for the short range connectivityenvironment

May 2011Issue 157

TM

INCISORVideo enabled

THIS ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS: BLUETOOTH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

EMBER • ENOCEAN ALLIANCE • NORDIC SEMICONDUCTORS

ZIGBEE ALLIANCE • TEXAS INSTRUMENTS • IMS RESEARCH

TRAC • CAMBRIDGE CONSULTANTS

WIRELESS SENSOR ANDCONTROL SPECIAL ISSUE

www.incisor.tvsponsored by

sensing something bigAnyone with even a remote connection to the short-range wireless industry will know that wireless sensors and controlsare the current preoccupation of legions of engineers, developers and marketeers. If we are to believe the hype, thesuccess that has been seen so far for technologies such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, EnOcean, NFC, RFiD, etc, etc, is asnothing compared to the opportunity presented by wireless sensors and controls. Consumers may have bought a lot ofBluetooth headsets, and there are an awful lot of wireless chips in games consoles, cars, phones, but apparently, whenwe move into the M2M market, the health and fitness markets, smart homes/smart grids, the numbers are set to riseexponentially.

Every man and his dog is claiming that he has the perfect solution. Well, every technology alliance and every individualwireless company is anyway. But which will prevail? To which fence should we nail our colours? And where should weput our hard-earned money?

Incisor is uniquely positioned (a cliché as well worn as these trainers I’m wearing at the moment) to find out. We haverelationships with pretty much all of the players. It was about time, then, that we reviewed this market. We put the wordout that this special issue was to be published, and the response was, let’s say, enthusiastic.

I can’t promise that the submissions here are entirely hype-free, but our contributors understand that there is only somuch over-blown marketing bilge they can get away with then talking to readers that are as wireless market savvy asIncisor’s. You will have to judge for yourself which story carries most credence, and Dean Gratton has made his own,independent observations.

Finally, Incisor.TV attended the Bluetooth SIG’s All Hands Meeting. If you really, really want to know what is going oninside the Bluetooth SIG, but couldn’t make it to Budapest, then watch the Incisor.TV movies in this issue.

Vince HoltonPublisher & editor-in-chief, Incisor / IncisorTV

EDITORIAL CONTACTS

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CONTACT DETAILS:Publisher/Editor-in-chief:Vince Holton · vholton@incisor.tvTelephone: +44 (0)1730 895614

Sales & Business Development:All enquiries – sales@incisor.tvTelephone: +44 1730 895614

Contributing writers: Rebecca Russell, Manek Dubash, Dean Anthony GrattonPaul Rasmussen, Mads Oelholm.

Views expressed within are those of the Incisoreditorial and management representatives, andof the representatives of sponsor companies.Incisor is distributed on a monthly basisto companies and individuals with an interest inshort range wireless technology.Subscribe to Incisor free of charge at:http://www.incisor.tv/subscribe-incisor.phpShould you wish to stop receiving Incisor,please send a message titled 'UNSUBSCRIBE' to:mailto:incisor@incisor.tv

The Bluetooth word mark and logo are registeredtrademarks and are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.Incisor and the Incisor brandmark are trademarksof Click I.T. Ltd. All other logos and trademarksare the property of the relevant companies.

© Copyright Click I.T. Ltd 2011

CONTENTS

WIRELESS SENSOR AND CONTROLSPECIAL FEATURE -

CONTRIBUTORS:

BLUETOOTH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPENOCEAN ALLIANCEZIGBEE ALLIANCEIMS RESEARCHCAMBRDIGE CONSULTANTS TRAC EMBERNORDIC SEMICONDUCTORSTEXAS INSTRUMENTSDEAN GRATTON’S HELICOPTER VIEW

PLUS -BLUETOOTH ALL HANDS MEETINGIncisor.TV brings you four movies providing a uniqueinsight to developments at the Bluetooth SpecialInterest Group.

www.incisor.tv2

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Android to seize 45% of smartphone marketby 2016 302 million smartphones shipped in 2010,according to ABI Research, chalking up aresounding 71% growth over 2009’sshipment levels.

Android’s success since its launch isexpected to continue: some 69 millionsmartphones running the Android operatingsystem shipped last year, and ABI Researchexpects that in 2016 Android will havecaptured 45% of the market.“Android, Bada and BlackBerry have a greatopportunity to fill the vacuum being left bythe disappearance of the Symbian OSwithin the next two years,” senior analystMichael Morgan told Incisor.

Apple’s iOS, which held 15% of the marketin 2010, should continue moderate butsteady growth over the mid-term, backedby new product introductions. ABI Researchforecasts 19% market share for iOS in2016.

RIM, which held 16% of the market in 2010,is expected to lose just a little ground: 14%is the forecast for 2016. “RIM’s slight lossof share doesn’t mean falling shipments,”said Vice President Kevin Burden. “RIM hasfound its niche, but the consumer marketwill grow faster than its portion of it.”

Of the newer entrants in the smartphone OSarena, Windows Phone 7 and Samsung’sBada are both aimed at low- to mid-rangehandsets. “With 4 million units shipped in2010 (amounting to a 1.5% market share),Bada has taken off very well, very fast,”Morgan added. “Bada may reach 10%market share by 2016. Windows Phone 7,on the other hand, which shipped in twomillion handsets in Q4 2010, will have tofind incredible success through its Nokiachannel to take more than 7% of the marketby 2016.”

Burden concluded, “The overallsmartphone market growth for 2010 is notreally so surprising: what is moresignificant is the 19% compound annualgrowth rate (CAGR) contained in ourforecasts through 2016.”

Small cell base stationcombines LTE and Wi-FiAs mobile operators worldwide plan anddeploy LTE networks to support the growthin mobile data demand, a new class ofsmall cell base station, known as outdoormetropolitan picocell, is gaining traction.According to industry research firm, In-Stat,the outdoor metropolitan picocell market isforecast to top $5 Billion in 2014. In thatsame year, other forecasts suggest thatmore than two billion Wi-Fi chipsets willship, reflecting Wi-Fi's continued popularityin smartphones and tablets, the devicesdriving mobile data and video consumption.Against this backdrop of increasing mobiledata demand, LTE small cell adoption andWi-Fi enabled device growth, BelAirNetworks has launched the BelAir100LPLTE Picocell, a compact outdoor small cellbase station that combines LTE and802.11n Wi-Fi and can be installed andactivated within 15 minutes.

"In live network trials with Tier Oneoperators, we've proven that combininglicensed and unlicensed wirelesstechnologies in a small cell base station is avery effective way to handle growing mobiledata traffic," Bernard Herscovich, Presidentand CEO, BelAir Networks told Incisor. "TheBelAir100LP features a modular platform toaccommodate operators' LTE preferencesand leverages patented innovations thataddress the installation challenges –including backhaul, power and mounting –that have impeded widespread picocelladoption to date."

The BelAir100LP is designed to provide ahigh capacity underlay or coverage

extension to tower and rooftop-based LTEmacrocell deployments. In a traditionalmacrocell configuration, LTE promises todeliver 2-4X the capacity of current 3Gnetworks, but with leading operatorswitnessing mobile data growth of 7 - 30Xover the last 3 years, LTE macrocells alonewill provide only temporary relief from datacongestion. As a result, operators areleveraging both small cell architectures andunlicensed spectrum in order to augmentcapacity in areas of high useconcentration.

MusiCALL – clip-stylestereo Bluetoothsolution from Bluetrek Bluetrek has released a slightly differenttake on the Bluetooth wireless headsetsolution, launching a product calledMusiCALL, which is a clip stereo headsetwith 3.5mm jack compatibility.

You can clip the MusiCALL pendant toyour shirt to give you wireless control ofyour tracks (play, pause, next, previous,volume +/-) whilst leaving your smartphone in your pocket or bag.

A 3.5mm input jack allows you to connectyour favourite earphones or headphones.Music will stop when a call comes in andrestarts when you end the call.

Bluetrek was showing the MusiCall at theSpring edition of the Hong KongElectronics and Global Sources Fairs thattook place during April. The suggestedretail price (SRP) is USD69.99 or €59.90

Bluetrek is also launching a headset itcalls CARBON, and claims it is theworld’s first Bluetooth headset made ofcarbon fibre. Apparently, the patentedmechanism embedded in the carbon fibretube allows extended talk time, yetreduces weight to less than 6grams.

Free Latte from JavaJoe

www.incisor.tv5

INCISOR.TV VIDEO REPORTDidn’t make it to the Bluetoooth Special Interest Group’s 2011 All

Hands Meeting in Budapest? Never mind. The Incisor.TV crewwas in attendance, and we now bring you four video pieces

covering some of the main presentations made at the BluetoothSIG’s annual event for its member companies.

Click on the screens to view the four AHM movies.

KEYNOTE: MIKE FOLEY

The Bluetooth SIG’s executive director deliversthe All Hands Meeting keynote, and talks ofDisruptive Change within his organisation

MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our own Vince Holton moderates the BluetoothSIG Board of Directors panel session. This is theopportunity to ask those awkward questions...

INTRODUCING THE BLUETOOTHECOSYSTEM TEAMS (BETs)

Suke Jawanda, the Bluetooth SIG’s chiefmarketing officer, provides an overview of theSIG’s recently created BETs teams, which willmanage Bluetooth’s successful implementationin new markets

GUEST SPEAKER

Hampus Jakobsson, of That Astonishing Tribe(TAT) says that the human/PC interface hasn’timproved for decades. Could his presentation‘The future of screens’ be heralding change?

Sponsored by

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section6

Incisor special feature:

All you need to know aboutwireless sensors and controls

this section, experts from Cambridge Consultants, TRaC, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the EnOcean Alliance, the

ZigBee Alliance, Ember, Nordic Semiconductor, Texas Instruments and IMS Research, plus our resident techxpert Dean Gratton, examinethe potential of a technology sector that is set to dramatically expand the short-range wireless market.

M2M, sports and fitness, medical applications, payment and ticketingsystems – the applications seem limitless.

