JP2 and JP3 are populated according to this configuration. Using other
jumper configurations will require suitable modifications in the source code.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Chapter 3. Demonstration
This chapter describes simple applications that demonstrate the capabilities of the
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board. Topics covered
include:
• Software and Tools
• Demonstration Applications
3.1
SOFTWARE AND TOOLS
For free demonstration source code and more information, please visit the related web
page at www.microchip.com/powerline. From the landing page, select Consumerband BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board. In the downloads section,
select a demonstration application to download an archive file that contains the related
demonstration source files.
The MPLAB® Integrated Development Environment (IDE) should be installed prior to
using the daughter board for application development. While MPLAB IDE provides the
assembler tools for development, demonstration applications are written in the C
language and require a C compiler to be installed.
Both the MPLAB IDE and C Compiler are free (see Note below) and available for
download at www.microchip.com/MPLAB and www.microchip.com/compilers,
respectively.
Note:
3.1.1
Standard Evaluation (Free) – All optimization levels are enabled for 60
days, but then revert to optimization level 1 only.
Running the Demonstration Applications
After downloading the desired demonstration application from the website, use the
following steps to compile and run the demonstration application:
1. Connect the hardware as described in 1.2 “Board Setup”. For detailed
instructions on setting up the Explorer 16 Development Board, refer to the
“Explorer 16 Development Board User’s Guide” (DS51589).
2. Connect the device programmer to a development computer.
3. Launch the required demonstration application in MPLAB IDE by double-clicking
the appropriate project file (*.mcp).
4. Verify and optionally edit the configuration files of the demonstration project.
Refer to 3.1.3 “Configuration Settings” for information regarding configuration
options.
5. Select Project > Build to build the application. Verify that the build was successful
and that it completed without any warnings.
6. Select Programmer > Select Programmer to choose the desired programmer.
Connect the programmer to the target Explorer 16 Development Board.
7. Program the demonstration application into the dsPIC33F DSC device on the
target Explorer 16 Development Board by selecting Programmer > Program.
Note:
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
Some demonstration applications may use different project files for
successive Explorer 16 Development Boards. Please refer to
3.2 “Demonstration Applications” for details on these applications.
DS70656A-page 19
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
3.1.2
Configuration Files
Modem and application configuration has been split into several header files, each
responsible for a logically separated portion of the code. Each demonstration application defines a config.h file that serves as a master configuration file and should
include, directly or indirectly, all other configuration files. The modem and framework
modules have their own main configuration files (modem.h and framework.h), normally
included by the master config.h file. These files can be found in the config
subdirectory of the relevant project directory.
The entire configuration of the low-level modem code has been placed into three
configuration files, which can be found in the modem configuration
subdirectory ...\modem\conf. These configuration files are:
• config_plm.h: Contains options common to all modulation algorithms implemented and allows modulation scheme selection
• config_bpsk.h: Contains all BPSK configuration options
• config_fec.h: Contains the forward error correction configuration
All configuration options are extensively documented in the source code comments.
3.1.3
Configuration Settings
The following are the important configuration settings.
PLM_OE
This setting selects how the Output Enable (HiZ signal) for the transmit amplifier is
asserted. This option is hardware-dependent and must be left at its default value for the
daughter board provided in the kit. Possible options are:
• Drive low to enable, high impedance to disable (default)
• Drive low to enable, drive high to disable
• Drive high to enable, drive low to disable
PLM_OE_LAT
The LAT register bit of the Output Enable signal (assembler syntax). This setting must
be changed only if a non-default JP2 jumper configuration is used. This setting must
match the jumper setting on the daughter board.
PLM_OE_TRIS
The TRIS register bit of the Output Enable signal (assembler syntax). This must match
the setting for PLM_OE_LAT.
PLM_ADC_CHNL
This setting selects the ADC input number (i.e., ANx pin). The ADC configuration is
adjusted automatically. This setting must be changed only if a non-default JP3 jumper
configuration is used. This setting must match jumper setting on the daughter board.
PLM_ADC_TRIS
The TRIS register bit where the selected ANx channel is located.
PLM_FRAMING
This setting enables the low-level framing and is disabled by default.
