Microchip makes global smart meter interoperability easy with DLMS user association certified Stack for PIC microcontrollers

Microchip announced that it partnered with Kalki Technologies to provide a Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) protocol stack that is optimised for 16-bit PIC microcontrollers (MCUs). The DLMS protocol has become the worldwide standard of choice among smart meter designers for interoperability among metering systems, including most energy types (electricity, gas, heat and water), multiple applications (residential, transmission and distribution), and numerous communication media (RS232, RS485, PSTN, GSM, GPRS, IPv4, PPP and PLC); as well as secure data access, via AES 128 encryption.

This software stack has been tested and verified by the DLMS User Association, and is customised to operate on all of Microchip's 16-bit PIC microcontrollers and dsPIC® Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs), making the DLMS certification process faster and easier. Additionally, the stack has been developed to ensure seamless integration with Microchip's communication protocol stacks, including TCP/IP, ZigBee® and PLC, covering a broad spectrum of smart energy applications. Furthermore, this DLMS stack has been optimised to fit in a small memory footprint, enabling the use of the smallest, most cost-effective MCUs possible. For European applications, the stack provides support for the required IEC 62056-21 Mode E implementation.

The addition of this DLMS library to Microchip's smart energy offerings reinforces our continued focus on providing cost-effective and comprehensive solutions to our customers, said Mitch Obolsky, vice president of Microchip's Advanced Microcontroller Architecture Division. Now, customers can leverage Microchip's vast portfolio of communication protocol solutions, such as TCP/IP, ZigBee and PLC, to create a fully integrated smart energy system.

Related development tools:

Customers can use the Explorer 16 Development Board to design their DLMS solutions, based on Microchip's vast portfolio of industry-leading 16-bit MCUs and DSCs. The Explorer 16 is available today, in the following configurations:

•100-pin Explorer 16 Development Board (part # DM240001)
•44-pin Explorer 16 Development Board (part # DM240002)

Availability:

This new DLMS stack is available today, in the following four flavors. The DLMS Evaluation Library for 16-bit MCUs is a free evaluation version of the DLMS library. The DLMS-lite Stack for 16-bit MCUs (part # SW500160) is available in 5k units. The DLMS Stack for 16-bit MCUs (part # SW500162) is available in 5k units. Finally, the DLMS Explorer (part # SW500164) is a Windows® based DLMS/COSEM client application.