Mitsubishi Electric Develops Single-Chip Power Line Communication IC for Cost-Effective Smart Home Networking.Business Editors/High-Tech WritersSUNNYVALE, Calif. & BEERSHEVA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2002 Chip Embeds ITRAN IT800 Power Line Modem and UPnP-Compatible Simple Control Protocol on Single Mitsubishi M16C MCU (1) (MicroController Unit) A computer on a single chip. See microcontroller. (2) (Multipoint Control Unit) A device that is used to moderate a videoconference of three or more end points (users at computers or groups of users Mitsubishi Electric Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (三菱電機株式会社 today announced it is developing a single-chip power line communication IC that will enable cost-effective smart home networking. Developed in cooperation with Microsoft and ITRAN Communications, the Mitsubishi M306S chip embeds the ITRAN Communications IT800 power line carrier (PLC) command/control transceiver and the Simple Control Protocol (SCP (1) (Service Control Point) A node in an SS7 telephone network that provides an interface to databases, which may reside within the SCP computer or in other computers. ) from Microsoft with Mitsubishi's M16C/62 microcontroller. The new chip will provide consumer original equipment manufacturers with an "off-the-shelf" IC that will let them offer UPnP-like functionality in consumer products where an IP stack is cost prohibitive. Products designed using the M306S will enable interoperability of home-control devices, allowing consumers to manage all their SCP-enabled home appliances via the Internet, from smart light switches to HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) In the home or small office with a handful of computers, HVAC is more for human comfort than the machines. In large datacenters, a humidity-free room with a steady, cool temperature is essential for the trouble-free systems, security systems, televisions, and more. The Mitsubishi M306S will allow home appliances to communicate via a peer-to-peer network of other SCP-based products. It will also let appliances link to UPnP networks via the SCP/UPnP bridge function, all without the need for any new wiring in the home. Mitsubishi designed the M306S using its M16C/62 microcontroller especially because of its low electromagnetic susceptibility (EMS) and other on-chip noise management features, high-speed processing capability, and compact code and efficient code space usage which reduce ROM size and cost. The M306S will operate at 12 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. on a 3.3-volt power supply and will consume less than 150 mW of power. On-chip features will include: 64 Kbytes of flash memory (contains SCP software); 24 Kbytes of RAM; five 16-bit timers; a 15-bit watchdog timer; three external and 20 internal interrupts with seven levels; three-channels of serial I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output (UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) The electronic circuit that makes up the serial port. Also known as "universal serial asynchronous receiver transmitter" (USART), it converts parallel bytes from the CPU into serial bits for transmission, and vice ); and a voltage down converter which will reduce the internal operating voltage to 2.5 volts. M306S first samples with a comprehensive set of integrated development environment See IDE. integrated development environment - interactive development environment tools, including compiler, real-time operating system (operating system) Real-Time Operating System - (RTOS) Any operating system where interrupts are guaranteed to be handled within a certain specified maximum time, thereby making it suitable for control of hardware in embedded systems and other time-critical applications. , and emulator are slated for availability in December. "Because it offers an `off-the-shelf', single-chip solution, the M306S PLC control IC will accelerate the development and adoption of affordable and innovative home-control products," commented Takashi Furumura, Home Network LSI LSI: see integrated circuit. (Large Scale Integration) Between 3,000 and 100,000 transistors on a chip. See SSI, MSI, VLSI and ULSI. Development Project Manager for Mitsubishi Electric's Semiconductor Group. "The combination of ITRAN's robust and highly reliable IT800 PLC transceiver, Microsoft's Simple Control Protocol, and the Mitsubishi M16C control functions on a single chip eliminates the need for designers to develop and integrate special Internet software and PHYs, thereby reducing overall system development time and costs." "We are pleased that Mitsubishi and ITRAN are bringing a second microcontroller to the SCP platform. IT800SCP is a significant advancement for the home-control industry, and together with UPnP will accelerate innovation and the development of new and exciting products for the connected home," stated Kevin Eagan, business team