This slide covers some of the more specific features of the MSP430 which are applicable to utility metering applications. Number one is a powerful A/D converter which operates in the 24-bit mode, has a programmable gain amplifier for all types of sensors, and can support differential inputs. The MSP430 offers simultaneous sampling of voltage and current, which is extremely important to get an accurate measurement of the energy. Low power features of the MSP430 are important in utility metering for two reasons: one, power in the active mode is low, so the power supply is cheaper, reducing the overall cost; also, low power increases the battery life of meters that are not powered or meters that have a backup battery in case of a power failure. This is also important in the gas and water meters. The MSP430 also has meter specific hardware including a 32-bit x 32-bit multiplier and a real-time clock with temperature compensation. Multiple communication peripherals including UARTs, SPIs, I2C, and various other protocols are supported. The MSP430 also has a PLC interface ready to use and offers up to seven individual Sigma/Delta converters that can be used for anti-tampering purposes. The last two bullets are really two peripherals that are specifically designed for metering. One is the E-Metering metrology engine ESP430 with embedded signal processing. This is designed for metering single-phase implementations and the benefits include ease of use, faster time to market, and a lower cost. Everything is built-in and the implementation of such a meter is easy for a customer. The Scan interface, which can sample up to four input channels for a measurement, is specifically designed for flow meters that support different sensors including LC, GMR, and ADC. The implementation of these two peripherals in metering applications will be discussed in subsequent slides.