Plextek develops radio telemetry system
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Plextek product story
Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team
Feb 4, 2009
Plextek has developed a new radio telemetry system targeted at efficient automatic remote reading and smart metering applications.
Plextek's solution, based on its Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) telemetry platform, enables meter manufacturers and meter-reading companies to implement a radio technology without a SIM or the network uncertainties associated with mesh radio.
This will also help make a contribution towards meeting the ambitious targets set out by European governments for reducing carbon emissions from homes.
Plextek's UNB technology is optimised for long-distance, low-power applications where the data transmission rate is low.
The remote metering offering comprises a cost-optimised base station and a small low-cost telemetry module for integration into the client's meter or other equipment.
It is available in licence-free 868MHz or 915MHz frequency-hopping variants and can be modified to operate in other bands.
Plextek is also able to offer design services to optimise the form-factor and interface of the telemetry module to the client's requirements.
A typical system includes a network of base stations, each communicating with many thousands of meters, and backhaul by ADSL or other fixed IP network to the control and billing centre.
The technology is bi-directional, allowing smart metering so that the meter can receive information from the network such as billing, credit or control data.
