1.4.1 Host Interface Description

Meters And More Host Interface is a Serialization Protocol, which is defined by the Meters And More Standard, and is required to perform a Certification.

This Certification requirement is the reason why the Embedded part of this Serialization Protocol is provided along with the Meters And More Stack.

Host Interface duties are to transport commands from a Serial Interface to the Meters And More Stack, and Vice Versa.

Figure 1-13. Host Interface connecting Serial Iface with Meters And More

Commands and Codes

Host Interface provides different Functionalities based on different Commands.

Commands are specified according to he following table:
CMD Name REQUEST Positive CONFIRM Negative CONFIRM INDICATION Description
BIO_Reset 0x3C 0x3D - 0x3E Allows the Host Controller to reset the Meters And More Device (REQ) and be informed of when the reset is completed (IND)
MIB_Write 0x08 0x09 0x0B 0x0A Writes an object on Information Base
MIB_Read 0x0C 0x0D 0x0F - Reads an object from Information Base
Slave_Data 0x24 0x25 0x27 0x26 Send response messages to a Master Data Request over PLC behaving as a Slave node
Master_Data 0x28 0x29 0x2B 0x2A Send messages over PLC while behaving as a Master node
HI_Ping 0x2C 0x2D - - Performs a “ping” on the Host Interface. CFM uses the same payload as the REQ command
HI_Error - - - 0x36 Received command frame is not recognized as a valid request command code
In addition to the standard ones, Micochip implementation adds a new command for sending frames at PHY level:
CMD Name REQUEST Positive CONFIRM Negative CONFIRM INDICATION Description
Phy_Data 0x48 0x49 0x4B 0x4A Sends a frame over PLC PHY
When a Negative CONFIRM is received, the possible Error Codes are the following:
Error Code Value Description
WPL 0x02 Wrong argument/parameter length
WPV 0x03 Wrong argument/parameter value
BUSY 0x04 Function is busy or not configured
NOT_PRESENT 0x06 Function is physically not present or not connected
DISABLED 0x07 Function is disabled by a software option
TIMEOUT 0x08 Operation timeout
ERROR 0xFF Generic error
The BIO_Reset Indication Command returns one byte of information, encoded in the following way:
Byte Index bit 7 bits 6 to 0
Reconfiguration Status Reset Cause
Reconfiguration Status:
  • 0: One or more reconfigurable MIB objects has not been reconfigured
  • 1: All reconfigurable MIB objects has been reconfigured
Reset Cause:
  • 0: Power-on or HW reset
  • 1: Watchdog reset
  • 2: SW reset
  • 3: BIO Request
  • 4: Diagnostic: Inconsistent PLC PHY ISR received
  • 5: Diagnostic: Timer and ZERO CROSSING
  • 6: Diagnostic: FSM unreachable state
  • 7: Diagnostic: No ISR from PLC