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2.4 GHz RF-based Remote Control - GreenPeak
Posted in ZigBee, Remote Monitoring & Control, Wireless Controller, RF Transmitter, Receiver, Consumer ElectronicsOn Saturday, December 20, 2008
GreenPeak announced the launch of new wireless radio remote-control, which based on its previously released Emerald GP500C communication controller. This 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 compliant RF based remote control provides two way high speed communication and contrary to traditional IR (Infra Red) based remote controls, it does not require clear line-of-sight (LOS) between transmitter and receiver. GreenPeak has developed a set of reference designs for this remote controls and RF modules for integration into home appliance products such as TVs, set-top boxes and DVD players. Based on the IEEE 802.15.4 industry standard for multiple devices control, this wireless remote control also includes IR as secondary use for legacy systems, allowing the use of a single universal remote control for both RF and IR devices.
GreenPeak RF-based Remote Control
GreenPeak’s solution enables low cost and reliable communication owing to a superior radio with antenna diversity, frequency agility and delay spread handling. It also enables the designer to develop an ultra low power RF system with a much longer battery life. RF remote controls equipped with GreenPeak’s communication controller can be made maintenance free: a single watch type battery can outlast the life time of the remote.
The reference designs will be delivered with a protocol stack of less than 4KB. The embedded IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer allows a short time to market and a simple, stable and reliable software application. Additionally, the reference designs are based on a single layer low cost PCB with integrated antennas guaranteeing a very low cost BOM.
GreenPeak’s reference designs provide high speed low latency two-way communication with high throughputs, allowing high speed content browsing, touchpad operation, gaming, as well as high resolution displays on the remote control.
Greenpeak Emerald GP500C Communications Controller
Greenpeak’s IEEE 802.15.4 compliant communications controller, the Emerald GP500C was introduced in June this year. The Emerald GP500C is a standards compliant communications controller that incorporates an autonomous transceiver with a fully integrated communications layer and an on-chip energy manager. Emerald GP500C communications controller chip is designed with extreme low power features that enable energy harvesting solutions for wireless sensor networks.
Emerald GP500C Communications Controller Chip
Emerald GP500C communications controller utilizes embedded hardware based antenna diversity that reduces dead spots. It also includes link reliability features such as message-over-message enabling, high sensitivity, a robust signal processing engine and interference detection and avoidance mechanisms. Emerald GP500C communications controller is able to cover 30-50m (100-150 feet) of indoor range.
Emerald GP500C Communications Controller Architecture
Features of Emerald GP500C Communications Controller:
- IEEE 802.15.4 compliant
- 2.4 GHz worldwide band
- Supports a variety of ultra low power networking protocols
- Data rate 250 Kb/s
- Range 30-50m (100-150 feet)
- Robust reliability based on embedded hardware antenna diversity to reduce dead spots and link reliability features such as message-over-message enabling, excellent sensitivity, a robust signal processing engine as well as interference detection and avoidance mechanisms
- Hardware features
- Integrated transceiver/ communications controller
- Communication scheduler
- Standby controller
- Power supply manager
- High level of integration enables system level cost savings
- Energy consumption
- Consumes a fraction (10-25%)of the energy of traditional microcontroller based designs by using a lower peak current, ultra low leakage current & very short transmission times via just-in-time transmission scheduling
- Sleep current: 100 nA compared to 1 uA typical
- Communication current: packet processing at least 65% less energy
Emerald GP500C Communications Controller is delivered with a reference design and development kit, allowing OEMs to build their own communication modules and applications. The GP500C will also support a wide range of software stacks that can run on different processors including ZigBee Pro as well as Low Power Routing, Low Power Sensing, a micro stack and other application dedicated low power protocols.
- Press Release: Greenpeak launches Reference Design for a New Generation of RF Remote Controls (http://www.greenpeak.com/Press/PressKit/20081218%20GreenPeak%20PressRelease%20RF%20RemoteControls.pdf)
- Press Release: Greenpeak launches the Emerald GP500C Communications Controller (http://www.greenpeak.com/Press/PressKit/GreenPeak%20PresRel%20GP500C%2010June2008.pdf)
- GreenPeak Emerald GP500C Communications Controller chip (http://www.greenpeak.com/Product/Chips.html)