If it’s not clear which wireless technology will dominate, then read on. If you’d like to comment on any element, then email Incisor at:incisor@incisor.tv

In

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section7

metering cannot be considered alone; smartappliance and smart grid solutions must becreated, for all geographical locationsrequired. In particular, issues related tostandardised interfaces (to create inter-operable devices and systems) and a growingconcern for greater security and personaldata privacy have protracted the overalldevelopment cycle.

At a geographical level, the ownershipstructure of energy supply varies considerablyfrom one country to another, even within‘harmonised’ Europe. For example, Franceand Italy have large monopoly electricitysuppliers, but these companies do not supplygas. By contrast, the UK has six major energycompanies who supply electricity and gas,coupled with a market that encouragesconsumers to switch supplier (currently about100,000 switches per week). In some

countries the meters are owned by the gridoperator, whereas in others they are owned bythe energy suppliers. This has a big impact onfunding sources for the overall system, itsarchitecture, as well as to the security andaccess rights within a meter.

Conversely, equipment manufacturers want toreduce cost by increasing economies of scaleand standardising designs wherever possible.Presently, this is possible for the metrologywithin the meters, but not for the new ‘smart’communication, security and paymentfunctions. Standardisation of these smartfunctions is an uphill battle and there is ageneral acceptance that many of thesefunctions will inevitably continue to vary fromone country to another. In addition, people arestill learning about the implications of adoptingsmart metering, so the requirements willcontinue to change as the market matures.

There’s no question that energy is firmly onthe political agenda. The EU2020 energytargets, developed to tackle climatechange, have now been approved by mostEuropean countries. They aim to reduceenergy consumption and greenhouse gasemissions by 20% in the period from 1990to 2020, with the UK government in facttargeting an overall reduction ingreenhouse gas of 80% by 2050.

This has arguably been the most significantdriver for the roll-out of an advanced form ofmetering, known as ‘smart metering’, acrossEurope. Smart meters will be a componentwithin an overall infrastructure that will enableus to consume our finite energy resources ina more intelligent manner. Already, initiativessuch as micro-generation, electric vehiclesand smart appliances are well underway toplay their part in this future panacea.

Against this backdrop, wireless technology ispoised to be an essential ingredient in thesolutions that enable this future generation ofenergy infrastructure. With one of the largestindependent wireless development teams inthe world, Cambridge Consultants hasdeveloped a range of wireless solutions overthe years for the energy sector and is nowvery active in the area of smart metering, as itis known today. However, in this article I’mgoing to take a wider view than just thewireless technology. For the most part,‘adequate’ wireless solutions exist, but thesmart metering market is still developing veryslowly. In this edition of Incisor, I’m thereforegoing to review some of the wider issues thatwill need to be resolved to allow targets, suchas the 2020 targets, to be met.

Overall, the programmes have become muchmore complicated than originally envisaged.This has largely been due to the need toobtain consensus and buy-in from a widerange of parties, including governments,companies and consumers. Of course, smart ➔

Richard Traherne,Cambridge Consultants.

How smart are webeing in our quest for

smart metering?By Richard Traherne

Head of Wireless and Commercial Director

A potential UK smart infrastructure

Cambridge Consultants BlogsWhy are we blogging? We believe thatthe technology market is much betterwhen it is highly connected, and socialmedia is a fantastic tool that instantlyconnects people who face similarchallenges, irrespective of whether theyare budding entrepreneurs running theirfirst high growth start up company or acaptain of industry in charge of a globalbluechip company. So, if you’d like to addto the debates, please feel free tocomment on any of our blogs. It would begreat to hear from you.

Patrick PordageMarketing Communications DirectorCambridge Consultants.

Corporate BlogOur corporate blog covers new productdevelopment, open innovation,accelerating start up companies and othertopics that involve using innovation toachieve market leadership, along withtechnology stories that we hope you willfind interesting/

Consumer Products BlogTopics include connected devices,beverage dispensing, eco innovation, newproduct introduction (NPI), openinnovation, novel control interfaces andother topics related to our development ofinnovative consumer electronics,domestic appliances and fast movingconsumer goods.

Wireless Medical BlogExamining mobilehealth and telehealthtechnology ad market challenges, thisblog provides insight from implantableand hospital communications toconsumer health applications.

Mobile Wireless Technology BlogSmartphones, netbooks and tablet PCsare making mobile connectivity anessential part of everyday life for manypeople. This blog examines the issuesfaced by technology professionals,network operators and industry analystsworking to keep people connected on themove.

Short Range Radar BlogDevoted to the topics surrounding shortrange radar systems in the 0 to 10kmrange. Examples of systems coveredinclude in-wall, through wall, short rangeborder surveillance and in-fill radar forboth ATC and military applications.

Follow us on Twitter:@CambConsultants

whitespace radio – special feature section8

In response to this regional variation and theneed to provide future flexibility, manymanufacturers are attempting to design theirequipment in a modular (logical or physical)manner based on clear interface definitions(APIs, communication protocols, RFstandards, data objects, hardware modules,profiles etc), which some seek to standardise.For example, the main options for dataobjects in Europe are DLMS and ZSE (ZigBeeSmart Energy), whereas in the USA ANSI C12and ZSE are being considered. The energysuppliers are generally powerful in thesestandardisation decisions, when they are theentity purchasing metering equipment thatthey wish to be inter-operable.

In addition, the preferred wirelesscommunication solution for each geographyis still in flux. To take the UK as an example;much of the planning in the UK is being ledby DECC (the Dept of Energy and ClimateChange). Presently, the UK plans for all gasand electricity meters to contain 2-waycommunications to the Metering HAN. Inaddition it plans to install a CommunicationsHub and IHD (In Home Display) in everyhome. It is envisaged that the IHD will engagethe consumer to be more energy-aware,leading to reduction in consumption (akin tothe fuel efficiency gauge in a car). TheCommunications Hub will contain links to anational WAN, the Metering HAN andhopefully to a Consumer HAN as well. Theconsumer HAN will provide smart meteringinformation (e.g time-of-use pricing) to smartappliances. The consumer could therefore tella washing machine when to finish and let itchoose a low-carbon or low-price time to run.The Metering HAN will probably be wireless,with ZigBee and Wireless M-Bus being twocontenders. There is less support presently tostandardise the Consumer HAN, althoughWiFi is gaining some support as a potentialsolution. The WAN is a long distance link fromall 26 million UK homes to a new organisationcalled the DCC (Data Comms Company). Thiswill in turn pass messages on to the relevantenergy supplier. The WAN technology hasnot been selected yet and a variety ofwireless and wired technologies are beingconsidered.

In other regions the outlook is even vaguer atthe present time. In France and Italy theelectricity and gas companies do not plan tohave shared networks for electricity and gas,so there will almost certainly be separateWAN connections to each home for gas andelectricity. This will be particularly challengingfor gas meters, which are battery-powered.These countries don’t plan to create HANswithin the home. There will be no IHD and noconnections to smart appliances. So theequipment may be very different indeed.

This variation leads to changes in the waythat security is maintained within the system.Security solutions must address personaldata privacy, which is subject to legislationsuch as the European Human Rights Act forexample within Europe. The Netherlands,

Germany and the UK also have strongnational security groups defining therequirements for data security and privacy insmart metering equipment and systems.

Against this backdrop of competingtechnologies and solutions, CambridgeConsultants has applied its experience ofdeveloping energy, communication andsecurity solutions over its 50 year history, toauthor a family of interface specifications toassist companies to develop smart meteringsystems. These UMI (Universal MeteringInterface) specifications allows metermanufacturers and energy suppliers toprogress roll-out of smart meters, whilstretaining the flexibility to adopt new meteringcommunication technologies at a later date.UMI protects their investment bystandardising the connection of smartmetering communications and controlmodules inside the meter. The UMIspecifications cover a module interface(based on SPI), an opto Interface used byinstallation and service engineers, based onEN62056-21 (FLAG port) and securityinterfaces with symmetric security based onAES-128 and asymmetric security based onECC-256. UMI has already been adopted byseveral key players, including Elster Gas inEurope. The specifications will be transferredto the UMI Alliance when it is formed, but arealready available without charge now.

So, the next few years will certainly beinteresting times in the smart meteringmarket. If the published timescales are to bemet, then a lot of further agreement is neededin a very short time, if good economic andtechnical solutions are to prevail. Let’s hopethat we all don’t lose sight of the basic end-goal, of preserving our planet, in our fight topreserve or further our own positions!

www.cambridgeconsultants.com

UMI and the UMI logo are trademarks ofCambridge Consultants Limited.

The UMI logo (see http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/news_pr252.html)

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section9

and are so anonymous in their existence inthat the user is completely unaware of theengineering effort which has beenexpended in bringing it to market. Thewireless technologies which have beenused are somewhat diverse and thechosen technology depends on theapplication requirement and sometimesthrough the personal choice of thedesigner, but of course mainly the former!Clearly, however, an application that needsa high data rate in the tens of MHz wouldprobably use something like Wi-Fi, and arequirement for a lower power, lower datarate and duty cycle could use Bluetoothwireless technology, ZigBee or ANT+.ZigBee does of course have the addedadvantage of being able to establish a true

mesh network which assists in theconstruction of larger (geography) networks.There are also proprietary technologies(protocols) which can be used instead ofthose mentioned but at the end of the daythey all still use the phenomena that isradio – an electromagnetic wave.

Compliance Requirements: It hasalready been mentioned that these devicesare used all over the world; opening up awhole new chapter in the development ofthese products. Almost everything which isput onto the world market has to complywith some certification or regulatorystandard(s). Which standards apply is verymuch dependent on the final application ofthe product. This sounds like common

Wireless technology has become anintegral part of everyday life. It is almostimpossible to go through a single daywithout using any wireless device insome aspect of your daily routine. It iseverywhere; in all manner of productsand with varying degrees of complexityand security.

This is particularly the case in the wirelesssensor and control industry, which reallydoes cover an enormous range. If you sitand think for a moment and ask; what isthe wireless sensor and control industry?What products belong to this family?Where are they placed and what do theydo? Most consumers are aware of the“traditional” wireless products, such asmobile telephones or wireless broadbandrouters or car key fobs, but they arecompletely unaware of the less obviousdevices out there?