PLM_SOF
The Start of Frame (SOF) character. This setting is used only if low-level framing is
enabled.
DS70656A-page 20
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
PLM_FEC
This setting enables the Forward Error Correction (FEC) feature. Please note that the
Viterbi algorithm used for the FEC feature requires significant processing power, especially at higher code constraint lengths. At a carrier frequency of 129.6 kHz, no room is
left to run FEC and this option must be disabled.
PLM_QUALITY_MEASURE
This setting enables received signal quality estimation and determines a 16-bit quality
metric calculated during the initial bytes after the last byte synchronization has been
found. The metric is an average value of absolute values of demodulated signal samples, taken in the instance of bit decisions during the first 16 bytes after byte
synchronization has been found. A value greater then 0x7F00 means perfect quality.
PLM_LOCAL_ECHO
This setting, if enabled, allows the modem to receive its own transmissions.
PLM_DEBUG_MODE
This setting enables various debugging modes and normally should be off (set to
DEBUG OFF). The other modes supported are:
• Signal Logging mode, where signal samples on various demodulation stages can
be saved in a circular buffer
• Performance Measurement mode in which a GPIO pin (RG0) is set high
whenever the processor is executing low-level modem code
PLM_RAM_SAVING
If enabled, this setting causes the modem code to use less RAM (reduced by a third)
at a cost of consuming more processing power (2 to 4 MIPS). In case this option is
enabled, a processing buffer size must also be selected by manually setting
PLM_DEM_BLOCK_LEN. The smaller the buffer, the smaller the amount of RAM used;
however, the performance hit is more significant.
PLM_ADC
This setting allows the selection of the ADC, in case the dsPIC33F DSC device used
has more than one ADC module.
PLM_USE_DMA
This setting, if set to ‘1’, causes the code to be compiled with DMA support. Unless
there are good reasons not to (e.g., no DMA support in the selected CPU model), DMA
should be used for best performance.
PLM_FC
This setting sets the carrier frequency and must not be changed while using the
daughter board.
PLM_BAUD
This setting sets the modem baud rate. Available options are: 1200, 2400, 3600, 4800,
5400, and 7200 (default).
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 21
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
PLM_MOD_IMP
This setting selects the number of OC channels dedicated for PWM-based signal
generation. Available options are:
• MOD_DDS: Directly calculates sine samples. No real-world output (for
demodulator testing with internal loopback)
• MOD_PWM: Uses single OC channel (not recommended)
• MOD_2PWM: Uses two OC channels
• MOD_4PWM: Uses four OC channels (default)
PLM_SOFT_AGC
This setting enables software automatic gain control. In most cases it should be
enabled. It may be disabled if the hardware gain guarantees that the working signal will
always touch power supply rails. If the input signal is small and the software AGC is
disabled, the Costas loop will not get enough feedback and the digital PLL may fall out
of synchronization.
PLM_COSTAS_FB
This setting allows the selection of a Costas loop feedback filter implementation. The
filter is actually implemented as a regulator. Three options are available:
• direct (equivalent to a P controller)
• PI
• PID
Tests show that the PI implementation brings the best performance. The proportional
term is responsible for the phase synchronization, while the integral term allows
tracking in the event of a constant frequency offset.
3.1.4
API Functions
The modem API allows for very low level access to the modulator and demodulator
code. The application communicates with the modem on a buffer level and the modem
itself does not impose any buffer sizes, frames or protocols. All of these features can
be freely implemented in the higher layers. All low-level API functions are declared in
the header file (...modem\common\plm.h) and are C-callable. The following functions
are available:
plm_mod_start()
This function starts the modulator and configures the Output Compare channel(s),
starts Timer2 and enables the Timer2 interrupt. It is mandatory to call this function
before any calls to plm_xmit() are made.
plm_demod_start()
This function starts the demodulator and configures the selected ADC channel, starts
the timer that triggers ADC conversions and optionally enables a DMA channel to service the selected ADC input. Either DMA or ADC and timer interrupts get enabled. It is
mandatory to call this function before any calls to plm_recv() are made.
plm_demod_sync()
This function forces a demodulator resynchronization and may be called in cases when
the demodulator keeps indicating bit and byte synchronization, but higher protocol layers decide that the patterns received do not form valid frames, thus suggesting that the
byte synchronization is misaligned.
