Ethernet PHY IC targets industrial automation systems

Renesas Electronics Corp. has expanded its portfolio of PHY devices with the introduction of?PD60610GA-GAM-AX and?PD60611GA-GAM-AX. The single-channel PHY chips are engineered for industrial Ethernet requirements and communication systems, the company stated.

The requirement for more efficiency and transparency in business applications has accelerated the adoption of industrial Ethernet to interconnect industrial automation systems. The multiple differences between this environment and PC-based and consumer applications have provided the push for the development of new standards based on the IEEE 802.3 standard. Examples of these differences compared to consumer PHY devices include the need for determinism, real-time and diagnostic features, a high level of reliability and an extended lifecycle, Renesas noted.

The PHY devices from Renesas boast high-speed, real-time data transmission and error-free reception due to their low node latency and low jitter. The company added that the devices are capable of high-speed link-up and link-down control that makes them suitable to robotics and similar applications.

According to Renesas, the products provide fast link-loss recognition needed by real-time protocols including PROFINET, SERCOSIII and EtherCAT, and also support cable-quality monitoring to facilitate maintenance and repair work. The?PD60611 supports the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) based on the IEEE 1588-V2 standard. This enables one-step and two-step mode operations and a number of time-trigger outputs to external applications that need synchronous time information. The PHY device also provides the highest accuracy levels needed for time synchronization, a feature required by several types of applications including motion control, audio video bridging (AvB) and sequences of events. The device also provides 1ns-accurate and precise timestamp for incoming and outgoing telegrams, continued Renesas.

Samples and starter kits for the?PD60610 and?PD60611 PHY devices are available in a 48-pin LQFP package. Mass production is scheduled to begin in 2Q12.