New-Tech Europe Magazine | Aug 2018

Table 1: Comparison of wireless technologies

aspects of wireless communication on its own. The solution has to be modular and scalable to the size of the application without consuming much of the system resources (energy, processing power etc.). From a commercial standpoint, the solution should offer quick time-to- market without compromising system reliability while maximizing the ROI. We, the wireless connectivity and sensors division of Würth Elektronik eiSos, deliver elegant wireless connectivity solutions that precisely aim to achieve these objectives. With robust hardware, easy-to-use software and pre-certified modules in a wide range of frequency bands and technologies including Bluetooth, wireless M-BUS and proprietary sub-GHz, we offer reliable wireless connectivity solutions. Integrating one of our modules into your application simplifies the wireless connectivity function enabling you to focus on that innovative idea you intend to deliver. Wireless connectivity made easy Simplicity is the essence of our proprietary wireless connectivity solutions. To demonstrate this, consider an industrial system with a temperature sensor and a cooling system. The idea here is to frequently monitor the temperature and actuate the cooling system to regulate the temperature. Typically, this is done by having a micro-controller unit (MCU) read the temperature from

The next step is the choice of technology that determines the connectivity protocol. From the tried and tested Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to the modern day Low-Power wide area networking (LPWAN) technologies, there are a number of options. A brief analysis of these options clearly indicates that there is no one-size- fits-all solution. Another important factor that is often underestimated is the amount of time necessary to comprehend the complexities of these protocols at several levels in order to obtain optimum performance. Assuming that we have chosen the standard that best fits the application and the underlying frequency of operation, we now face the task of hardware design. Thanks to advances in modern-day silicon technology, it is possible to obtain a highly integrated, reasonably powerful micro-controller with built-in RF and base-band processing capabilities. The complexities in antenna design could be considerably simplified by using off the shelf solutions (e.g. Chip antennas). Nevertheless, the optimal layout of the RF lines with corresponding matching circuits still requires specialized skills along with considerable experience. With a stable hardware platform, the focus moves to the software. Being the brain of the system, the software determines the actual functionality that makes efficient use of the underlying hardware. Well- written software goes a long way in

determining the energy efficiency and security as well as the timing performance of the system. Achieving accurate timing with optimal resource management using complex protocols on lightweight real-time kernels offers plenty of challenges to the designer. Let us assume that we have conquered all the above challenges and have a fully functional wireless connectivity solution on hand. There is one other obstacle to overcome: certification. Irrespective of the frequency of operation, all devices that utilize the radio spectrum have to comply with the regulations imposed by spectrum regulation authorities in the land of deployment. The radio equipment directive (RED) in Europe, the FCC in the US and the IC in Canada are some examples of regulatory bodies. For a device manufacturer, this means their device has to be verified with respect to the regulations of the intended country of deployment either in-house or at a certified laboratory. Standards like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth require additional tests to ensure interoperability. These certifications, in addition to the actual design of the device, may seem bit overwhelming, but an elegant solution that tackles all of these challenges does exist. For a system designer it would be ideal to have a function block that takes care of wireless connectivity without having to bother about the radio specific aspects. This black box has to accept data at one end and deliver it to the destination, taking care of all

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