DS70656A-page 22
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
plm_xmit()
This function transmits a buffer and is a zero copy operation, meaning the pointer
passed is used to access payload bytes directly when needed. The operation is double
buffered, meaning the transmission of a previous buffer may already be in progress. In
all cases, the buffer passed is added to a single-entry wait queue and a TX_buffer_full
(PLM_TX_BF) flag is set. As soon as transmission becomes possible, the pointer is
copied to a working register and the TX_buffer_full flag is cleared. The application must
not write to the buffer that was passed until the modem code has finished sending. It is
possible to determine whether the buffer is still in use by examining the PLM_TX_BF
and PLM_TX_ACTIVE status flags. This function must not be called unless the
PLM_TX_BF flag is clear.
plm_recv()
This function fetches a received buffer. The two parameters passed are the address
and the size of a new buffer to fill in. The function returns an address within a previously
passed buffer, pointing to the first free location in that buffer. If the address returned is
equal to the previously passed buffer start address, no data has been received
between the calls. If the address returned points outside the buffer (at previous
buf+size), the buffer has been fully filled and could possibly overflow, if it was allowed.
A NULL pointer is returned on the very first call.
plm_get_status()
This function returns the following modem status flags:
•
•
•
•
•
PLM_TX_ACTIVE – transmission is in progress
PLM_TX_BF – transmit buffer is full
PLM_BIT_SYNC – the receiver has found bit synchronization
PLM_BYTE_SYNC – the receiver has found byte synchronization
PLM_RESYNC – resynchronization has been requested
3.1.5
Resource Requirements
Any dsPIC33F DSC device with at least 2 Kbytes RAM, 16 Kbytes of Flash memory,
four Output Compare channels (PWM), one DMA channel, and one 12-bit ADC input
(at least 500 ksps), can be used with the daughter board. Using dsPIC33F DSC
devices without the DMA feature will result in a higher processing power requirement
for the modem software, potentially starving the application of execution time. Also,
using less than four Output Compare channels will result in reduced operational range
and performance.
When called, the modem API functions will claim and start to use the following
processor resources:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
One ADC module (default: ADC1)
One ADC input (default: AN8)
One optional DMA channel for the ADC servicing (default: DMA0)
One timer to trigger the ADC conversion:
- Timer3 when ADC1 is selected
- Timer5 when ADC2 is selected
One DMA interrupt vector/ADC and its triggering timer interrupt vector
One to four Output Compare channels. Default:
- OC1 and OC2 when PWM2 modulator is selected
- OC1 through OC4 when PWM4 modulator is selected
Timer2 and its interrupt vector as PWM time base
The GPIO pin selected in the configuration for CS control (default: RF0)
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 23
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
The memory and MIPS requirements for the modem software for different baud rates
(with DMA and RAM-saving options enabled) are listed in Table 3-1
TABLE 3-1:
3.1.6
MEMORY AND MIPS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MODEM
Baud Rate
RAM (Bytes)
Flash (Bytes)
MIPS
1200
700
2709
33.5
2400
412
2709
33.6
3600
316
2709
33.7
4800
268
2709
33.9
5400
252
2709
33.9
7200
220
2709
34.1
Developing Custom Applications
An application template has been provided to ease the development of customized
PLM applications. The application template can be downloaded from the
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board web site at:
www.microchip.com/powerline.