Well, they could be anything or anywhere,for example; A thermostat in a house or acommercial workplace, a drug deliverymonitor in a hospital or even in a leakdetector/alarm in a heavy industrial sitesuch as an oil platform. These are just afew simple examples of some of theapplications that demonstrate the widearea in which these technologies are beingemployed. I’m sure the readers of thispublication can either think of moreobscure situations where wirelesstechnology is employed and are probablyeven involved in the design andproduction. Getting a product of this typeto market can also be quite involved solet’s look at that in a bit more detail.

Ubiquitous Radio - These products arebeing used in the four corners of the world ➔

Joe Lomako, TRaC

Wireless sensors andnetworks – the

compliance webunravelled!

By Joe Lomako,Business Development Manager, TRaC

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section10

sense, but sometimes selecting the correctstandard for the final application may beopen to debate or simple error. It mayneed the services of an expert to provideassistance on what should or should notbe applied. For example, a not uncommonmisconception is that testing to the suiteof radio test standards is all that isrequired to cover the compliancerequirements of a wireless enabledproduct. This may be true in someinstances, but as we have seen, productsare so diverse in their complexity adetailed compliance assessment should beapplied to ensure full coverage. There maybe, and usually is, some commonalitybetween the compliance requirements ofsimilar products.

Take for instance a wireless temperaturecontroller (for use in the EU); the usualstandards for radio apply irrespective ofthe host product. This would be EN 300328 for a ZigBee or Bluetooth enableddevice, but the standard may differ forother wireless technologies. But when theother compliance requirements areapplied, such as safety, these may varydependent on the intended operatingenvironment. If the temperature controlleris to be used in an industrial environmentand domestic environment, dependent onits functionality it may require safetytesting to two totally different standards.There is quite often a cross referencing ofstandards which usually helps in theminimising and simplifying the process, butagain that is where the assistance of theprofessional compliance expert can ensurethat the most cost effective process istraversed, because errors at the earlystage of the development process can

present considerable extra expense aswell as delays in the release to market fora product.

Case Study: Consider a morecomprehensive example such as the leaksensor on the oil platform. Scenario: Thesensors are placed at regular intervalsalong a pipeline carrying flammable liquid.The leak sensor device has a dual modein that it can detect leaks and then sendan alarm signal via a ZigBee meshnetwork.

So what approvals would be requiredhere? Firstly, the RTTE Directive wouldhave to be satisfied. This covers Radio,EMC and Safety. But, what else? Well thisunit is in a potentially explosiveatmosphere and therefore would also fallunder the ATEX Directive (94/9/EC). Thisis a mandatory requirement and over 65%of products require a 3rd partyassessment. In addition to this there mayalso be environmental requirements suchas vibration, dust, heat, cold testsbecause of the environment in which it isto be placed. Although many of these arenot mandatory requirements, designing aproduct with these environments in mindand demonstrating its hardiness throughthese tests will positively enhance itsposition as a quality and durable device.

A somewhat similar approach is observedwith say a medical device which hosts awireless communication module. Againthe RTTE directive must be satisfied, aswell as the Medical Device Directive, buthere also, if the device is in a potentiallyexplosive environment again the ATEXdirective may also apply.

Each of the directives mentioned generallyrecognise “harmonised standards” wheretesting to the applicable product standardallows the manufacturer or personmarketing the product to assume a“presumption of conformity”. Thesestandards provide the minimum testrequirements to comply with theappropriate directives; however, manymanufacturers decide to test up to theminimum levels and beyond therebydemonstrating further hardiness of theirproduct. If the manufacturer wishes toplace their products further afield than, saythe EU, there may be further requirementsof the individual countries of choice whichmust be satisfied. This again demonstratesthe need for a structured compliance plan.

Complex Process: In summary,achieving compliance may appear to be acomplex process, but it can be mademuch simpler providing enough planning ismade to incorporate an accuratecompliance program into the designphase. It is also important, to ensure thatthe design and compliance program issuitable for the product and its finalenvironment. However if in doubt an experthand is not too far away!

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section11

time to build on that success. The firstwave helped transform the mobile phoneindustry and created multi-million dollaraccessory industries as a result. Now, withBluetooth v4.0, we’re at the beginning of amassive second wave of Bluetoothtechnology that is just as transformational.We’re poised to positively impact the livesof hundreds of millions of people the worldover through billions of Bluetoothconnected devices.

To seed the second wave, you will seechange from the Bluetooth SIG – change inhow we operate that will create change inthe marketplace. The SIG is turning theship to once again be a market-focusedorganization. We are paving the way forentry into new markets, like healthcare andsmart energy and the smart home, wherewireless, let alone Bluetooth technology,has not yet fully penetrated and there ismuch opportunity for Bluetooth sensorsand control devices.

To make that entry smooth, we’ve createda new marketing team structure consisting

of five Bluetooth Ecosystem Teams, knownas BETs. BETs are now working to supportthe mobile phone, PC/CE, health &wellness, sports & fitness, automotive, andsmart home industries. Each BET is madeup of representatives from the leaders inthose industries and it’s those leaders whowill help us drive the market direction forBluetooth technology in that segment.

We’re adding two new board members tothe Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors –change that has not happened before in thehistory of the organization. If you’d like tobe considered for one of the open seats,find the criteria and submission processhere: www.bluetooth.org.

We’re going to market with an updatedvalue proposition that reflects the truebrand promise of Bluetooth wirelesstechnology: Simple. Secure. Everywhere.Let’s break that down:

Simple. The promise of Bluetoothtechnology, and the experience of mostusers today, is that it just works.

Each year, the Bluetooth SIGmembership and staff come together toexamine where we’ve been in the pastyear and take those lessons learned tomove our charter, the creation andpromotion of Bluetooth, the bestwireless technology, forward. This yearmarked our tenth All Hands Meeting(AHM), and my what a difference adecade makes. At our first gathering ofminds in Los Angeles in 2002, Bluetoothchipsets were selling at $13 a pop (theysell for less than $1 today), analystswere predicting “millions of chipsets” tosell by 2005 (we sold almost 2B in 2010alone), and just over 2000 companieshad signed up for membership in theSIG – that number stands at more than14,000 strong at latest count.

The first wave of Bluetooth technology wasa success by any measure. The technologyexperienced explosive growth, movingfrom 0 to almost 2B units shipped in lessthan eight years. “Bluetooth” is now aglobally recognized brand andsynonymous with hands-free audio andheadsets. There are several key successfactors attributable for this success – itwas the right technology at the right time;legislation, like hands-free laws, acted as adriving cultural force; many companies putin much hard work, and we weresuccessful in creating strong commercialalignment with industry heavyweights inthe mobile phone, PC/CE, and automotivesectors.

While we’ve come an incredibly long wayat a record shattering pace, we stand at aplace today that seems eerily familiar tothose who initially got this technology offthe ground. We’ve reached majormilestones in shipments, price, andcompany support; we’ve beefed up staffand created a world-class testing andqualification program; we’ve witnessed theproliferation of this technology into over athousand different device classes – and it’s ➔

Mike Foley, Bluetooth SpecialInterest Group

Bluetooth:The second wave

By: Mike Foley,Bluetooth SIG Executive Director

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section12

The simplicity it brings to everyday life isthat of convenience, of freedom, of ease.Simple is core to our brand promise.

Secure. In many ways, the keys to ourlives reside within the mobile devices wecarry with us every day. Wireless does notequal insecure. Bluetooth technology is asecure fortress for the digital informationwe carry and share daily.

Everywhere. You know Bluetooth is aglobal standard. You know it’s inthousands of device types, and billions ofproducts. You may think that has“everywhere” covered, but think again. Byefficiently connecting devices everywhere,

Bluetooth is liberating data – data thathas been stuck in “dumb” devices andnot used to its fullest capability.Bluetooth technology enablesapplications – both on the “hub” deviceand in the cloud – to turn data intoinformation. That’s a very powerfulpromise. And it’s happening.

It’s this promise, this reality, of“everywhere” that creates the Bluetoothnetwork effect. Simply put, the value ofour members’ product increases whenit’s powered by Bluetooth technologyand thus is available to interoperate andconnect into the vast Bluetoothecosystem compromised of billions of

devices worldwide. As more devices areBluetooth enabled, more value is accretedto the Bluetooth network and the individualdevices that comprise it. The ever-growingBluetooth network is what separates thistechnology from competing technologiesand accretes great value into memberproducts and convenience and value toend-users.

Today, the scale of our technology and theBluetooth network effect is very large. Weare on a trajectory for it to be massive.That second wave, combined with the first,will create a Bluetooth ocean ofopportunity – five billion devices in theyear 2015. It’s coming.

SnippetsST-Ericsson reports first quarter 2011 financial results

ST Ericsson reported net sales $444 million and an adjusted operating loss $149 million for Q1 of 2011. On the upside, the companytold Incisor that its new high-speed modem sales nearly doubled sequentially

"Revenue in the first quarter reflected normal seasonal trends but declined more than anticipated on a sequential basis due to asteeper drop in sales of our legacy products, which is not yet offset by sales of new products. Primarily due to these lower sales, ouradjusted operating loss increased sequentially, said Gilles Delfassy, ST-Ericsson president and CEO.

Zomm appoints CFO

Zomm, the creators of a Bluetooth-based wireless Leash for mobile phones, has appointed start-up executive Nathan Gooden as itschief financial officer (CFO). Gooden is responsible for driving ZOMM’s financial strategy as the company continues its internationalgrowth. Having started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he served as a lead auditor and member of the OffshoreInvestment Management Assurance Practice, Gooden apparently identified key financial drivers in clients’ businesses to improveproductivity and overall profitability.

