Radio comes onboard by design

MaxStream has begun design licence programmes for its long-range and low-cost lines of XStream and XCite wireless technology.

MaxStream has begun design licence programmes for its long-range and low-cost lines of XStream and XCite wireless technology.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can now integrate MaxStream's proven wireless technology into their printed circuit board (PCB) designs for a fraction of the cost of buying radio modules.

Through these programmes, OEMs can realise a dramatic increase in profit margin as they enhance their product offerings with long-range, frequency hopping spread spectrum, wireless connectivity.

Used in thousands of applications worldwide, XTend, XStream and XCite products provide OEMs with robust field-proven technology, added flexibility and higher performance than most wireless chipset offerings.

The MaxStream technology has been manufactured for years under the most exacting ISO9001:2000 registered standards.

With a predicted MTBF of 700kh, MaxStream technology was designed to outlive the needs of many applications.

All manufacturing documentation, testing specifications and technical support is provided through MaxStream's design licence programmes.

"Understandably, high-volume OEMs want to reduce component costs as much as possible, but there are many 'hidden costs' associated with wireless chipset design", said Brad Walters, President and CEO at MaxStream.

"These costs appear in the development phase of the product cycle and can include RF engineering salaries or consultant fees, multiple board turns, additional component design and testing to complete the solution, and the common reworking involved during the FCC approval process".

"Many problems OEMs face with wireless chipset design are removed when they can integrate a complete and field-proven wireless connectivity solution such as MaxStream's".

"Integrating a discrete wireless design like ours can shave months and tens of thousands of dollars off an OEM's product development".

XStream wireless transceiver technology is available in the licence-free ISM transmission bands of 900MHz and 2.4GHz.

XStream transceivers provide 140mW (900MHz) or 50mW (2.4GHz) of power output and are ideally suited for remote and mobile applications.

They boast up to -110dBm receiver sensitivity, providing MaxStream's longest communication range.

Users can receive 900MHz transmissions up to 450m in an urban environment, up to 11km line-of-sight and up to 32km with high-gain antennas.

Users can receive 2.4GHz transmissions up to 180m in an urban environment, up to 5km line-of-sight and up to 16km with high-gain antennas.

XStream transceivers utilise frequency hopping spread spectrum technology in peer-to-peer, point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multidrop networking configurations.

XCite wireless transceiver technology operates in the 900MHz licence-free ISM band and boasts a -108dBm receiver sensitivity providing extended transmission range (compare to the industry average of only -93dBm).

This high receiver sensitivity allows the 1mW XCite to compete with modules operating at ten times the power output.

XCite transceivers communicate 90m indoors/urban environments and 300m RF line-of-sight with dipole antennas.

XCite transceivers accept 2.85 to 5.50V DC and are optimised for low power applications.

Transmit and receive current is less than 50mA and power down current can operate as low as 20uA.

Data throughput is selected at 9600 or 38,400bit/s and provides interface data rates from 1200 to 57,600bit/s.

Frequency hopping or single channel modes are user selectable.

XCite transceivers are available for peer-to-peer, point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multidrop networking topologies.

MaxStream's design licence programmes provide OEMs a lifetime licence to integrate XStream or XCite technology for a flat one-time fee and a nominal royalty per unit produced.

In the spirit of manufacturing competition, licence fees, royalties and terms are negotiable on a case-by-case basis.

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