By default, the software for the daughter board is designed to operate on a carrier
frequency of 129.6 kHz. However, if required, the software can be modified to operate
at a different carrier frequency. In this case, the following need to be taken into
consideration:
• The hardware provided in the kit is designed to operate at a carrier frequency of
129.6 kHz. Changing the carrier frequency in software will require modifications to
the hardware components, specifically the components that decide the filter cutoff
frequencies
• It is necessary for the carrier frequency to be an integral multiple of the baud rate:
Carrier frequency, FC = k * baud, k ϵ Integer
• Lower carrier frequencies result in lower maximum possible data rates
• Carrier frequency or baud rate changes outside the combinations provided in the
include file (...\modem\bpsk\bpsk_filter.inc) will require recalculation of
digital filter coefficients
• Increasing carrier frequency increases the MIPS requirement for the modem software. For this reason, the carrier frequency must be well within the CPU’s useful
performance limit. The modem software requires approximately 0.234 to 0.303
MIPS/kHz of carrier frequency
DS70656A-page 24
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
3.2
DEMONSTRATION APPLICATIONS
The five demonstration applications developed for the daughter board are described in
this section. Peripherals on the Explorer 16 Development Board, such as the LCD
screen, push buttons and LEDs, are used by the demonstration applications to interact
with the user. In general, LED D3 indicates the transmission status, LED D5 indicates
the receiver bit synchronization status, and LED D4 indicates the receiver byte
synchronization status.
Table 3-2 lists the resource requirements for the individual projects of each of the demo
applications. The listed memory requirements are valid only when the default
configuration settings are used (source codes provided on the web site are configured
with default configuration settings). Changing the configuration settings may cause
significant changes in the memory requirements.
TABLE 3-2:
MEMORY AND MIPS REQUIREMENT FOR THE MODEM
Demo
Application
Project Name
Flash
(Bytes)
RAM
(Bytes)
Ping Pong Demo
pingpong
6408
720
Point to point two-way
communication link tester
Stream Demo
rxstream
6510
704
One-way communication
link tester
txstream
5571
428
node
14283
1520
station
13899
1348
talk
3408
442
Character level communication link demo
Pipe Demo
pipe
4584
1166
UART to UART data link
Template
template
2916
242
Template
Sensors Demo
Talk Demo
3.2.1
Description
Single station - multiple
node (sensors) demo
Ping Pong Demonstration
This demonstration evaluates the two-way power line communication link between two
development boards.
1. Program two Explorer 16 Development Boards with the same demonstration
software.
2. Connect the development boards to a power line and power up the Explorer 16
Development Boards.
3. Press the S5 button on one of the Explorer 16 Development Boards, for example,
board 1.
This will cause board 1 to transmit a predetermined frame on the power line. The
other board, board 2, connected to the same power line will receive this frame
and check it for errors. If no errors are found, board 2 will transmit another predetermined frame on the power line. Again, board 1 will receive this frame and
check it for errors. If no errors are found, board 1 will transmit another predetermined frame on the power line. This process continues as an infinite loop, pinging data frames back and forth over the power line. Meanwhile, the LCDs on the
two Explorer 16 Development Boards display the following frame statistics
information:
• TX: Number of frames transmitted
• RX: Number of frames received in total
• ERR: Number of frames received with errors
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 25
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
Each frame (of 128 byte length) is composed of 16 bytes of preamble, 110 bytes of data
and 2 bytes of CRC. The demonstration application has two LCD views, which can be
toggled using switch S3 on the Explorer 16 Development Board:
• Frame statistics
• Application configuration (carrier frequency, modulation and baud rate)
3.2.2
Sensor Monitoring Demonstration
This demonstration implements a network protocol with framing, CRC and a network
stack framework. The demonstration consists of a base station and a number of nodes.
Each node measures its potentiometer state (R6 on the Explorer 16 Development
Board) and sends the result to the station. The station displays the received values on
the LCD screen.
1. Program one Explorer 16 Development Board with the Station software.
2. Program one or more Explorer 16 Development boards with the Node software
(each node must have a unique MAC address and must know the station MAC
address).
3. Connect all boards to the power line and they will automatically start to
communicate.
4. Turn the potentiometer, R6, on a node board. Observe how the value is updated
on the node and station LCD screens.
5. Use the S3 button to change the LCD screen contents. The LCD can display the
current potentiometer state and packet statistics (frames transmitted, frames
received and errors).
Debug information is sent via the serial port. The output can be observed by connecting
a serial port emulator (such as HyperTerminal) to the RS-232 port of the Explorer 16
Development Board. The UART configuration for this demonstration is:
• 115200 bps
• 8-N-1
• No flow control
3.2.3
Pipe Demonstration
This demonstration implements a raw data pipe for UART-to-UART connection over the
power line.
