Power Management
offering data rates up to 6.6Mbits/s alongside ROM and SRAM, a multi- purpose timer, encoder input circuitry and voltage detection capabilities. Despite its performance and integrated functionality, the device still meets the low power requirements of smart meter designs, typically requiring a current of just 56mA at full processor speed. Toshiba’s roadmap for smart meter
Figure 3: Active Power Calculation
mode and synchronous mode) and a serial bus interface offering a choice of I2C bus mode or synchronous mode operation.
Higher level designs Standardising on microcontrollers built
around a ‘de facto’ core such as ARM- Cortex allows embedded designers to migrate and scale code and re-use IP across their smart meter range. Such standardisation also has the potential to simplify and speed design, prototyping and testing by allowing teams to make use of common development tools and software in multiple smart meter development projects. What’s more, taking a common-core approach also
supports the modification and tailoring of common platforms to meet specific local requirements in global deployments. This is why Toshiba’s own roadmap for smart meter micros is based around devices that combine ARM cores with various levels of performance and optimised on-board processing, peripheral and connectivity. The TMPM36BFY for medium-level C&I meters, for example, integrates further analogue control functionality allowing more of the metrology functions to be handled by a single device. This IC is based on the ARM Cortex-M3 core operating at up to 80MHz. and features high-speed analogue-to-digital conversion, a high- speed synchronous serial port (SSP)
microcontrollers includes devices for high- end ‘gateway’ meters that will combine a high-performance ARM Cortex-M4F core with high capacity on-chip ROM that completely eliminates the need for external memory. As well as power calculation and high-performance sampling capabilities these devices have the ability to run more complicated software – e.g. modem modulation to support communication protocols – and will also offer sophisticated security for access control and the protection of smart grid data communications. This security will include hardware encryption, functions to prevent non-secure modules accessing secure data areas and the ability to disable the microcontroller’s JTAG interface.
Conclusion
The global smart meter market, which in 2012 is estimated to be worth in the region of $7 billion, is growing rapidly, with the EMEA market alone predicted to increase from just over six million units in 2011 to around 20 million units by 2016. This growth puts pressure on designers to develop technology that meets the needs of residential and commercial and
industrial users and addresses the technical requirements and legal obligations of global utility companies. As well as meeting key functional specifications in areas such as measurement calculations and power consumption, these meters must support increasingly sophisticated communication and access capabilities while ensuring compliance with local environmental and data protection legislation.
Fundamental to successful meter design will be underlying embedded system and, therefore, choice of microcontroller technology. Among the criteria for selection will not only be performance, functionality and integration levels, but also the availability of development tools and software and the ability to protect development investment by easily scaling and migrating software and IP across multiple micros and meter designs. This is why a growing number of companies, like Toshiba, are combining dedicated devices with a comprehensive development eco system that includes reference boards for evaluation prior to device selection, firmware to simplify implementation of key functions, support for major tool- chains as well as the availability of local design and engineering support.
Toshiba Electronics Europe |
www.toshiba-components.com
Andreas Kohl is senior manager for the Technical Marketing System Department at the Toshiba Electronics Europe European LSI Design and Engineering Centre (ELDEC)
www.cieonline.co.uk
Components in Electronics
March 2013 31
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