1.5 MAC-RT PLC & Go

MAC-RT PLC & Go is Microchip’s example to get started quickly with Power Line Communications (PLC). MAC-RT PLC & Go implements a basic application example of low data rate PLC (up to 275 kbps) using OFDM modulation, that supports point to point and multi-point communications accessing through Microchip G3-PLC MAC real-time (MAC-RT) implementation.

There are projects with FreeRTOS and without operative system (Bare-Metal). The following table shows the available MAC-RT PLC & Go projects:

Table 1-6. MAC-RT PLC & Go projects
Bare-Metal / FreeRTOS Path Boards
Bare-Metal smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\pic32cx_mtg_ek_pl460.X PIC32CXMTG-EK + PL460-EK
FreeRTOS smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\pic32cx_mtg_ek_pl460_freertos.X PIC32CXMTG-EK + PL460-EK
Bare-Metal smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\sam_e70_xult_pl460.X SAME70 Xplained Ultra + PL460-EK
FreeRTOS smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\sam_e70_xult_pl460_freertos.X SAME70 Xplained Ultra + PL460-EK
Bare-Metal smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\wbz451_curiosity_pl460.X WBZ451 Curiosity + PL460-EK
FreeRTOS smartenergy_g3_apps\apps\mac_rt_apps\mac_rt_plc_and_go\firmware\wbz451_curiosity_pl460_freertos.X WBZ451 Curiosity + PL460-EK
G3-PLC MAC-RT includes some of the advanced features available in the G3-PLC MAC, simplifying the communication process between devices:
  • TX/RX API parameters interface: Configures/stores the transmission and reception parameters (G3-PLC specific).
  • TX/RX API data interface compatible with standard MAC 802.15.4.
  • Automatic medium access capabilities: CSMA/CA, retransmissions, inter-frame spacing.
  • Automatic link parameters (modulation and Tone Map) selection between devices handled through TMR (Tone Map request/response) mechanism.
  • ARQ enabled/disabled according to provided MAC 802.15.4 data header.
  • Automatic segmentation and reassembly.
  • Addressing according to provided MAC 802.15.4 data header: Allows point to point (unicast short/extended address) or multi-point (broadcast) communication.
  • Frame reception filtering capabilities by own MAC address.
  • Duplicated frames filtering.
  • Sniffer capabilities.

MAC-RT PLC & Go runs a chat application between two or more end points using Microchip PLC modem boards. The end points in this example are PCs which are connected via serial interface (UART, USB) to Microchip evaluation boards acting as PLC modems. Any end point can transmit a message, which is received by the destination (one device or all). The application example allows end points to configure several PLC parameters as PLC frequency band (in case of using a Microchip evaluation board that supports several bands of transmission).

Microchip PLC solution is flexible and provides designs optimized for several frequency sub-bands below 500 kHz. Adopters can decide which band to use based on application requirements/restrictions and/or communications performance, which can be affected by different types of noise sources in the PLC channel.