NFC Forum White Paper on Smart Posters

The NFC Forum, the industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has published aWhite Paper about developing and deploying NFC Smart Posters, subtitled "How to use NFC tags and readers to create interactiveexperiences that benefit both consumers and businesses." The paper is available for download at no charge from http://www.nfc-forum.org/resources/white_papers

Fortress Added to DoD Approved Products List

Fortress Technologies’ ES520 Deployable Mesh Point and ES210 Tactical Portable Mesh Point have been added to the Department ofDefense (DoD) Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (UC-APL), establishing it as an approved technology for use across theDoD. Fortress claims that the ES520 was the first fully rugged, tactical wireless solution suitable for outdoor use included on theArmy's Information Assurance (IA) APL in 2009.

Revised ZigBee Smart Energy V2.0 tech docs available

The current revisions of the ZigBee Smart Energy version 2.0 Technical Requirements Document (TRD) and Public Application Profile areavailable for public comment by the Smart Grid community at large. Public comments received last year for both documents, andAlliance responses, are also available for review. The Alliance is now accepting public comment on these revised documents for 30 days.

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section13

opens the doors to the residents ownapartment and all public areas. Enteringthe apartment, the resident only has toinsert the card in the holder next to thedoor and electric appliances areimmediately powered. Removing the cardwill turn off lights and critical loads suchas a cooking plate. The wirelesstechnology plus visualization softwareenable staff to supervise the status of allappliances, as well as windows anddoors, so they know at all times which

windows and doors are open, how warmit is in individual apartments.Unobtrusively, residents can be assuredmaximum comfort, convenience andsecurity. Any serious deviation fromnormal daily routine becomes visible.

Automation of the retirement homeimplements software from BSC, with itsIP-oriented architecture. It allows anunlimited number of sensors to be linkedand is easily expanded. Installed on all

The Internet protocol (IP) has become aworldwide standard, with not only PCsor laptops but many other differentdevices communicating over theInternet. Currently there is muchdiscussion of the idea of assigningevery socket and every lamp its own IPaddress and then connecting themover the Internet. What many do notknow is that today already all electricappliances can be addressed over anIP network — enabled by batterylesswireless technology and matchingaccess points.

EnOcean's wireless solutions harvest thepower they need from their surroundings— from motion, light or temperaturedifferences — and in this way enableentirely energy-autonomous andmaintenance-free automationapplications. Teamed with the TCP/IPprotocol the user has possibilitiescomparable to those of establishedbuilding automation systems plus cost-savings in installation, huge simplificationof the cabling, and flexible configurationof space.

For this reason the operators of aretirement home in Germany decided toinstall the batteryless wireless solution. Ina first step, the wireless system is beinginstalled in the new building of theretirement community. Then the existing,adjoining building is to be converted. All public areas will be subsequently fitted with combined presence sensors.These and LED’s will ensure that lightingis always optimal in corridors, recreationrooms, cafeteria and the like. At the same time these presence detectors willsave energy because lights automaticallyturn off in rooms when they areunoccupied.

In future the apartments will no longerhave mechanical keys. Every resident willget an individual plastic card, which ➔

EnOcean Alliance:buildings controlled

over the Internet

INCISOR TV Video presentationsWhen it comes to assessing what is reallygoing on in the market, there is no substitutefor seeing products in action and hearing100% accurate information from the people atthe sharp end. Incisor TV provides that insight.

Click on the links below to watch recentIncisor TV presentations

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IncisorTV at CES 2011 – Day 2

IncisorTV at CES 2011 – Day 1

Rococo discusses LocalSocial

Bluetooth High Speed Technology

Frontline – Interoperability testing

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Aftermarket Bluetooth versus Factory fit

Who needs stress? Says Jabra

EnOcean Alliance – energy harvesting technology

Aftermarket Bluetooth versus factory fit

Bluetooth 2010 All Hands Meeting

Anoto - 10 years of digital pen and paper

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CES 2010 Daily Show report – Day 1

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IncisorTV commercial for CSR/SiRF merger

DECT Forum and CAT-iq in 2009

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WiMedia Alliance – UWB in 2009

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wireless sensors and controls – special feature section14

floors of the building are EnOcean accesspoints with a LAN interface. These havetheir own processor and memory for 3,000EnOcean telegrams. In this way no sensorsignal is lost, even if the network or thebuilding computer briefly fails. An encodedIP link enables the networks of the twobuildings to connect to one another. Thatenables the nighttime staff in one buildingto take over supervision of the monitor inthe other building, when those are busywith an occupant. Another majorcomponent is iPads for the staff, tied byWLAN to the overall system. That enables

all chores to be handled with a singledevice.

EnOcean technology and IP create perfectsolutions. EnOcean enabled devicespossess a unique ID address, so they canbe integrated seamlessly in an IP networkthrough an access point. That does awaywith any elaborate, extra web serversolution for each sensor and actuator. Theuser is rewarded with more flexibility,comfort and convenience, accompaniedby low installation costs and reducedpower needs.

The EnOcean Alliance is a consortium ofleading companies from the buildingsector promoting the energy harvestingwireless technology for green buildings.Confirming this technology’s rapidadoption rate, there are more than100,000 worldwide equipped with thebatteryless technology. Quickly becomingthe industry standard for sustainablebuildings, energy harvesting wirelesstechnology enables Alliance members todevelop products used to improve theenergy efficiency and flexibility inbuildings. More than 170 member

companies have created over 700different products for applications rangingfrom room thermostats through towireless window contacts up to smart gridsolutions. All products are entirelyinteroperable. This means that solutionsfrom different manufacturers can worktogether in the same automation system.Products incorporating the self-poweredtechnology are easily to integrate intocommon building automation systems -such as LON, KNX, BACnet or TCP/IP.

www.enocean-alliance.org

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section15

building automation, and industrial plantmanagement. The cornerstone ofZigBee’s success has been its openstandards approach that has spurredinnovative low-power wireless solutionsdesigned to provide customers the toolsand technology to better manage theirenvironment through the use of WirelessSensor Networks (WSNs).

As standards evolve and products arelaunched, the Alliance continues buildingits momentum by applying its core WSNstandards to new market applications.One of the key areas gaining momentum isthe growing adoption of ZigBee SmartEnergy™ and number of ZigBee SmartEnergy™ certified products in Smart Griddeployments around the world.

Controlling Your Energy Use

Before we begin talking about products, it’simportant to understand the capabilitiesand benefits. ZigBee Smart Energy™ is aglobal, low-energy consuming, low-costwireless standard for interconnectingdevices in home area networks (HANs) anddelivering advanced meteringinfrastructures - essential components ofthe many Smart Grid efforts underwayworldwide. Today, the majority ofcommunication between consumers andutilities is limited to monthly bills oroutages. ZigBee Smart Energy enablesreal-time wireless communication betweenutilities or energy service providers, theSmart Grid and household devices such asIn-Home-Displays, thermostats, water

Since 2002, the ZigBee® Alliance, a non-profit Standards DevelopmentOrganization, has grown to a thriving,global ecosystem of approximately 400members. These include some of theworld’s industry-leading consumerelectronics manufacturers, technologyand energy solution vendors,telecommunication service providers,utilities, energy service providers,semiconductor companies andmanufacturers looking to developinnovative products based on ZigBee’sglobal wireless standards. Today,organizations use ZigBee to deliversolutions for a variety of areas, includinghealthcare, consumer electronics,energy management and efficiency,telecom services, home and commercial ➔

ZigBee Alliance:Control Your World

By Benno Ritter, ZigBee Alliance,VP Marketing and Business Development

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section16

heaters, and appliances. It givesconsumers the information to improvetheir energy efficiency, save money andhelp the environment. Using ZigBeeSmart Energy, utilities and energy serviceproviders can offer valuable customer-centric programs such as demandresponse, remote connect/disconnect,“pay-as-you-use” and net metering.

In January 2011, ZigBee Smart Energyreached the 100th ZigBee Certifiedproduct milestone. Various productsmanufactured by 49 different companiesare available in every product category toimplement a robust HAN, from energyservice portals to meters, In-Home-Displays, programmable communicatingthermostats and more. In order to make iteasy for utilities and governments todeploy interoperable, secure, consumer-friendly smart grid solutions, all ZigBeeSmart Energy products are required topass the ZigBee Certified productprogram.

Currently, ZigBee Smart Energy is inactive deployment around the planet. In the U.S., 11 utilities are installing morethan 40 million meters, with Texas andCalifornia leading the pack with millionsof meters installed. The State of Victoriain Australia has deployed meters and hasalso begun installing water meters thattake advantage of ZigBee’s extraordinarybattery life. In the UK, British Gas hasannounced it will use ZigBee SmartEnergy in its multi-million electric and gasmeter base.

While much activity has been centeredaround smart metering and devices in thehome that connect to the meter, work isstarting on the plan to build the requiredinfrastructure needed to support millionsof Electric Vehicles (EVs). EVs representspecial and very large loads and withoutcareful management of EV charging, ourcurrent distribution system will collapse.Recently the Society of AutomotiveEngineers and the ZigBee Allianceannounced a collaboration to use ZigBeeSmart Energy to define how EVs and thegrid interact.

Control for Your ConsumerElectronics

For more flexibility and control, theAlliance has expanded the number ofstandards designed for ZigBee RF4CE.This wireless platform provides a moreadvanced, energy-efficient solution foruse in remote controls and accessorieslike keyboards and active 3D glasses.Remotes using the ZigBee RemoteControl standard deliver two-waycommunications, so you know when thedevice has actually completedcommands. Another great feature is thatit allows consumers to “just hit play,”without aiming their remote at a player.

Removing the direct “line of sight”requirements gives consumers freedom tocontrol devices from greater distances.As an energy efficient standard,consumers will enjoy remotes that last upto 300% longer than remotes usinginfrared (IR) technology.

One of the newest Alliance initiatives thisyear is to develop a standard that deliversthe ultimate 3D viewing experience,ZigBee 3D Sync. This standard creates amore flexible and efficient connectionbetween 3D HDTVs and active 3Dglasses. ZigBee 3D Sync will also replaceIR technology used in today’s 3Dproducts, by providing a standard robustradio frequency solution. Consumers willenjoy greater freedom of movement whilewearing 3D glasses without disrupting 3DHDTV viewing.

