SummaryThe PL360 PLC PHY demo uses Microchip’s PL360G55CB-EK evaluation kit which is based on the PL360 programmable modem and SAMG55J19 Cortex-M4 microcontroller. The demo uses the G3-PLC physical layer to communicate two devices with direct point-to-point messages.

The PL360G55CB-EK kit is available at www.microchipdirect.com or Microchip distributors, and includes software, hardware schematics, bill of materials and design files.

www.microchip.com/smartenergy

Smart Energy

PL360 Power Line Communication PHY Demo

Key Features• Based on the PL360 Power Line Communication (PLC)

modem device:• Programmable modem for narrow-band PLC• Supports ITU G.9903 (G3-PLC®), ITU G.9904 (PRIME)

and other standards below 500 kHz• Implements the PHY layer of G3-PLC for this demo

• The PL360G55CB board is controlled by a SAMG55 Cortex®-M4 microcontroller• Up to 512 Kbytes embedded Flash• Up to 176 Kbytes embedded SRAM• 8 Kbytes ROM with embedded boot loader, single-

cycle access at full speed• Small package

(8 × 8 mm with 0.4 mm pitch, 64-pin QFN)

Target Applications• Smart metering• Street lighting• Home and building energy management • Solar energy• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle charging stations• Industrial and home automation

Utility

Data Concentratoror Gateway

Electricity Meter

Gas Meter

H2O Meter

HVAC

WAN

HAN or NeighborhoodIEEE 802.15.4(g),

zigbee

Home Area Network(HAN)

IEEE 802.15.4 zigbee®,Prime, G3PLC

HAN Gateway

In-Home Display

Local Wind Solar

Appliance

Neighborhood/MetroIEEE 802.15.4g,PRIME, G3-PLC

The Microchip name and logo and the Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. Arm and Cortex are registered trademarks of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries) in the EU and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies. © 2019, Microchip Technology Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 11/19 DS00002809B

www.microchip.com/smartenergy

PLC PHY Layer DemoMicrochip’s PLC PHY layer demo is an example of lighting control application over PLC with a master-client model approach. The demo uses G3-PLC PHY layer implemented in PL360 to communicate the master and the client modules over a DC bus that simultaneously provides power and serves as the communication medium.

The master module is composed by the PL360G55CB board and an LCD display with touch panel (uLCD-32PTU from 4D Systems). The LCD display serves as the human-machine interface of the master module. The PL360G55CB board polls the client module via PLC asking for the current consumption and send commands to the client to modify the brightness of a LED.

The client module is composed by a PL360G55CB board and two click boards from Mikroelectronica, one Current click (MIK-ROE-1396) and one LED driver 2 click (MIKROE-2807). The PL360G55CB client application controls the LED brightness and calculates the current consumption from the values measured by the current sensor.

The software of the demo applications shows how to use the PHY API to configure easily PL360 and to manage reception and transmission of messages over PLC.

Evaluation Kits Ordering Information

Part Number Name

PL360G55CB-EK PL360G55 CEN-B Evaluation Kit

For more information, please write to PLC@microchip.com

Mas

ter

Clie

nt

DC Bus

Load

Su

pply

SAMG55

PL360

Master Application

G3-PLC Host Controller

G3-PLC PHY PL360

DC Bus

G3-PLC PHY

SAMG55Client Application

G3-PLC Host Controller