Measurement AFEs
As utilities require more and more smart functions like demand response (load shedding, shifting and shaping), tariff management and communications into their designs, designers face the classic challenge–How to design for today's market while keeping their options open for future changes. One way of providing the most flexible and "future proofing" design is to separate the front-end signal acquisition (the metrology) from the processing of the information and applications housekeeping. This allows the designer to get the highest accuracy signal acquisition available in an Analog Front End (AFE) while having the ability to perform in field updates as standards and systems evolve. Alternatively, energy measurement ICs and system-on-chip (SoC) products, which provide power calculations, provide quick and straightforward solutions for efficient designs.