Greentech Lead India: Semiconductor major Freescale
Semiconductor has introduced the new Kinetis M series of microcontrollers
(MCUs) that enable a wide range of cost-effective one- or two-phase electrical
meter designs.
Smart meters provide a cost-effective means to monitor
energy use and maximize energy efficiency and are expected to contribute to the
reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
While many governments are pushing smart energy
initiatives, geographical and regional differences in infrastructure and energy
usage patterns have created vastly different smart metering needs.
Kinetis M series is designed to address these varying
needs. It is configurable and is included in multiple reference designs for
different regions, enabling countries to specifically address their individual
energy management needs.
The Kinets M series is based on the 32-bit ARM
CortexTM-M0+ core. All Kinetis M series devices include an analog front end
(AFE), which enables power calculations from the CPU to achieve 0.1 percent
accuracy.
“By tailoring dedicated reference designs to meet
specific regional needs, we are enabling governments and utilities to invest in
the next generation of energy conservation with less effort and cost required
on their end,” said Dr. Reza Kazerounian, senior vice president and general
manager of Freescale’s Automotive, Industrial & Multi-market Solutions
Group.
“The Kinetis M series adds metrology solutions to
our comprehensive smart metering portfolio, in addition to recently introduced
applications processing and wireless connectivity solutions,” Kazerounian
added.
Kinetis M series addresses security concerns related to
smart metering. The solution integrates several key features for protection,
including a memory protection unit to help prevent unauthorized code
modifications; external tamper detection pins that actively monitor multiple
intrusion attack methodologies to prevent external fraud and a random number
generator for the most efficient execution of data cryptography algorithms for
secure communication transactions.
The first family in the Kinetis M series is the
KM3x. It features analog front end and measurement engine. The solution is
capable of 0.1 percent accurate power measurement with highest signal-to-noise
ratio (SNR 94dB ) and dynamic range 2000 to 1. Memory protection unit allows
direct WELMEC-compliant software implementation by protecting the
relevant application code
Freescale is currently sampling the Kinetis KM3x family
MCUs, with the support of the CodeWarrior Development Studio and reference
designs.