The STCOM is a device that integrates a power line communication (PLC) modem and a high-performance application core.

The PLC modem architecture has been designed to target the EN50065, FCC, ARIB compliant PLC applications. Together with the application core, it enables the STCOM to support the ITU-T G.9001, ITU-T G.9903 (G3-PLC^®), ITU-T G.9904 (PRIME), IEEE 1901.2, IEC 61334-5-1 (G1), CLC/TS 50568 (METERS AND MORE^®) and other narrow band PLC protocol specifications.

The STCOM basic block diagram is shown in Figure 1.

• Integrated differential PLC analog front-end
  • PGA with automatic gain control and ADC
  • Current DAC with transmission predriver
  • Digital transmission level control
  • Zero crossing comparator
  • Up to 500 kHz PLC signal bandwidth
• Integrated dual line driver
  • 14 V p-p single ended, 28 V p-p differential output range
  • Very high linearity for EMC compliance
  • Externally configurable amplifier topology
  • 1 A rms max. current
  • Embedded overtemperature protection
  • Suitable for all PLC signals up to 500 kHz
• Fully reprogrammable real-time engine (RTE) modem for PLC standards up to 500 kHz
• Integrated application core: ARM^® 32-bit Cortex™-M4F CPU
  • 96 MHz maximum frequency
  • 8-channel direct memory access controller
  • 8-region memory protection unit
  • Serial wire and JTAG interfaces
  • Cortex-M4 Embedded Trace Macrocell™
  • Up to 86 multiplexed GPIOs
  • 11 timers
  • 1 flexible CRC calculation unit
  • 5 USARTs (ISO 7816 compliant), 5 SPI, 3 I²C
  • 12-bit general purpose ADC with 6 channels
• Cryptographic engine
  • AES 128/192/256 engine
  • True random number generator
• Memories
  • 640 kB or 1 MB of embedded Flash
  • 128 kB of embedded SRAM
  • 8 kB of embedded shared RAM
  • Flexible static memory controller
• Clock management
  • 24 MHz external crystal for system clock with internal QFS synthesizer
  • 32.768 kHz external crystal for RTC
• Power management
  • 3.3 V and 8 - 18 V external supply voltages
  • 1.2 V and 5 V integrated linear regulators
  • Normal and low power modes
• Real-time clock (RTC)
  • VBAT supply with battery health monitoring for RTC and backup registers
• -40 °C to +85 °C operating temperature range