Maxim Integrated Products introduces the MAX2990, a single chip solution to implement a Power Line Modem.

The MAX2990 power line communication (PLC) baseband modem delivers a cost effective, reliable, half-duplex asynchronous data communication over AC power lines at speeds up to 100kbps. The MAX2990 is a highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) that combines the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layers using Maxim’s 16-bit MAXQ microcontroller core.

The MAX2990 utilizes OFDM modulation techniques to enable robust data communication using the same electrical network that supplies power to all other devices on the network.

The MAX2990 includes the MAXQ microcontroller core. The MAXQ is a 16-bit RISC microcontroller with 32kB flash memory, 5.12kB of ROM, and 8kB SRAM, of which 4kB that can be simultaneously accessed by the MCU and the PHY. The MAX2990 is integrated with modules for serial communication (SPI™, I2C, UART) and a real-time clock (RTC) for time stamping, in addition to standard blocks such as timers, GPIO, PWM counters and external interrupts. It also integrates a Test Mode Engine for identifying Channel Conditions.

The MAX2990 transceiver is based on an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique that allows robust data transmission over poor channel conditions specifically for environments with impulsive noise. OFDM with Binary Phase Shift Key (BPSK) and Forward Error Correcting (and CRC16) blocks are used because of their inherent adaptability in the presence of frequency selective channels without the use of equalizers, resilience to jammer signals, robust communications in the presence of group delay spread, and robustness to impulsive noise. It provides special functions as Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) Channel Access Arbitration and Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in Order to Enhance Error Detection and Improve Data Reliability.

The MAX2990 features jammer cancellation that removes constant sinusoidal interference signals for FCC and ARIB bands. Privacy is provided by DES (and CRC32) encryption.

It combines the Physical Layer (PHY) and Media Access Controller (MAC) allowing a Maximum Effective Data Rate in Normal Mode of 32kbps at 10kHz–95kHz and 100kbps at 10kHz–490kHz; this makes the max2990 compliant with several standards such as: CENELEC A (10kHz–95kHz), CENELEC B (95kHz–120kHz), CENELEC C (120kHz–140kHz), FCC (10kHz–490kHz), ARIB (10kHz–450kHz).

The MAX2990 is available in a 64-pin LQFP package and is specified over the -40°C to +85°C extended temperature range.
This IC could be implemented in NarrowBand Data  over Power Line applications such as: Home Networking, Automatic Meter Reading, Building Automation, Lighting Control, Traffic Management, Smart Appliances, Industrial Control, etc.