The MAX2990 power line communication (PLC) base-
band modem delivers a cost-effective, reliable, half-
duplex asynchronous data communication over AC
power lines at speeds up to 100kbps. The MAX2990 is
a highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) that combines
the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC)
layers using Maxim’s 16-bit MAXQ microcontroller core.
The MAX2990 utilizes OFDM modulation techniques to
enable robust data communication using the same
electrical network that supplies power to all other
devices on the network.
The MAX2990 includes the MAXQ microcontroller core.
The MAXQ is a 16-bit RISC microcontroller with 32kB flash
memory, 5.12kB of ROM, and 8kB SRAM, of which 4kB
that can be simultaneously accessed by the MCU and the
PHY. The MAX2990 is integrated with modules for serial
communication (SPI?, I2C, UART) and a real-time clock
(RTC) for time stamping, in addition to standard blocks
such as timers, GPIO, and external interrupts.
The MAX2990 transceiver is based on an orthogonal
frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique that
allows robust data transmission over poor channel con-
ditions specifically for environments with impulsive
noise. OFDM with binary phase shift key (BPSK) and
forward error correcting (FEC) blocks are used
because of their inherent adaptability in the presence of
frequency selective channels without the use of equal-
izers, resilience to jammer signals, robust communica-
tions in the presence of group delay spread, and
robustness to impulsive noise. The MAX2990 features
jammer cancellation that removes constant sinusoidal
interference signals for FCC and ARIB bands. Privacy
is provided by DES encryption.
The MAX2990 is available in a 64-pin LQFP package
and is specified over the -40°C to +85°C extended tem-
perature range.