general manager in the Microsoft Windows eHome Division. "Mitsubishi Electric brings extensive experience and expertise in microcontroller system-on-chip integration to the SCP platform," stated Avner Matmor, ITRAN Communications CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Their ability to produce integrated silicon at consumer price points will help bring the cost of IT800/SCP nodes to very low levels." Mitsubishi will sponsor the following SCP seminars: Mitsubishi will hold the following SCP seminars in the US and Japan. Please attend one of these events to learn about UPnP/SCP/M306S/IT800. SCP Seminar US: October 30, at the Microsoft campus, Redmond, WA SCP seminar Japan: November 12, at Mitsubishi Electric HQ, Tokyo, Japan For more information, and to register for the SCP seminar, please visit: English: www.mitsubishichips.com Japanese: www.infomicom.maec.co.jp/general/mc306sj.htm About SCP SCP is a lightweight, royalty-free protocol for device networking, home control and smart appliances. Optimized for devices with limited memory and processing power and for networks with low bandwidth, such as the inexpensive, ubiquitous PLC medium, SCP is complementary to Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology and is designed to seamlessly bridge the capabilities and usage scenarios for UPnP networks to networks and devices not capable of supporting TCP/IP TCP/IP in full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Standard Internet communications protocols that allow digital computers to communicate over long distances. . UPnP and SCP together will enable consumers to control their entire home from one logical network, from the simplest smart devices, such as light switches, to sophisticated consumer electronic devices. About ITRAN Communications ITRAN Communications designs, develops, and markets proprietary silicon modem systems-on-chip for Power Line Communication, Networking and Access applications. ITRAN's very dependable, low-cost PLC modems enable reliable high speed and command/control communication over existing electrical wiring infrastructure. A co-development of Microsoft and ITRAN, the IT800SCP provides a unified platform for home automation and device control. SCP supporters include General Electric, Matsushita, and Mitsubishi. High-speed partners include Kansai Electric Power, Matsushita and other leading companies. www.ITRANcomm.com About Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a top-10 semiconductor supplier and is the world's number one supplier of 16-bit microcontrollers. The company designs and manufactures powerful embedded MCU platforms for industrial control, automotive, consumer, and communications applications. Mitsubishi Electric's MCU products include the number one global selling 16-bit, M16C platform -- a feature-rich, low-noise, ultra-low power, and code-efficient core that easily scales across customers' end-product lines. The company also offers 8-, 16-, and 32-bit point solution MCU platforms including USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. ; Flash-Over-USB(TM); CAN; LIN; and keyboard, battery, and LCD control. All Mitsubishi Electric semiconductor global manufacturing facilities, engineering design centers, and marketing and sales centers supplying MCU products to the automotive industry are QS-9000 certified. Mitsubishi Electric is a founding member of EEMBC--the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium--and is a member of the USB Implementers Forum The USB Implementers Forum, USB-IF, is a non-profit organisation to promote and support the Universal Serial Bus. Its main activities are the promotion and marketing of USB, Wireless USB, USB On-The-Go, and the maintenance of the specifications, as well as a compliance program. and the Smart Battery Implementers Forum. The company markets its microcontroller products in North America through the Electronic Device Group of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. Mitsubishi Electric also offers an extensive range of semiconductor and system components for the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. marketplace, including optoelectronic, microwave/RF, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Pronounced "a-sick." A chip that is custom designed for a specific application rather than a general-purpose chip such as a microprocessor. , ASSP (Application Specific Standard Part) An ASIC chip that is designed as a generic device for a particular market. Whereas an ASIC is typically used only by its creator, ASSPs are used by many different companies in the design of their products. See ASIC. , and memory ICs and modules. Additional information on the Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Group is available at www.mitsubishichips.com. Trademark Information All products and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. |
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