Product category:
Wireless Communications
News Release from: Aerocomm | Subject: AC4490
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 27 February 2003
Budget price for spread-spectrum module
Aimed at OEMs producing equipment for the Americas, AeroComm has released a 900MHz spread spectrum module that is less than half the price of similarly specified modules from other manufacturers.
Aimed at OEMs producing equipment for the Americas, AeroComm has released a 900MHz spread spectrum module that is less than half the price of similarly specified modules from other manufacturers AeroComm's AC4490 transceiver module is designed to interface with OEMs' designs via a serial TTL level connection, providing transparent, bidirectional wireless communication in point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint networks using AeroComm's proprietary RF-232 transparent protocol
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 Nov 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Spread-spectrum transceiver goes on for miles
Aerocomm's AC5124C is a digital RF transceiver employing frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) technology for high resistance to interference.
The modules are aimed at OEMs who design and manufacture industrial or commercial products that currently use alternative methods of communication including infrared, serial/wired, memory card download, or other less sophisticated wireless means.
Typical applications for the AC4490 include vending machines, automated meter reading, gaming, electronic signs and scoreboards, wheel alignment, pool and spa control, POS (point of sale), fleet management, lighting control and security.
OEMs are searching for low cost alternatives that allow them to eliminate wired or replace existing wireless communications.
Further reading
Development kits get wireless up and running
Development tools from AeroComm enable OEMs to rapidly introduce wireless connectivity into their product or process.
Low-cost spectrum analyser for 2.4GHz networks
AeroComm's ASA spectrum analyser is a compact, cost-effective, PC-based instrument covering the entire 2.4GHz ISM band.
Spread spectrum applications mushroom
Despite the generally poor trading conditions in the areas of wireless and communications, AeroComm reports a strong growth in the industrial sector for its wireless products.
Factors driving this need include the costs associated with installation, maintenance, and relocation.
Additionally, convenience and market acceptance are also important factors.
AeroComm's AC4490 employs FHSS (frequency hopping spread spectrum) technology that provide interference rejection, enables co-located system operation, higher output power, and maintains data integrity.
Showing versatility, the transceivers will operate over the industrial temperature range of -40 to +80C and are agency approved for use in portable, mobile and fixed applications in the USA, Canada, Australia and South America The modules offer variable output power between 1 and 100mW, and have the highest datarates available at up to 76Kbit/s.
Various antenna options are available including integrated, external or solder pads, and the modules feature adjustable receiver sensitivity from 85 to 102dB depending on data throughput.
Using a highly integrated chip solution, the modules operate from a 3.3V supply and measure 42 x 26mm (approximately the size of a Compact Flash card).
They are the smallest of their type available, making them ideal for use in battery powered, portable applications.
For those already using modules from AeroComm's AC4424 2.4GHz family, the AC4490 offers socket compatibility, enabling OEMs to "design once" and subsequently interchange 900MHz or 2.4GHz radios to increase performance and/or expand their markets where other frequency bands are not accepted.
Previously, OEMs could choose only single-frequency radios for low-cost applications.
With AeroComm's AC4490 they can gain the benefits of interference rejection and higher power limits through the use of FHSS.
Typical low cost radios provide only the RF transmission; they do not contain protocol to manage "over the air" issues such as how to overcome interference and multipath problems, detecting errors in the data, addressing messages to individual radios, point to multipoint or peer to peer communication, security from eavesdropping, link quality verification.
AeroComm's RF-232 provides the same robust protocol found in radios costing hundreds of pounds.
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