Smarter Health Controls

ZigBee Health Care offers new ways tohelp people maintain their independenceand live healthier, happier lives. WithZigBee Health Care, the disabled and theelderly are able to stay at home ratherthan in a hospital or assisted care facility.The result is a higher quality of life whilelowering healthcare costs. Additionally, it enables secure monitoring andmanagement of noncritical, low-acuityhealthcare services targeted at chronicdisease management.

ZigBee Health Care is a part of theContinua Health Alliance’s 2010 guidelinesas the preferred low-power LAN standardfor health care products. Now any varietyof IEEE 11073 medical devices usingZigBee Health Care, includingglucometers, pulse oximeters,electrocardiographs, weight scales,thermometers, blood pressure monitorsand respirometers can connect to anetwork and report health information.ZigBee's extremely power efficient designis well suited to this class of device sinceit allows them to work for long periods oftime without needing battery replacementor recharging.

More Choices for Control

Overall, ZigBee standards give productmanufacturers a straightforward, ready-to-implement solution to help theircustomers gain greater control of, andeven improve daily activities. A growingnumber of ZigBee Certified products of allclasses is a testament to the strength ofthe ZigBee WSN standards in themarketplace. And since the use of ZigBeein the Internet of Things is limited only byone’s imagination, the Alliance willcontinue to offer more innovativestandards designed to help you controlyour world.

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section17

be argued that UK housing stock usesdifferent building materials. Yet numerousZigBee products are already in use inEurope, mainly in home automation orlighting markets, and major Europeanmanufacturers have satisfied themselves ofthe propagation performance of ZigBee.However, no-one has published their testdata to inform the market in general.

With the increased interest in smartmetering in the UK tempered by the lack ofavailable published material, Ember hasworked with a number of organizations totest ZigBee propagation. Ember hasprovided its ZigBee technology for thesetests, including the EM357 ZigBee system-on-chip (SoC), as well as technicalinformation and advice on RF and ZigBeematters.

Ember’s SoC is particularly suitable for thistype of testing for two reasons;

• It can support transmission power of+8dBm and receive sensitivity of -102dBm, a dynamic link budget of110dBm and transmitting close to thelegal limit of +10dBm without theexpense and power consumption of anexternal PA or LNA; and

• The EM357 is a popular chip used inmany ZigBee Smart Energy HANdevices in the US and the UK, so it isdirectly relevant to the market.

The following are two examples, as well asthe results, where Ember has supportedthis type of testing: the University ofSheffield and EDF Energy.

The UK Government requires energysuppliers to take all reasonable steps todeploy smart meters at customerresidences by 2019, with the massrollout to start in 2014. ZigBee SmartEnergy is a potential solution to be usedin smart metering home area networks(HAN), which will include electricmeters, gas meters and in-homedisplays. As well as the maturity andpopularity of the ZigBee Smart Energyapplication profile, ZigBee’s essentialstrength is its self-healing meshnetworking capability, ensuring robustcommunications.

However, many of these early HANs willnot contain enough mains-powereddevices to create a mesh with alternatepaths. And in many cases an in-homedisplay or gas meter will need to be able tocommunicate directly with an electricmeter or communications hub. Additionalrouters would ensure robustcommunications, but they would add tosupport and hardware costs. Thishighlights a need to examine the point-to-point propagation properties of ZigBee,which operates in unlicenced radio bandsin the 2.4GHz spectrum. Some who havehad poor experiences with propagation ofother 2.4GHz solutions may fear thatZigBee will be similarly challenged in realhomes, resulting in communication failuresand negatively impacting the consumerexperience.

Widespread use of ZigBee Smart Energy inUS smart metering programme is of littlecomfort, because US regulations allowdevices to transmit at much higher powerlevels (100mW/+20dBm) than in the UKand Europe (10mW/+10dBm). It could also ➔

ZigBee propagationtesting for smart

metering networksBy David Egan, Product Marketing Director

and Simon McCarthy, Field Application Engineer at Ember Corporation

Trial 1 - Windows Closed, Ground Floor, (First Floor), [Second Floor]

Figure 1: Plan of one of the tests carried out by University of Sheffield (source: University of Sheffield interim report draft, March 2011)

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section18

University of Sheffield tests

The University of Sheffield’sCommunications Group within theDepartment of Electronic and ElectricalEngineering has expertise in radiopropagation modeling, active and passivefrequency selective surfaces (FSS),antenna systems and wireless systemsdesign. This group has conducted ZigBeepropagation tests using the EM357 SoCand is close to publishing an interimreport, which will detail controlled,scientific tests carried out in a number ofreference building types, including terracedhouse with basement and apartmentblocks.

The tests incorporate typical positions ofmeters and in-home displays. They includea fixed device, usually positioned where ameter would be located such as abasement or at the front door. A seconddevice, which is located at differentpositions around the building, sendsmessages to the fixed device. The signalswere measured, recording both RSSI(Received Signal Strength Indicator, indBm) and LQI (Link Quality Indicator, a 0-255 value).

The figure (on page 16) from University ofSheffield shows results from one of theapartment blocks tested.

The results are very informative, showing thereference device (fixed node) in one cornerof the building on the ground floor, and RSSIreadings from various positions on groundfloor, first floor and second floor.

The receive signal strength (RSSI) valuesshed light on how the signal weakens as itgoes through internal walls as well as freespace. It also indicates the importance ofgood choice of radio and good PCB design.For example, a test using radios capable oftransmitting at +5dBm with -95dBm receivesensitivity would represent a 10dBdifference in dynamic link budget and wouldhave significantly worsened these results.The forthcoming report will contain manymore tests like this and should be of greatinterest to the market.

The LQI values are also very interesting.Values of 255 indicate a good quality link,whilst lesser values indicate the presence ofchip errors in the received packets. An LQIof 0 can still result in a successfully receivedpacket, but it is an indication that it wouldtake very little to change in the environmentto change that to a lost signal.

EDF Energy site survey

Ember assisted EDF Energy in testingZigBee propagation as part of a site surveyfor a smart metering installation in an

apartment block. Again, the EM357 was usedin this site survey, which has subsequentlybeen published by EDF Energy into theSMDG HAN Workgroup working within theSmart Metering Implementation Programmein the UK. The paper can be found here:https://sites.google.com/site/ smdghanwg/home/real-world-experiences/EDF2010ZigBeePropagationTesting.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

Figure 3 shows a similar pattern to theUniversity of Sheffield tests. In this case thetests being carried out from a fixed nodeinside a meter cabinet in the centre of oneapartment block floor to different points ineach of six apartments on that same floor.

Summary

With growing interest in using ZigBee forsmart metering HANs in the UK and elsewherein Europe, testing propagation properties ofthese devices at 2.4GHz is important toadvise technology selection, architecturaldesign and deployment plans. Independentlyconducted tests are becoming available toadvise this process, and these can only serveto encourage greater understanding of ZigBeepropagation in the smart metering community.

It could be suggested that ZigBee at 2.4GHzis a satisfactory solution for smart meteringHANs in the UK based on testing done so farusing best in class ZigBee radios and goodRF implementations.

www.ember.com

Point Distance RSSI RSSI RSSI LQI(mm) (min) (avg) (max)

(GROUND FLOOR)

L3 4225 -64 -64 -64 255L1 4576 -72 -70.5 -70 255L2 5661 -80 -78.8 -77 255L4 7890 -67 -67 -67 255L5 8147 -88 -87.3 -87 255L7 10525 -86 -85.5 -85 255L6 10666 -96 -95.2 -94 80L8 10984 -96 -94.3 -93 114L9 12171 -90 -88.5 -88 255L10 13598 -92 -91.3 -91 252L11 13670 -96 -94.7 -94 151L12 16430 -96 -95.5 -95 57

Point Distance RSSI RSSI RSSI LQI(mm) (min) (avg) (max)

(FIRST FLOOR)

L0 3230 -72 -71.2 -71 255L3 5318 -85 -84.3 -84 255L1 5601 -85 -84.5 -84 255L2 6518 -96 -95.7 -95 65L4 8526 -88 -88 -88 255L5 8764 -93 -92.2 -92 236L6 11144 -95 -94.2 -93 165L8 11449 -97 -96.5 -96 18L7 11009 --- --- --- ---

(SECOND FLOOR)

L0 6460 -97 -94.8 -94 136L3 7719 -96 -95.7 -95 40L1 7917 -94 -93.5 -93 209L2 8589 -96 -96 -96 0L4 10197 -96 -95.8 -95 2

Table 1: Table showing test results related to figure 1 (Source: University of Sheffield interimreport draft, March 2011).

Figure 3: EDF Energy propagation tests (Source: SMDG HAN Work Group https://sites.google.com/site/smdghanwg/home/real-world-experiences/EDF2010ZigBee PropagationTesting.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1)

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section19

health monitoring of patients in theirhomes (rather than them taking up anexpensive hospital bed).

Although Infrared (IR) remote controls willbe around for some time yet, the waymodern consumers access digital mediawill only be realized through the advancedfunctionality enabled by an RF link. RFtechnology provides a faster response, bi-directional connection (IR is only one-way),non-line of sight control and extendedrange compared to IR. And only RF hassufficient bandwidth over a bi-directionallink to support advanced user interfaceswhile consuming modest battery powerand meeting mass-market costconstraints.

ZigBee-based RF4CE (Remote Control forConsumer Electronics) has been touted asa good technology for RF remote controlbut seems to be failing to live up to itsearly promise. In the medium term,

Bluetooth low energy may well be apopular alternative, but the technology isonly currently available in low volume. Incomparison, Nordic’s proprietarynRF24LE1/Gazell RF technology, forexample, is ideally suited to RF remotecontrol. It is a proven technology alreadyused on millions of “wireless desktops”,employing inexpensive, robust,interference immune 2.4GHztransceivers.

A recent commercial report concludedthe use of “body worn electronicswireless sensors” could save the healthcare industry US$25 billion by 2012. ULP2.4GHz wireless sensors with longbattery life - monitoring vital signs suchas blood pressure, pulse and bloodglucose - can link to existing cellular orInternet infrastructure allowing patients toshorten or avoid expensive hospital stayswhile still being in frequent electroniccontact with their health care providers.

