Cogency Powerline Bridge Links Ethernet, HomePlug

By Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(07/31/02, 11:50:05 PM EDT)

Toronto, Canada - The new CS1102 from Cogency Semiconductor Inc. has been designed to enable low-cost powerline networking via an Ethernet to HomePlug bridge, allowing users to share Internet access and connect a range of devices.

Key features of the new device include a flexible software based MAC; integration of all the necessary Ethernet MAC, bridging and HomePlug MAC/PHY functions[ orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with a patented signal processing technique; 56-bit DES Link Encryption with key management for secure communications; and up to 14 Mb/s data rate on the powerline. It also incorporates multiple priority level access and segment bursting to improve real time delivery of delay sensitive content, useful in streaming media and IP telephony applications.

Included with the chip is a suite of reference designs, data sheets, user guides, device driver source code, and a production test system.

Production is start in the third quarter of 2002. It operates with 3.3 V I/O and is packaged in a 100-pin low profile quad flat pack. An EV1102 Evaluation Kit consists of two evaluation boards, Microsoft Windows drivers, a suite of software support tools, and is priced at US $5,000.

For more information about the CS1102 go to www.cogency.com. For more on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance go to www.homeplug.org .