1. Connect a sender application (a PC or an embedded device) to the RS-232 port
of an Explorer 16 Development Board and a receiver application to the RS-232
port of the other Explorer 16 Development Board.
2. The sender application may start transmitting data.
Data is immediately transferred over the power line and received by the receiver.
Sender and receiver may change roles at runtime. One-to-many configurations are
also valid.
The link is designed to appear raw and unframed to both RS-232 devices. Internally,
however, simple framing is used. Its purpose is to ensure that the receiver maintains
byte synchronization. Without framing it would not be practically feasible to guarantee
that the receiver and transmitter are byte-aligned. A frame consists of 10 preamble
characters (PRE = 0xA5), one Start-of-Frame character (SOF = 0x1B), a length byte,
up to 64 payload bytes, and a 16-bit ITUT CRC checksum. In total there is a 14 byte
overhead for each frame.
DS70656A-page 26
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
The transmitter starts sending when there is at least one byte to send. A frame is terminated when there is no more data in the input buffer or when the 64th payload byte
has been transmitted. As long as the application keeps providing data to send, the
transmitter will transmit 64 byte frames. If a frame checksum is invalid, the receiver will
try to resynchronize, but the frame contents will be transferred to the UART interface.
The UART configuration for this demonstration is:
• 19200 bps
• 8-N-1
• RTS/CTS flow control
3.2.4
Stream Demonstration
This demonstration implements a unidirectional link tester to test the power line
communication link.
There are two applications in this demonstration: a transmitter and a receiver. The
transmitter sends a stream of frames with a constant length and payload. The receiver
checks the received frames and displays statistics on the LCD and via the UART. The
following statistics are available:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
TX: Number of frames transmitted in total
RX: Number of frames received in total
OK: Number of frames received correctly
ERR: Number of frames received with errors
CRC: Number of frames that had CRC errors
PAY: Number of frames with at least one payload error
TRU: Number of truncated frames. A frame is truncated if bit synchronization was
lost before the expected number of octets were received.
Each frame (of 128 byte length) is composed of 16 bytes of preamble, 110 bytes of data
and 2 bytes of CRC. The following push buttons can be used to control the
demonstration application:
• S3: Next LCD view
• S6: Previous LCD view
• S4: Clear all counters
The transmitter application has two LCD views:
• Frame statistics: TX count
• Application configuration (carrier frequency, modulation and baud rate)
On reset, the transmitter sends the application configuration summary over the UART
and prints an asterisk (*) symbol on every transmitted frame. After each 16 frames it
prints the total number of frames transmitted so far.
The receiver application has three LCD views:
• Frame statistics: RX, OK and ERR count
• Error statistics: CRC, PAY and TRU count
• Application configuration (carrier frequency, modulation and baud rate)
On reset, the receiver sends the application configuration summary over the UART.
Then, every 5 seconds, it prints all packet statistics in a human-readable form. By
increasing the debug level upon compilation, it is also possible to send detailed reports
about each frame. This option is disabled by default. The detailed reports have the
following format:
• −: Preamble character received
• _: Non-preamble character received out of frame
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 27
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
•
•
•
•
•
•
<: Frame has started
?: Bad payload byte received
#: The frame has reached the CRC fields
!: Invalid CRC
>: Frame has ended
/: Frame was truncated
The UART configuration for this demonstration is:
• 115200 bps
• 8-N-1
• No flow control
3.2.5
Talk Demonstration
This demonstration implements character level communication.
1. Connect two serial port terminal emulators (such as HyperTerminal) to the
RS-232 ports of a pair of Explorer 16 Development Boards.
2. Type your message in one of the terminal windows.
As soon as the Enter key is pressed (i.e., a CR character is sent), the message will be
transmitted via the modem interface, preceded by an 8-byte synchronization preamble,
and should be received by the second device and printed in the other terminal window.
The message buffer size is 80 characters. If the CR character does not appear, the
message will be transmitted after the 80th character has been received. Except for the
CR character, no other characters have any special meaning and everything that
appears at the serial port input, will eventually get transmitted via the modem output.