VH: How do you predict worldwide marketdemand for wireless sensors will developin 2011?

TS: Nordic Semiconductor’s key market isultra-low power (ULP) wireless connectivityin the 2.4GHz ISM band. We make siliconradio solutions that can operate from coincell batteries and consequently provide awireless connection for the most compactelectronic devices, including sensors.

There are thousands of potentialapplications for such a wireless link so,despite the recent tough times, we believe2011 will continue to show good growth inour market segment. There are three keyreasons for this confidence: first, the ULPwireless connectivity segment is in itsinfancy so there is large growth potentialeven if the world economy remains weakfor the whole of 2011; second, existingwireless products that were originallydesigned using older 27/49MHztechnology are migrating to technicallysuperior 2.4GHz technology (Nordic hasparticularly seen high volume sales into thePC peripherals market due to thismigration); and third, Nordic is launchingsome exciting new products this year, inaddition to its µBlue™ nRF8001 Bluetoothlow energy solution. Bluetooth low energyextends the Bluetooth wireless technologyecosystem by adding ULP wirelessconnectivity.

VH: Which applications or markets willbring the biggest business opportunitiesfor your company in 2011?

TS: Nordic sees two strategic areas for itsULP wireless connectivity technology in2011: RF for remote control and remote ➔

Thomas Søderholm,Nordic Semiconductor

Incisor interview:Nordic

SemiconductorThomas Søderholm, Business Development Managerat Nordic Semiconductor, discusses wireless sensor

trends in 2011 with Vince Holton of Incisor

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia neo will soon benefitfrom ANT+ ULP wireless connectivity

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section20

There are few technologies that provideULP wireless connectivity to cell phones.Bluetooth low energy is one - but itsavailability will be limited until productionramps up - another is ANT+. ANT+ is aninteroperable RF protocol from ANTWireless of Canada that runs on NordicnRF24AP2 Single-Chip-Connectivitytransceivers and can connect to cellphones via either a dongle, or an ANTcompatible cell phone chip recentlyannounced by Texas Instruments. Leadingcell phone maker Sony Ericsson recentlyannounced that some of the phones in itsXperia range now support ANT+technology and other handset makers arelikely to follow. ANT+ offers a provensolution available now for manufacturerslooking to take immediate advantage ofthe lucrative health/wellness market.

VH: How big will these markets become in2011?

TS: Both the RF for remote control andwireless health monitoring market arepotentially huge, but they are also“disruptive” - meaning that adoption couldbe slow or staggered. For example, IRremote control is still a good solution forsimple control tasks so is unlikely to berapidly displaced by slightly-more-expensive RF unless the extra cost can bejustified because consumers demand extrafunctionality.

And the health market is rightlyconservative because it’s vital thattechnologies are thoroughly tested beforebeing employed in health careapplications.

So, while both markets will undoubtedlygrow during 2011, it’s difficult to predict byhow much. What’s slightly easier to predictis that these markets are set to becomemassive in the next five-to-ten years.

VH: What are the major demand trends ofthese applications or markets?

TS: Consumer Electronics (CE) makersdeciding to move away from limited IRtechnology towards the slightly moreexpensive but highly versatile RF willlargely determine the uptake of RF remotecontrol. This revolution is in its early daysand no technology has yet becomedominant. Nordic has announced somerecent success with Boxee and PhilipsHome Controls for remote controls basedon its 2.4GHz ULP System-on-ChipnRF24LE1 transceiver with Gazell RFsoftware protocol.

It seems likely that health care providerswill primarily drive the uptake of ULPwireless monitoring in the medical marketbecause of the potential cost savings thatthe technology could bring. This is likely totake time though, because medicalelectronics have to pass long trials and

meet tough legislative requirements beforeadoption.

VH: What will be the major technicalchallenges or market risks of theseapplications or markets in 2011?

TS: The major technical challenges in theRF remote control market are therequirement for low latency to enable rapidinteraction, wide bandwidth to supportadvanced navigation interfaces and,especially, immunity to other 2.4GHz radiosources. This final point is particularlyimportant because Wi-Fi (operating in the 2.4GHz ISM band) is becomingincreasingly prevalent in the living room asa wireless connection between STBs andDVD players and TV sets.

Similarly, in the health care sector, thereliability and immunity to interference ofthe ULP wireless link is paramountbecause patients’ wellbeing depends onthe integrity of the data that’s transmitted.In addition, the wireless technologyrequires strong encryption to preventeavesdropping by unauthorised people.Finally, to encourage users to wear themconstantly, body worn wireless monitorswill need to be small, lightweight andfeature long battery life.

VH: What technical solutions will you bringto bear, or what will you do to helpEuropean OEMs overcome these technicalchallenges or reduce these market risks?

TS: Nordic has spent millions of R&Ddollars developing 2.4GHz ULPtransceivers that meet the exactingdemands of the wireless desktopperipherals makers. In a happycoincidence, that technology is ideallysuited to the RF remote control market.And it’s available now.

While other technologies such as RF4CEand Bluetooth low energy promise much,both are immature and will bring inevitableearly development problems. Meanwhile,OEMs and ODMs risk missing the RFremote control market opportunity. Farbetter to gain experience with a proventechnology such as Nordic’s nRF24LE1and Gazell RF protocol software and getproducts into the market now, with theopportunity to migrate to these standards-based technologies if interoperabilitybecomes vital as the RF remote controlmarket matures. (It’s interesting to note,however, that interoperability has neverbeen a critical requirement of today’s IRremote controls.)

In contrast, interoperability is vital in thehealth care sector. Health care providersneed the reassurance that once wirelessconnectivity is routinely accepted in thehospital or home care environment,equipment from different manufacturerswill communicate without problems. Again,

Bluetooth low energy promises to meetthis need in the medium term (and hasbeen chosen, along with ZigBee, by theContinua Health Alliance – a group ofmedical equipment manufacturers – as itspreferred wireless technology). However,ANT+ running on Nordic’s nRF24AP2chips is available now, offeringinteroperability and a proven solution anda quick route to market.

Interference from other 2.4GHz sources isa major challenge for devices that arelikely to operate in the presence ofBluetooth wireless technology, Wi-Fi andappliances such as cordless phones.Again, Nordic can offer proven RFprotocols – such as Gazell – that canendow its wireless transceivers withimmunity to interference in anenvironment crowded with radio signals.

If size is a problem, for example whenmedical sensors have to be made verysmall and light, Nordic has the answerwith its wafer level chip scale package(WLCSP) versions of its nRF24LE1 andnRF24AP2 transceivers. These deviceshave a thickness of 0.5mm and a flatfootprint area of just 2.6 x 2.7mm (7mm2);that’s over 5x smaller than the footprintsof competing 6 x 6mm (36mm2) packagedproducts.

VH: Any other insight that you would liketo share with our readers around theworld?

TS: 2011 looks like it will be a better forthe electronics industry than any sincethe global financial crisis. While thingsmay still be tough in some sectors, thisyear will be a good time to embark onnew projects in ULP wirelessconnectivity. Virtually all battery-poweredelectronic products benefit from wirelessconnectivity, and it’s amazing what usesengineers come up with for that link.

For its part, Nordic has had a majorproduct release in 2011 and more willfollow that’ll further enhance theperformance of its ULP wireless links.The first product release of this year wasthe µBlue™ nRF8001 Bluetooth lowenergy solution. With sub-12.5mA peakcurrents and connected mode averagecurrents as low as sub-12µA (for 1sconnection intervals), this chip is theindustry’s lowest power Bluetooth lowenergy solution.

But if you are planning a project,remember that RF design is not trivial. It’simportant to choose a good partner thatcan help with reference designs, a rangeof transceivers, communications softwareand expertise. The European distributioncompanies are a good place to look forthat partner.

www.nordicsemi.com

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section21

in the home or office can dramaticallyreduce daily energy consumption. Thedaylight sensor when combined with adimming device for the light sourcereduces the amount of energy requiredfrom the electric grid while keeping light atan acceptable level for reading and normaldaytime tasks. Adding a shade or blindcontrol on the sunny side of a building canalso reduce demand on HVAC coolingsystems.

ZigBee Applications in the Home(Figure 1)

What has been the missing piece is theaddition of a common sample applicationwhich can be adopted and shared amongmultiple vendors. This has been the goal ofZigBee members and is now being shownat many industry shows around the world.

The AHAM organization recently endorsedZigBee Smart Energy as one of its corestandards; the white goods industry willmonitor and report energy consumption toa central gateway device or in-homedisplay. There are a number of devicesthat create a home area network (HAN).Some of these in home displays are simplerefrigerator magnets which monitor energyrate pricing from the utility. Others aremore feature rich tablet size displays thatprovide Internet access and canincorporate other features like homesecurity or weather information. Commonsoftware profiles, or clusters, allowvendors to provide compatible productsthat are interoperable. Utilities and energyservice providers in North America havetaken the first step to provide energymanagement to consumers by installingmillions of ZigBee Smart Energy equippedmeters into homes and apartments.

The interest in short- range wirelesssensor networks has been generatingbuzz at a lot of trade shows recently likeCES, Electronica, Sensors Expo,Embedded Systems conference andEmbedded World. The ZigBee Alliancehas been hard at work developingstandards to deliver control for commonapplication areas, including energymanagement, home automation, healthcare, and commercial buildingautomation.

The two application areas we will review inthis article are home automation andhealth care. Although the merits of someapplications are being debated, the rise inoil prices and the ripple effect from risingprices at the gas pump on the familybudget has everyone talking about ways tomonitor and save energy. An increase inthe number of senior citizens andindividuals needing additional health careservices is on the rise, creating a need forbetter health care monitoring devices. Wethough it would be worthwhile to look atthe recent efforts of ZigBee members whoare bringing these technologies to market,and to review the sensor networks whichare most relevant for these applicationareas.

