AMSTERDAM— October 15, 2013— Qualcomm has announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Atheros is deploying its QCA7000/7005 chips with customers that develop products utilizing a low power form of power line networking technology known as HomePlug Green PHY. The QCA7000/7005 chips are HomePlug Green PHY compliant and are implemented in a number of applications from smart grid to electric vehicles to connectivity products for multi-dwelling units (MDUs). Collectively, these use cases provide tangible real-world evidence of how the Internet of Everything (IoE) connects machines for smarter capabilities across multiple industries.
Based on the IEEE 1901 power line communication (PLC) standard, the QCA7000/7005 is fully interoperable with products complying with the HomePlug broadband power line networking specifications – including HomePlug AV and AV2 that provide higher multi mbit/s data rates – while operating at a fraction of the power. The QCA7000 is a highly cost-effective HomePlug Green PHY solution which can operate in commercial and industrial temperature ranges. The QCA7005 is an enhanced industrial component that has been tested to AEC Q-100 Grade 3 automotive environmental stress levels. The QCA7000/7005 incorporates advanced power saving features to dramatically reduce average power consumption, thus reducing costs with a smaller footprint.
China State Grid, one of the largest electric utility companies in the world, is now deploying smart meters equipped with the QCA7000 to enable power utilities to monitor electrical usage on the grid remotely on a real-time basis. The QCA7000 allows two-way communication between the smart meter and China State Grid central operations to proactively monitor and manage energy demand and response programs. As a result, electric utilities can closely monitor energy use among consumers to better manage capacity and respond accordingly to any abnormalities to prevent grid failures.
With the release of the HomePlug Green PHY 1.1 specification, which includes electric vehicle charging features, the QCA7005 enables high-speed and secure communication between the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) and the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) via the charging cable. Global automakers that support the HomePlug Green PHY 1.1 standard can leverage the QCA7005 for efficient and secure communication between electric vehicles and the vehicle charging infrastructure.
Additionally, electric utilities in Europe are exploring means of improved communication between smart meters and those residing in multi-dwelling units to give consumers greater control over energy usage in their homes. Connecting smart meters to flats can be challenging due to dense building construction of many residences across the continent. The QCA7000/7005 enables a reliable connection between the smart meter and the residential unit via existing power lines.
“As an avid developer of solutions that support the HomePlug Green PHY specification, we are delighted to see that our customers have chosen Qualcomm Atheros’ QCA7000/7005 as a power efficient, yet reliable connectivity component for a very diverse array of applications,” said Jason Zheng, senior vice president of emerging businesses at Qualcomm Atheros.
For more information, visit www.qualcomm.com.
