SAN DIEGO -- Pulse Electronics is now offering engineers its application-based sales (ABS) tool for designing powerline communication (PLC) applications. The PLC application diagram aligns key Pulse Electronics technology and product lines within the home automation and home networking market segments. Power line communication offers an alternative solution to the existing WiFi/LAN/MoCA local area interfaces transporting home networking data over the 230/110V power line connections to the wide area network (WAN).
The tool provides a block diagram for the application. When the user clicks on a specific part in the diagram, a full range of products appear with complete information for each one. From there, the customer can access data sheets and perform an online stock check, simplifying the selection process. For example, block diagrams exist for the PLC adapter, Triple Play/Modem, and Wireless Access Point/Hub.
"Pulse Electronics is a component supplier, but customers do not think in terms of components, they think in terms of the end application, then go from there," explained Mark Jackson, Pulse Electronics Network Division's worldwide director of field application engineers. "This ABS tool links Pulse customers by key application type to solutions provided by Pulse product divisions. The solutions contain specific details regarding how to use the product in the defined application."
Power line communication systems carry data over a conductor used for electric power transmission. The transformer provides an isolation barrier between the communication system and the high voltage power connection. Markets include home networking or home automation using local area connections to interface to the WAN such as wireless cellular links, Ethernet copper interconnect, MoCA diplexers/triplexers, and power supply components.
"PLC devices provide a cost effective method to interface multiple applications to WANs. PLC deployments are growing rapidly within Europe and Asia and demand is starting to increase in the Americas driven by increased deployment of SMART meter applications for recording energy usage within the home. PLC technology offers regional energy providers the ability to work with their customers to control energy usage via the existing 230/110V power line connection," explained Jackson.
The tool is available on the Pulse Electronics website at: http://www.pulseelectronics.com/index.php?1414.