This enables superior coverage, reliability, and scalability, while also allowing cost-efficient system operation and enabling new use cases.
As a Hybrid-ready solutions, ST demonstrated its ST8500 Hybrid chipset at a G3-PLC Alliance interoperability plugfest in 2020. The chipset is now the first to complete the latest G3-PLC certification scheme, published in March 2021, which incorporates the Hybrid profile tests.
The certified chipset combines the ST8500 programmable multi-protocol powerline communication system-on-chip (SoC) and STLD1 line driver with the Company’s S2-LP ultra-low-power sub-GHz radio transceiver. The SoC’s programmability enables a software-defined implementation capable of supporting a broad portfolio of powerline protocol stacks, in worldwide frequency bands such as CENELEC and FCC.
The ST8500 powerline communication SoC platform is widely used in smart-metering smart industrial and infrastructure applications. The new ST Hybrid turn-key solution has already been chosen by key stakeholders in the smart-grid market. Moreover, ST’s hardware and firmware solution has been selected to power the official G3-PLC Alliance RF certification-testing equipment.
The ST8500 SoC is packaged as a 7x7x1mm QFN56. The STLD1 and S2-LP are each packaged as 4x4x1mm QFN24. All devices are in full production.
