Si4463EZRadioPRO: Smart Grid Application Reference Design

Silicon Labs' Si446x series is a high-performance, low-current 119MHz~1050MHz transceiver, a member of the EZRadioPRO series, including a complete transmitter and receiver. With a sensitivity of -126dBm, the Si4464 operates at 119MHz~960MHz, with a maximum output power of +20dBm, and the PA supports +27dBm or +30dBm. It uses (G)FSK, 4(G)FSK, (G)MSK, OOK and ASK modulation, and the data rate is 100bps~1Mbps on the surface, the operating voltage is 1.8V~3.6V, the shutdown current is 30nA, and the standby current is 50nA. It is mainly used in smart meters (802.15.4g & MBus), remote control, home security and alarm, garage and gate opening, telemetry, home automation, sensor networks, health monitoring, etc.

Silicon Labs' Si446x is a high-performance, low-current transceiver that covers the sub-GHz band from 119MHz to 1050MHz. The transceiver is part of the EZRadioPRO family of products, which includes a complete range of transmitters, receivers and transceivers covering a wide range of applications. All parts have excellent sensitivity (-126dBm) while achieving low operating and standby power consumption. The

Si4464 provides the entire sub-GHz band, a continuous frequency range from 119MHz to 960MHz, with very fine frequency resolution. The Si4463 has the best phase noise for narrowband and licensed band applications, with blocking and selection performance, for example, FCC Part90 and 169MHz wireless MBus. It also has 60dB adjacent channel selectivity with 12.5kHz channel spacing, ensuring reliable operation under harsh RF conditions, which is particularly important for narrowband operation. The i4464/63 provides excellent output power (up to +20dBm) and excellent TX efficiency.

Its high output power and sensitivity, and industry-leading 146 dB link, extend the range and reliability of the communication link. The Si4460 active mode TX (at +11 dBm) current consumption is 18 mA, RX current is 10 mA, and has extremely low standby current and fast wake-up time, ensuring longer battery life in demanding applications. The Si4464/63 can achieve up to +27 dBm output power and has built-in ramp control with a low-cost external FET. The device is compatible with regulatory standards around the world: FCC, ETSI and ARIB. All devices are designed to comply with 802.15.4g and WMBus smart metering standards.


Figure 1 Si446x family block diagram

Figure 2 Si4463 single antenna and RF switch application circuit diagram

Si446x key features

• Frequency range of 119 MHz to 105 MHz

• Receive sensitivity -126dBm

• Modulation

– (G)FSK, 4(G)FSK, (G)MSK

– OOK and ASK

• Maximum output power

Figure 3 4463-TCE30E915R-EK circuit diagram

– +20dBm (Si4464/63)

– +20dBm (Si4464/63)

– +16dBm (Si4461)

– +16dBm (Si4461)

– +13dBm (Si4460)

– +13dBm (Si4460)

• PA supports +27 or +30dBm

• Low active power consumption

–10mA/13mA RX

– TX18mA at +10dBm (Si4460)

• Ultra-low current power-down mode

– 30nA shutdown, 50nA standby

• Data rates = 100bps to 1Mbps

• Fast wake-up and hop times

• Power supply is 1.8V~3.6V

• Good selectivity

• 60dB adjacent channel

• 75dB at 1MHz

• Antenna diversity and T/R switch control

• Highly configurable packet handling

• 64B FIFOs for TX and RX

• Automatic frequency control (AFC)

• Automatic gain control (AGC)

• Low BOM

• Low battery voltage detection

• Temperature sensor

• 20-pin QFN package

• Compliant with IEEE802.15.4g

• FCC 90 Mask D, FCC15.247, 15.231, 15.249, ARIB T-108, T-96, etc.

• ETSI Class I operates SAW

Si446x Applications

• Smart metering (802.15.4g and MBus)

• Remote control

• Home security and alarm

• Telemetry

• Garage door openers

• Remote keyless entry

• Automation

• Industrial control

• Sensor networks

• Health monitors

• Electronic shelf labels

4463-TCE30E915R-EK Reference Design

Silicon Labs and RFMD have collaborated to produce this reference design, which features Silicon Labs’ EZRadioPRO Si4464/63GHz, ISM-band radio transceiver and RFMD’s RF6569 front-end module (FEM) and is optimized for smart grid automatic meter reading (AMR) applications, efficiently increasing output power (+30dBm).


Figure 4 4463-TCE30E915R-EK PCB component layout The

4463-TCE30E915R-EK RF test card features the EZRadioPRO Si4463 transceiver, operating at 915MHz, and incorporates the RFMD RF6569 FEM, which includes an integrated PA, Tx harmonic filter, SPDT switch, and RX balun.

Based on this reference design, customers can successfully operate in the 868MHz or 902MHz~928MHz ISM bands, based on designs with EZRadioPRO Si4464 and Si4463 transceivers and RFMD RF6569 FEM.