Transceivers tackle temperature extremes

The AC4424 transceiver family facilitates problem-free radio communication between outdoor equipment operating at -40C with indoor equipment operating at +80C.

Representing a breakthrough in industrial radio frequency communication, AeroComm's AC4424 transceiver family facilitates problem-free radio communication between outdoor equipment operating at -40C with indoor equipment operating at +80C.

With a ready-to-use, agency-approved 2.4GHz FHSS radio, the AC4424 package simplifies OEMs' design efforts and speeds time to market.

The AC4424 contains sophisticated temperature compensating hardware and software to adapt across the entire -40 to +80C industrial temperature range.

Unlike many so-called ET (extended temperature) radios that contain external temperature parts, the AC4424 senses ambient temperature and compensates each radio according to its unique temperature profile.

The result is a highly reliable system whereby radios operating at any temperature within the range -40 to +80C will maintain communication "24/7".

Simple to deploy, a particular benefit of the AC4424 is its unique embedded protocol RF-232, making it a "plug and play" transceiver.

The OEM sends the radio raw serial data and the radio manages "over the air" protocol to assure successful communication.

Such protocol includes gaining acknowledgements and sending retries, error checking, and other items unique to RF that newcomers to the discipline typically forget about.

This simplifies integration for fast time to market.

The transceiver supports point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint configurations.

Accordingly it is able to broadcast data to all transceivers, or it can "address" packets to specific destinations using unique MAC addresses embedded in each radio.

The transceivers operate in two modes, acknowledgement mode (ACK) or streaming mode.

ACK mode means that successfully transmitted packets are acknowledged back to the sender.

If not, they are resent until successful up to a user selectable number of retries.

Error detection is used and duplicate data is filtered out before sending data out to the host interface.

This is extremely valuable to data applications where integrity of information is paramount.

Streaming mode is useful for audio/video or other applications where occasional missed data is allowed.

This mode enables high speed, continuous transmission of data without delay, ie waiting for ACK from recipient.

A full duplex control option allows equal time for transmitting and receiving data at the RF level, keeping a single transmitter from dominating the system bandwidth.

The AC4424 employs a user selectable identification number that is embedded in the radio's firmware.

A company can protect the integrity of their network by assigning a unique ID to their radios; only radios with identical ID numbers will synchronise.

No other off-the-shelf radio can eavesdrop on an AeroComm radio, and other AeroComm radios cannot even establish synchronisation - a precursor of successful communication - unless the ID numbers of the radios are identical.

Power saving modes allow the OEM to put the radios to sleep and conserve power while still maintaining synchronisation.

The transceiver is available in output power ratings of 10, 100 and 200mW, operating from a 5V power supply.

The use of 32 channels enables independent, colocated noninterfering networks.

The AC4424 package is backed up by a full suite of development tools and technical support from AeroComm design engineers.

Applications for AeroComm's AC4424 include fleet telemetry, signs and scoreboards, GPS, laser surveying, factory automation and audio.

The AC4424 is approved by the FCC (USA), Industry Canada, and ETSI (Europe) and is available with a number of different antenna styles to suite various applications.

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