RF Monolithics' Virtual Wire product is the low-power RF transceiver of choice for StatSignal Systems' (StatSignal) two-way fixed MESH 'Pocket Network' solution. Using RFM's Virtual Wire product, StatSignal has designed a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective 'two-way fixed MESH pocket network system'.
This system is an integrated solution that provides utilities with a wireless end-to-end network for the acquisition, transportation, management and delivery of meter data and other two-way information-centric applications, such as load control and usage management.
RFM says that low-power RF wireless mesh technology is the catalyst for these key utility business imperatives. StatSignal, a pioneer in the field of low power RF wireless mesh networks, has refined RF wireless mesh network architecture by developing and bringing to market a new way for electric, water and gas utilities to communicate and connect with its customers. The result is a cost effective two-way fixed automated meter reading (AMR) solution.
"The integration of RFM's low-power RF technology into our AMR solution allows us to provide the metering industry a cost compelling solution for utilities implementing advanced metering to their residential and commercial customers," says David Petite, president and founder of StatSignal. "The exceptional low-power consumption of the RFM Virtual Wire RF transceiver is one of the main reasons we chose RFM as a best in class transceiver supplier. This makes a big difference for our battery powered water meter and capacitor charge powered electric meter power outage alarm functions."
The AMR solution
The MESH Fixed Two-way AMR solution builds off StatSignal's patented 'to and through' low-power RF communication protocol. It enables low cost data acquisition and control via proven two-way communication technologies. This is done by simply embedding the StatSignal iMODULE circuitry (which includes the Virtual Wire transceiver) and protocol into each end device such as a meter or load control switch, etc.
These end devices are called SensNODES, and they, along with a network orchestrating and data-compiling device called an AiNODE, make up the StatSignal Pocket Network (LAN). The AiNODE is also the transition point where the data is moved back and forth from the pocket network via a wide area network to the Data Center entry point, based on industry standard TCP/IP and UDP protocol. Access to data is available through a web browser.
Each device in StatSignals Pocket Network acts as a repeater or router, relaying traffic for every other device. Traffic hops from device to device along a full two-way, redundant mesh until it reaches the nearest AiNODE. Since each device in the pocket network has StatSignal's self correcting and self routing communication protocol embedded inside, data and commands are able to migrate from device to device and be automatically rerouted as required to respond to changing network environment and possible interferences. By having the devices serve as the network, dynamic, non-line of sight communication is obtained, along with lower cost infrastructure.
The Virtual Wire products are fully functional RF transmitters, receivers and transceivers based on proprietary amplifier-sequenced hybrid (ASH) radio architecture. This architecture integrates RF ICs with surface acoustic wave (SAW) filtering and frequency control devices in a single hybrid package which greatly simplifies and accelerates RF design tasks. No external RF filters, IF filters, resonators or crystals are required.
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