ZigBee Smart Energy and HomeAutomation

It comes as no surprise that HVAC, lightingand white goods, like refrigerators,washers and dryers, account for asignificant portion of a homeowner’senergy bill. How many of us continually askour kids to “turn the lights off when youare not in the room?” Adding a simpleoccupancy sensor, window daylight sensor,and dimming capability to lighting systems ➔

ZigBee EnergyManagement and Sensor

Centric ApplicationsBy Mark Grazier and Zin Kyaw,

Texas Instruments

Figure 1.

SECURITY & ALARMSensors can use lighting network forvisual alarm in addition to sound

MOTION DETECTORUsed by alarm & lighting systems

ACCESS CONTROLKey fob can be used both to lockdoor, turn on alarm and turn off lights

DSL MODEMUse gateway to Internet for monitor& control of home network

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONINGWireless temperature sensors tomaintain ideal temperature whilelowering energy cost

WINDOW CONTROLLight sensor and remote control can be used to control the blinds

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORINGWireless sensors for temperature,humidity & pressure minimises waterusage & energy cost

LIGHTING CONTROLLight schemes to dim or turnon/off large number of lights

AUTOMATIC NOTIFICATIONUse gateway to GSM or other standard to benotified of alterations directly to a handset

REMOTE CONTROL

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section22

ZigBee Smart Energy and HomeAutomation Application Spectrum(Figure 2)

In a ZigBee Smart Energy HAN (HomeArea Network), the smart meter typicallyhas an Energy Service Interface (ESI) andserves as the primary gateway into thehome. Through this interface, the utility isable to send real-time price and loadcurtailing events to smart appliances inthe home. Real-time metering information

is also available throughhuman to machineinterfaces such as the in-premises display.

Example ZigBee SEHAN (Figure 3)

The ZigBee SE network canalso have a secondary ESIthat will communicate withthe meter to getconsumption informationand serve as the commonhub for other devices tosend data through the ESIto the internet via abroadband connection. Thistype of device is oftenreferred to as an EMS, orEnergy ManagementSystem. The broadbandconnection enables theremote monitoring andcontrol of devices in the

home through PDA, cell phone or tabletbased applications.

ZigBee SE HAN with an EnergyManagement System (Figure 4)

The EMS can also read consumptioninformation from the smart meter in asecure fashion and upload this data toenergy monitoring tools. The broadbandcapabilities of the EMS open up webservices and applications that were neverbefore imaginable.

Home automation and ZigBee Health Care

The ZigBee Alliance works closely withmedical associations, including theContinua Health Alliance, to developuseful standards to provide valuablesensor data for individuals and theirhealth care providers. It is no secret thatdiabetes is a rising health issue in theworld and healthcare professionalsbelieve that simply monitoring adiabetic’s weight using a weight scalesensor on a day-to-day basis can reduceemergency room or hospital visits. Thesame applies for glucose monitors, bloodpressure devices and heart rate monitorsfor chronic care patients.

Elderly in-home care devices such assimple push button pendants whencoupled with an in device accelerometerto detect falls, allow emergency servicemonitoring companies to respond toemergency situations when needed, butallow the senior to remain in the comfortof their home providing better quality oflife at a reduced cost. This is madepossible by ZigBee gateway devices thatconnecting these wireless health caresensor networks to the Internet.

In summary Texas Instruments is excitedto work with ZigBee technology partnerswho are developing products mentionedin this article that bring comfort, energysavings and quality of life features toconsumers. Stay tuned for their latestproduct announcements.

Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows an example ZigBee SE networkwhere the smart meter also acts as the ESI.

Figure 4 depicts a ZigBee SE networkwhere an EMS is able to performlighting control based on system rulesset by the home owner. For example,the home owner could set a rule thatthe total energy consumption by theentire house should not cross acertain threshold. Once that thresholdis crossed by turning on additionalloads within the home, the system willautomatically perform load balancingby dimming the lights to a lower level.

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section23

network applications include EnOcean, low-power Wi-Fi and Z-Wave. EnOcean (aproprietary energy harvesting technology fromEnOcean GmbH) is being increasingly adoptedin commercial building automation, wherethere is a good return on investment inbattery-less automation. According to IMSResearch, over 30 million EnOcean solutionsare forecast to be shipped between 2010 and2015; up from sub-1 million estimated to havebeen shipped in 2009.

Low-power Wi-Fi solutions, which optimizefully certified Wi-Fi technology to enable low-power operation, are forecast to demonstrateeven more rapid uptake than EnOcean in thecoming years, across a wide range ofapplication areas. This is driven by factorssuch as the inherent IP addressability; existinginfrastructure of Wi-Fi devices; consumerfamiliarity and acceptance; and the decliningASP of low-power Wi-Fi ICs & modules.

Z-Wave – despite its somewhat proprietarynature – has shown notable traction withinapplication areas such as the remote controland monitoring device market; utilized bycompanies ranging from Ingersoll Rand toADT. Uptake of Z-Wave technology is forecastto grow rapidly in the coming years; with over60% CAGR for Z-Wave-enabled devicesshipped between 2010 and 2015. ShouldSigma Designs opt to transition Z-Wavetechnology to become an open standard, evenhigher growth is expected.

Additionally, new low-power wirelesstechnologies are forecast to appear on thescene in the coming years. Examples includeDECT ULE technology, which is currentlyundergoing efforts to achieve ETSIcertification. DECT ULE can enable low-poweroperation of ‘traditional’ DECT technology,with backwards compatibility to devices suchas DECT-enabled Internet access devices orgateways.

Some industry commentators use ‘wirelesssensor networking’ to refer to both LAN

applications and PAN applications. When itcomes to PAN applications, the edge thatBluetooth technology has is evident.Bluetooth technology is forecast to bepresent in over 7 billion cellular handsetsshipped between 2010 and 2015; with overhalf of these supporting dual-modeBluetooth low energy (i.e., both ‘Classic’ andlow energy functionality). For applicationswhere the cell phone is positioned as aviable ‘hub’ (such as consumer medical andtelehealth applications, as well as sports &fitness monitoring), using Bluetooth (inparticular Bluetooth low energy) for thesensor devices offers a compellingargument. IMS Research projects over 60million Bluetooth low energy-enabled sports,fitness & health monitoring devices to beshipped between 2010 and 2015 alone.

Yet this move towards standardizedsolutions is not evident in all segments. Forsome applications, such as automotivesensors, where the after-market is limitedand further interoperability is not requiredbeyond replacement devices (and wherematurity and a proven safety history is aprecondition of use), low-cost, well-demonstrated proprietary solutions areexpected to maintain their reign in thecoming years.

Essentially, there is room for a wide range oflow-power RF solutions - somestandardized, some proprietary – to satisfy avariety of different requirements across arange of wireless sensor networkingapplications. There is no ‘one size fits all’wireless technology for all these use-cases.However, certain low-power wirelesstechnologies are forecast to show far greateradoption rates than others, due to a varietyof factors, ranging from technical suitabilityto the marketing prowess of promoters.

To discuss further, or to find out more aboutIMS Research’s low-power wireless researchportfolio, please contactLisa.Arrowsmith@imsresearch.com.

‘Wireless sensor networking’ has become abuzz-word used to encompass the use ofwireless technologies across a wide rangeof application areas, ranging from buildingautomation, metering and energymanagement, to emerging areas such asconsumer health monitoring. A recentreport from IMS Research (The WorldMarket for Low-Power Wireless – 2011Edition) forecasts that the use of low-power wireless technologies in theseapplications alone will increase from under40 million IC shipments in 2009, to over 200million IC shipments in 2015.

Yet no single low-power wireless technologyfits the bill everywhere - despite attempts bysome promoters to suggest otherwise! So,let’s take a look at some of the most talkedabout technologies and where they arecurrently carving out a niche:

Currently there is considerable momentumbehind utilizing ZigBee technology for smartmeter gateways, particularly in the US. Annualshipments of IEEE 802.15.4 ICs using ZigBeePRO for this application are estimated to haveincreased from around 5 million units in 2009,to over 10 million in 2010, largely because of amid-year surge in meter roll-outs in NorthAmerica. With the growing momentum behindthe upcoming ZigBee SE2.0 development(which will specify an IP stack including6LoWPAN to replace the proprietary networklayer previously used), uptake of ZigBee insmart metering applications is forecast togrow rapidly in the coming years. This in turngives ZigBee IC and device suppliers furtheraccess to the emerging market of ‘home areanetwork’ (HAN) devices for energymanagement functionality; facilitating ZigBee-enabled in-home devices to communicate withsmart metering gateways and – once theassociated infrastructure and business modelsare in place – to react to demand-responseand/or dynamic pricing signals from utilities.

Other examples of technologies forecast toshow increasing uptake in certain sensor

Wireless sensor networking:different strokes for

different folksBy Lisa Arrowsmith, IMS ResearchLisa Arrowsmith,

IMS Research.

Resurrecting theSmart dream

by Dean Anthony Gratton

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section24

strengthened the argument for Smarthometechnology and its use. I think theindustry has been seeking that ‘killer’application, something which will propelthe low-power technology into millions orbillons of sales and something that haseluded the industry over the last threedecades, despite the modest uptake inhome, commercial automation, securityand control.

ZigBee, Bluetooth low energy (BLE),EnOcean, Z-Wave and ANT+ seem to bethe key players in offering the new HomeArea Network (HAN) and/or WirelessSensor Network (WSN), replacing the nowobsolete Smarthome label. Alas, there willbe an inevitable battle to ensure that onetechnology dominates market share. Therewill doubtless be a second and even athird, along with losers who may gracefullybow-out altogether. Who will dominatethis lucrative sector? Well, it’s becomingalmost clichéd now, as wirelesstechnologies are inevitably pitted againstone another, and I will avoid favouring anyparticular technology, as its fair game.

The potential market lookspromising

Naturally, industry analysts are beaveringaway conducting market and financialresearch of the market potential and thefigures that are touted do indeed lookimpressive, as Lisa Arrowsmith, SeniorMarket Analyst, IMS Research, illustratesin her feature. And, whilst thesepredictions may offer a sense of hope andsuccess, there will be inevitably be anensuing battle for domination, despite allplayers already securing some marketshare. I want to avoid making sensationalstatements and, instead, choose to engagein a more sober muse, whilst I drink mybeer listening to Imelda May’s Mayhem inthe background (no pun intended!).

