Nordic Semiconductor revealed that its nRF51822 Bluetooth low energy system-on-chip (SoC) has been selected by Vitir, a Norgegian wireless network solutions company, for its MergeRF system.
MergeRF is a sub-GHz, self-forming and healing mesh network enabling long-range communication between Bluetooth low energy devices. The system can, for example, operate as a long-range mesh network of manageable two-way beacons for proximity marketing.
Each Vitir ‘bridge’ includes an nRF51822 SoC providing Bluetooth low energy wireless connectivity between other bridges, Bluetooth low energy devices, and Bluetooth 4.0 (and later) smartphones and tablets, connecting all devices to a long-range mesh network. The MergeRF bridges also support the KNX RF protocol (an open system for wireless building control) and Wireless M-Bus protocol (for remote gas and water meter reading). The bridges act as routers for any payload, irrespective of origin in the network, and regardless of the original RF protocol. Together with a Central Unit (CU), semantic interoperation between devices using any RF protocol is enabled. This means, for example, that a KNX RF wall switch can control a Bluetooth low energy power outlet.
The CU acts as a gateway to the cloud with a single RF connection point to the mesh, allowing new bridges or new protocols to be added to the mesh without the need to recertify the CU. Such an arrangement significantly reduces RF interference problems. The MergeRF system supports Bluetooth low energy roaming, important in mHealth applications where, for instance, Continua-certified wristbands can move in the network and be seamlessly connected to cloud services.
When used in smart buildings, welfare technology and environmental control can be combined using the MergeRF solution. Monitoring of roaming Bluetooth low energy wearable health devices is combined with environmental control (lighting, heating, and door locks) along with positioning and beacons in the very same system.
MergeRF is powered by the proven Tinymesh protocol, already deployed in more than one million devices worldwide. Using a sub-GHz RF mesh radio, the MergeRF system has an indoor range per hop approximately 10 times greater than traditional Bluetooth low energy 4.2 mesh implementations. The MergeRF system provides multihop (up to 255 hops) capability for point-to-point protocols, and enables access and control both via the cloud and direct access from a Bluetooth 4.0 (and later) smartphone or tablet.
Nordic’s nRF51822 is a powerful and flexible multiprotocol SoC ideally suited for Bluetooth low energy and 2,4 GHz ultra low-power wireless applications. It is built around a 32-bit ARM Cortex M0 CPU with 256 or 128 KB of Flash memory, and 32 or 16 KB of RAM. The embedded 2,4 GHz transceiver is fully compliant with Bluetooth 4.2.
For more information contact Andrew Hutton, RF Design, +27 (0)21 555 8400, [email protected], www.rfdesign.co.za
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