As there is a difference in transmitting speeds, the serial port being much faster than
the modem interface, care must be taken not to overflow the input. When the modem
is transmitting its current buffer, it silently ignores everything that it receives via the
serial port. The UART configuration for this demonstration is:
• 19200 bps
• 8-N-1
• No flow control
DS70656A-page 28
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Appendix A. Board Layout and Schematics
A.1
HV ADAPTER BOARD LAYOUT AND SCHEMATIC
WARNING
SHOCK HAZARD – Do not open the HV adapter cable enclosure.
Failure to heed this warning could result in bodily harm.
FIGURE A-1:
HV ADAPTER BOARD LAYOUT
FIGURE A-2:
HV ADAPTER BOARD SCHEMATIC
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 29
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
A.2
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD
LAYOUT AND SCHEMATICS
FIGURE A-3:
DS70656A-page 30
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD
LAYOUT
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
FIGURE A-4:
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD SCHEMATIC SHEET 1 OF 2
DS70656A-page 31
DS70656A-page 32
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER BOARD SCHEMATIC SHEET 2 OF 2
FIGURE A-5:
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Appendix B. Bill of Materials (BOM)
TABLE B-1:
Quantity
DAUGHTER BOARD BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM)
Reference
Description
Manufacturer
Manufacturer Part Number
1
D7
12V Bidirectional Transil
Littelfuse Inc.
P6SMB12CA
1
U2
Dual Op amp
Microchip Technology Inc.
MCP6282-E/SN
1
U1
Op amp with CS
Microchip Technology Inc.
MCP6283-E/SN
3
L1, L2, L3
100 μH 5% inductor
TDK
NLV32T-101J-PF
1
T5
PNP Transistor
NXP
PBSS5350X,135
1
T6
NPN Transistor
NXP
PBSS4350X,115
3
T2, T3, T7
PNP Transistor
NXP
BC857BW,115
4
T1, T4, T8,
T9
NPN Transistor
NXP
BC847BW,135
2
D1, D2
2v7 Zener Diode
NXP
BZV55-C2V7,115
4
D3, D4, D5,
D6
Schottky Diode
Vishay
LL103C-GS08
1
CE1
Electrolytic Cap 47μ 16V C
Case
Panasonic - ECG
EEE-1CA470WAR
1
CT1
Tantalum Cap 22μ 10V B
Case
Nichicon
F931A226MBA
1
CC7
Ceramic Cap 10μ 0805
Murata
GRM21BR61C106KE15L
5
CC1, CC3,
CC4, CC9,
CC11
Ceramic Cap 1μ 0603
TDK
C1608Y5V1C105Z
3
CC14, CC15, Ceramic Cap 100n 0603
CC16
Yageo
CC0603ZRY5V7BB104
3
CC2, CC8,
CC10
Ceramic Cap 15n 5% 0603
AVX Corp
06035C153JAT2A
1
CC6
Ceramic Cap 10n 0603
Yageo
CC0603KRX7R8BB103
2
CC12, CC13
Ceramic Cap 470p 0603
AVX Corp
06033A471JAT2A
1
CC5
Ceramic Cap 10p 0603
TDK
C1608C0G1H100D
2
R29, R31
Resistor 150k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-154-D
2
R26, R27
Resistor 100k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-104-D
1
R10
Resistor 47k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-473-D
2
R13, R22
Resistor 22k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-223-D
4
R11, R18,
R19, R20
Resistor 10k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-103-D
8
R1, R2, R3,
R4, R6, R7,
R23, R28
Resistor 3k3 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-332-D
1
R30
Resistor 2k7 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-272-D
1
R33
Resistor 1k3 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-132-D
2
R8, R9
Resistor 1k 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-102-D
1
R21
Resistor 750R 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-751-D
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 33
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
TABLE B-1:
Quantity
DAUGHTER BOARD BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM) (CONTINUED)
Reference
Description
Manufacturer
Manufacturer Part Number
1
R32
Resistor 620R 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-621-D
2
R14, R15
Resistor 430R 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-431-D
2
R12, R25
Resistor 100R 0603
Susumu
RR0816P-101-D
1
R24
Resistor 1R 0603
Stackpole Electronics. Inc.
RMCF0603FT1R00
2
R16, R17
Resistor 510m 1206
Rohm Semiconductor
MCR18EZHFLR510
1
L5
Resistor 0R 0603
Stackpole Electronics, Inc.
