UPA邀請了通信服務供應商、電力機構、半導體和相關技術供應商以及網絡運營商參與開發接入技術規范和后續標準,目標是智能電網和家庭網絡。

首先,該組織計劃開發市場需求文檔(MRD)以便定義PowerMAX規范的目標,包括帶寬需求和像物理層吞吐量這樣的潛在技術參數。

任何標準都需要支持應用帶寬,比如FTTH、多住戶網絡、借助電力線接入的寬帶應用以及包括多信道HD-IPTV或多房間PVR在內的家庭網絡應用。

UPA認為,這樣的應用正在推動帶寬增長,并超出了現有的電力線技術所能達到的帶寬。

規范還需要完全向后兼容,并可與UPA目前的200 Mbits/s技術實現交互,在接入網和家庭網絡之間提供完全的交互性。

按照UPA市場營銷工作組主席Daniel Drolet的說法,MRD過程有望在3個月之內完成,IC和產品則在2009年可以投放使用。

“一旦MRD過程完成,我們將邀請技術供應商提交建議”,Drolet說。

UPA的成員包括DS-2(一家電力線技術芯片的重要開發商和供應商)、Ambient Corporation、D-Link、Belfuse Inc.、Buffalo Inc.、Comtrend、Pirelli Broadband、Corinex Communications Corp.、Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH、Current Technologies International、Freedom Digital Networks、Sumitomo Electric、深圳市國電科技通信有限公司、Ilevo (Schneider Electric Powerline Communications)、Itochu Corporation、Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, Netgear、Planex、Power Monitors Inc.和Toyo Networks & System Integration Co.,Ltd。

翻頁查看英文原文:

UPA targets 400Mbps+ powerline technology

The Universal Powerline Association is gathering industry consensus round an effort to develop the PowerMAX specification for powerline communications technology that will deliver 400Mbits/ second and beyond.

The Association is inviting comms service providers, electricity utilities, semiconductor and related technology providers and network operators to participate in the development of a specification and subsequently standard for the access technology that is targeted at smart grids and home networks.

As a first step, the group plans to develop a Market Requirements Document (MRD) to define the goals for the PowerMAX specification including bandwidth requirements and underlying technology parameters such as physical layer throughput.

Any standard will need to support bandwidth for applications such as FTTH, Multi-Dwelling Unit Networking, broadband over powerline access applications and home networking applications including multi-channel HD-IPTV delivery or multi-room PVR.

The UPA says such applications are driving the need for increased bandwidth beyond what existing powerline technologies can achieve.

The specification will also need to be completely backward compatible and interoperable with the UPA's current 200 Mbits/second technology and offer complete interoperability between access and home networking applications.

According to Daniel Drolet, UPA Marketing Working Group Chairman, the MRD process is expected to be completed in 3 months, with ICs and products available in 2009.

"We will invite technology providers to submit proposals once the MRD process is completed," Drolet said.

Members of the UPA include DS-2, a significant developer and supplier of chips for powerline communications, Ambient Corporation, D-Link, Belfuse Inc., Buffalo Inc., Comtrend, Pirelli Broadband, Corinex Communications Corp., Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH, Current Technologies International, Freedom Digital Networks, Sumitomo Electric, China Gridcom Company Ltd, Ilevo (Schneider Electric Powerline Communications), Itochu Corporation, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, Netgear, Planex, Power Monitors Inc., and Toyo Networks & System Integration Co.,Ltd.