RMCF0603ZT0R00
1
P1
100k Trimmer Potentiometer Bourns Inc
3362P-1-104LF
1
CON1
RCA jack - PCB mount right Kycon
angle
KLPX-0848A-2-B
4
JP2, JP3
Jumper 2*2 - Rectangular Headers, Male Pins
XG8T-0441
2
J1, J2
Jumper plugs - Place at AN8 3M
and RF0 positions
1
GND
Test point - Blue
Multicomp
Test-1BU
1
TP2
(IN/OUT)
Test point - Red
Multicomp
Test-1R
3
TP1, TP3,
TP4 (TXIN,
RXA1,
RXOUT)
Test point - White
Multicomp
Test-1W
1
L6
Interference suppression
bead 120 Ohm 0.2R 0.2A
Ferrocore
LCCB-102
TABLE B-2:
Quantity
Omron Electronics Inc.
(ECB Div)
969102-0000-DA
HV ADAPTER BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM)
Reference
Description
Manufacturer
Manufacturer Part Number
1
TR1
Transformer (HV)
Vacuumschmelze
T60403-K5024-X044
1
D1
12V Bidirectional Transil
(HV)
Littelfuse Inc
P6SMB12CA
1
C1
Cap 100 nF X2
630VDC/300VAC(HV)
Kemet
463F310000M1M
1
L1
15 μH inductor (1.3A) (HV)
Sumida America
Components Inc.
CR54NP-150MC
2
R1, R2
Resistor 470k 1206 (HV)
Stackpole Electronics Inc.
RMCF1206JT470K
1
Power Cord
Two-Core 18AWG power
cord (HV)
Qualtek
221001-01
1
RCA connec- RCA plug - Red (HV)
tor
CUI Inc.
RCP-012
1
Enclosure
Enclosure (HV)
Hammond Manufacturing
1551RFLBK
1
Twisted pair
cable, 100 ft
Cable UNSHLD 2C 22AWG
100' (HV)
Belden Wire & Cable
8442 060100
1
R3
Varistor - 275Vrms 10mm
Radial (HV)
Epcos Inc.
S10K275
DS70656A-page 34
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
CONSUMER-BAND BPSK 7.2 kbps
PLM PICtail™ PLUS DAUGHTER
BOARD USER’S GUIDE
Appendix C. Troubleshooting Guide
Appendix C discusses common operational issues and methods to resolve them.
C.1
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
C.1.1
The daughter boards are not able to communicate on the power
line. What can I do to fix the problem?
Possible reasons for the daughter boards to lose the communication link are:
C.1.1.1
DAUGHTER BOARDS CONNECTED ON TWO DIFFERENT POWER
SUPPLY PHASES
Connecting daughter boards to power outlets on different phases may result in partial
or total loss of the communication link. If you observe that the daughter boards are not
able to communicate, try relocating the daughter boards to other power outlets or use
a signal coupler device to couple the communication signals across the phases, as
described in 1.2 “Board Setup”.
C.1.1.2
SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION NOT COMPATIBLE WITH HARDWARE
DESIGN
Some of the configuration settings are hardware dependent and these settings should
match the hardware being used. Following configuration settings are hardware
dependent:
•
•
•
•
Hi-Z signal polarity (PLM_OE, default: PLM_OE_ACTIVE_LOW_HIZ)
Hi-Z signal pin (PLM_OE_LAT, default: LATF, #0)
ADC input channel (PLM_ADC_CHNL, default: 8)
Carrier frequency (PLM_FC, default: 129600)
C.1.1.3
POTENTIOMETER (P1) SET AT A LOW VALUE
The potentiometer (P1) is used to adjust the average output amplitude transmitted from
the daughter board. If the potentiometer is set too low the transmitted signal power may
not to be reliably detected by the other daughter board. It is preferable to set the
potentiometer value close to the "MAX" position (turn counter clockwise).
C.1.1.4
DISSIMILAR CONFIGURATION SETTINGS
Daughter boards will not be able to communicate if they are programmed with
dissimilar settings for certain configuration options like carrier frequency, Forward Error
Correction (FEC), framing and baud rate.
C.1.1.5
IMPROPER JUMPER CONFIGURATION
Ensure that the jumpers at CS (JP2) and RX (JP3) are in place (default: JP2 - RF0, JP3
- AN8). Improper jumper settings can disable the transmitter or receiver sections of the
daughter board.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 35
Consumer-band BPSK 7.2 kbps PLM PICtail™ Plus Daughter Board User’s Guide
C.1.1.6
DAUGHTER BOARDS PLUGGED INTO A POWER STRIP WITH EMI
FILTERING / SURGE PROTECT FEATURE
Some power strips have Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) filtering or surge protection devices. These devices filter out the power line noises at frequencies much higher
than the power line frequency (which is 50 Hz or 60 Hz). Since the daughter board uses
a carrier frequency (129.6 kHz) much higher than the power line frequency, these
devices may attenuate the signal and result in unreliable or sometimes non-functional
communication link between daughter boards. Also, daughter boards will not be able
to communicate if they are connected through isolation power transformers.
C.1.1.7
DAUGHTER BOARDS PLUGGED INTO OUTLETS CLOSE TO NOISE
SOURCES
Power lines can pick up and conduct noise from various noise sources like lamp dimmers, electric motors and switching power supplies. Power line noise from these noise
sources can cause degradation in the performance of the power line communication
link. If you notice reduced performance in communication between daughter boards,
try moving them to outlets further away from these noise sources.
C.1.1.8
INTERFERENCE FROM OTHER POWER LINE COMMUNICATION
DEVICES
Other Power Line Communication devices on the power line can cause interference
and performance degradation if they are operating in the same frequency band as this
daughter board. If the interfering device needs to be used simultaneously on the same
power line with the daughter board, please change the operating frequency band of the
interfering device and move it to a power outlet further away from the daughter board.
C.1.2
What is the maximum operational range of these daughter
boards?
Since wall power outlets are connected using wires embedded into the walls, length of
wiring between power outlets is generally greater than the physical distance between
them. It is hard to quote the maximum operational range of the daughter boards since
it depends on many other factors like:
• Structure / architecture of the wiring:
Branches and rings can cause signal reflections and multipath signals which can
interfere constructively or destructively with the original signal.
• Age of the wiring:
As wiring deteriorates over time, loose connections can attenuate or reflect
signals.
• Appliances connected on the wiring:
Number, type and distance of appliances from the daughter boards are also
important factors since the appliances can attenuate the signals from the
daughter board and create noise on the power line.
• Quality of components used in the wiring (like copper wires, connectors, switches,
etc).
Despite the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) feature incorporated in the modem
software, changes in the above mentioned factors may change the maximum
possible operational range of the daughter boards.
DS70656A-page 36
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
C.1.3
What are the important points to keep in mind while designing a
custom hardware solution using the schematics provided by
Microchip?
Following are the important points to keep in mind while designing a custom hardware
solution:
C.1.3.1
POWER SUPPLY RATING
It is important to have a power supply with sufficient rating to power the daughter board.
The daughter board can draw up to 600mA from the power supply. Do not use a programming / debugging tool to power up the daughter board.
C.1.3.2
VENTILATION
Sufficient ventilation must be provided to avoid thermal runaway issues with the output
transistors. The output transistors have to be mounted on a large copper plane to
dissipate heat efficiently.
C.1.3.3
PCB DESIGN
Due to the very high gain of the receive path, it is very important to carefully design the
PCB layout. Output signals should not be routed near the inputs of preceding stages.
Ground return paths should be planned to run in straight lines to the common ground
reference point and return paths from the last stages should not run under preceding
stages.
C.1.4
What are the implications of using less than four Output
Compare (OC) channels for the daughter board?
Using less than four Output Compare (OC) channels will reduce the signal power transmitted by the daughter board. Consequently, this can reduce the operating range and
performance.
C.1.5
What are the implications of running the dsPIC33F DSC at less
than 40 MIPS?
Running the dsPIC33F DSC at less than 40 MIPS may change the software timing
constants, and potentially render the modem software unusable.
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS70656A-page 37
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02/18/11
DS70656A-page 38
© 2011 Microchip Technology Inc.