So, ZigBee, Bluetooth low energy (BLE),EnOcean, Z-Wave and ANT+ have theirrespective strengths and weaknesses and,I dare say, each might be able to hold theirown within the wireless sensor and controlindustry. But, I think the more important

question is, what will the consumer buyinto? The industry may speculate newscenarios, which are all nice and dandy,but if you fail to convince your audience tobuy-into the technology, then you might aswell drop the notion into the surroundingwhitespace!

Will Smart metering be the killer-app?

I’m sure you’re abundantly aware of themany user scenarios already offered bythe wireless sensor and controltechnologies – a lot of organisations, toinclude ZigBee, EnOcean and Z-Wave,have delivered their products into homesand commercial buildings, clearlydemonstrating the need for them and theirsuccess. And now there’s Smart metering- it’s become a bit of a buzzword!

Smart metering permits the ability tomonitor, track, report, and diagnose yourenergy consumption within a home orcommercial building. The emphasis isplaced on energy consumption and, as weknow, energy prices are increasing and sowe must conserve power, monitor ourusage and save the world. I might seemglib here, but it’s been a somewhatpoignant issue for me recently, assomehow I managed to consume anadditional £3,200 over the last year, abovethe initial estimate provided by my utilityprovider – definitely not the Easter egg Ihad in mind and if I have told the wifeonce, I’ve told her a billon times: turn offthose lights!

I need Smart metering!

I have personally been surprised by theenergy consumption within my own home,so I would definitely request a Smartmeter device to monitor my usage, as wellas ensuring that my bills are up-to-dateand indeed accurate. But there arelogistical issues in installing suchequipment – I will quickly dispel bigbrother concerns, as I have seen alreadymentioned in some news and features –really: what makes YOU so important andseriously, who cares!

I have been reading through the otherlow-power articles within this month’sspecial Incisor issue. In this month’scolumn I wanted to provide anoutsider’s perspective; if you like I’m anobserver, witnessing a series of eventsand paraphrasing them back into anunbiased perspective of the currentsentiment of the wireless sensor andcontrol industry. What astounds mefirst and foremost is the fact thatwireless technology is still very newand, likewise, is still finding its way – I may have already mentioned this inprevious articles and it remainsincredibly true! I became personallyinvolved, over a decade ago now, withwireless personal area networking. Inthese very early days it was customaryfor Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to be pittedagainst each other, along with other (I forget their names) technologies!Now it seems, we have come full circleand are now facing the same battle forwireless technology dominance in thelow-power industry.

What ever happened to theSmarthome?

I’m sure you already know that the ideaspurporting wireless home automation,control and security aren’t new! I haveseen these ideas bouncing around sincethe 1980’s. It was touted as theSmarthome, but since then nothing (really)substantial ever materialised. Thetechnology that manifested itself at thetime could only be afforded by the high-end property market and during thecourse of the 90’s mid-home propertieshad only just begun to enjoy theintegration of in-home technology, as theprice for its integration began to fall, alongwith its popularity. Nevertheless,Smarthome technology is not a marketwhere millions of units are shipped daily,so in the short-term no-one wasrealistically going to become a billionaireovernight. The passage of time, however,has afforded many the ability to perhapsrethink the Smarthome phenomenon and,as such, far more efficient technologiesand realistic use cases have now ➔

wireless sensors and controls – special feature section25

I’m aware that white goods for instanceare labelled with their energy efficiencyand are labelled accordingly, but if wewere to extend this topology to includingIP within these white goods, then thesetoo could report their consumptionduring standby or normal use.

Remember, I’m not talking about thefantastical ideas where you can switchon your washing machine remotely!Putting consumers in change would alsohelp to eradicate erroneous usage whereyour neighbour, for example, has hookedup his electrical consumption to yourhome or, more seriously, if there’s a non-efficient product within the home, whichmay need replacing and which will saveyou money in the long-term!

What about the remote control?

An IP-based solution does seem logicalas we are all connected somehow,somewhere. And for the rural or remoteareas where there’s no broadband,there’s, of course, GPS and satellite, aswe know the meter is not necessarilyplaced into the most convenient oflocations. What may emerge are hybridSmart meters marketed for yourparticular need and location. Now, we allknow that the man in his white van,driving around wirelessly collecting datafrom these ‘smart’ meter boxes, is proneto volatility and errors, but it’s aboutempowering consumers – putting them incharge of their consumption rather thanensuring utility companies are paid ontime!

With increasing energy bills there is aclear need to reduce our overallconsumption and energy footprint.Wireless sensor and control technologywill begin to empower everydayconsumers towards this end goal.Analytics and statistics can be generatedabout consumption throughout the dayto identify what white goods or otherelectronic products are using the most.Does my television and DVD playerconsume much during standby, and soon? It does seem a natural extension tothe home.

There will be blood spilled

Since we are touching upon killerapplications, I seriously think the classicremote control is in need of a seriousupdate. After all, we have used thistechnology from as far back as the1970’s – yes, I know, if it ain’t broke …!Nevertheless, the wife doesn’t evenunderstand that the infrared remotecontrol needs to be in line-of-sight withthe intended device. Often I will see herpointing it at the ceiling or maybe, asshe’s become so familiar with wirelesstechnology, she considers the technologya little primitive!

In conclusion, I guess Smart meteringhas a very strong argument ‘for’ thehome area network and we will witnessvarious standards emerge whilst thewireless technology stronghold will fightit out. Hopefully, the need for home areanetworks will continue to grow,increasing and extending the businessmodel. I hope that the wirelesscompetitors in this potentially lucrativedomain will avoid the need of a Dexter,studying blood splatter patterns anddetermining how one technology hasultimately reached its untimely end. Atenuous analogy, perhaps, but you knowthere will be blood spilled in the battle fordominance and someone has to mop theblood from the floors.

Until next month ...

At this moment, I’m not sure of nextmonth’s agenda other then I have tokick-off the Bluetooth book in productionprocess and then quickly apply attentionto the Cambridge University book (whichis grossly overdue), as well ascompleting the social media book, whichI’m co-authoring with the wife (which isnow in production).

Seriously, this is where Dr G signs off forthis month!

About the Author

Dr Dean Anthony Gratton is a bestsellingauthor and columnist, and has workedextensively within the wirelesstelecommunications R&D industry. Hewas an Editor of the Specification of theBluetooth System: Profiles, v1.1,participated in defining the initialBluetooth Personal Area Networkingprofiles, and was active in the Near FieldCommunication technology andmarketing committees. His wirelessresearch work has been patented.

You can contact Dean atbooks@deangratton.com and follow himon Twitter (@grattonboy). Additionally,you can read more about his work atdeangratton.com.

The technology may or may notinteroperate with other sensors within thehome, where one of the low-powercandidates may take up residence.Moreover, what will be at the back-endultimately reporting all this information?In some installations, a managementsystem is used to collate such data –such data is used to manage theenvironment and so on. What’s more, wecan’t escape the PC-centric environmentand the IP network, which we are allconnected to!

It’s IP all the way

An IP-based infrastructure does seemlogical, but then I hear pangs of security(again that big brother thing). In myhome, I have a router, which connects tomy telecommunications service provider.The router is then fed to my home cabled(yes, cabled) Ethernet infrastructure. Myhouse is 360m2 and to be honest, whilstWi-Fi is a wonderful technology it doesn’treach the farthest corners of the housecomfortably. So, the house is fed by arouter to a switch, which feeds Ethernetsockets in most rooms, so from there Ihave installed, in total, three Wi-Fi accesspoints, which comfortably allow me toroam around my home remainingconnected to the strongest and nearestaccess point. I know I’m rambling a little,but I’m getting there so please bear withme.

Now, my service provider provides mewith one IP address (for the world to see).My Blu-ray player, printers, Smartphones,computers and numerous laptops aremanaged by the router (masqueradingthrough the various access points), so anynew device connected to any one of thethree access points would be assigned aninternal IP address, typically192.168.0.xxx. In other words, I’m notexhausting an IP database, nor am I beingexposed to the wider network. Myconnected devices can, of course, gainaccess to the outside world, for example,my LG Blu-ray player checks regularly forsoftware updates and so on and similarly,I can choose to access the Internetthrough my Smartphone or tablet device.

Extending the topology

So, in this ideal infrastructure, smartmetering can become holistic to the homearea network, whilst being protected fromunwanted intruders from the outside IPworld. The home in this way has becomePC-centric irrespective of its operatingsystem and I have no doubt that the utilitycompanies will debate (for what mayseem an eternity) as to the best wayforward, but consumers should be able tologon to their accounts and monitor theirconsumption – shouldn’t they? And,indeed, there’s an ‘App’ for thatsomewhere!

low energy wireless news

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Android app collectssports data from ANT+- a threat to Bluetoothlow energy? Endomondo Sports Tracker, an app thatturns the mobile phone into a full-fledgedpersonal trainer in your pocket, isbringing together sports performancemonitoring data on some Androidsmartphones with full support for theANT+ health and fitness devices fromANT Wireless.

Endomondo claims to be the first Androidsmartphone app to provide support forthe ANT+ wireless sensor network ofmore than 14 million health and fitnessdevices. ANT’s technology allowsEndomondo users on Android mobiledevices to communicate with varioushealth and fitness devices and collectand transmit performance data in real-time.

Available on both free and paid versionsof Endomondo, the app works on phoneswith a built-in ANT+ chip. Now, the onlyphones we know that have on-boardANT+ are the Xperia line of handsetsfrom Sony Ericsson - Xperia arc, X8, X10mini and X10 mini pro. Previous versionsof Garmin heart rate monitors alsosupport ANT+.

ANT+ showcased a prototype of theEndomondo app at the Texas Instrumentsstand during Mobile World Congress inFebruary 2011. The demonstrationshowed the data taken from a personriding a bike, and featured bike speed,bike cadence, and heart rate.

Rod Morris, Director, ANT Wireless toldIncisor: “Endomondo’s ANT+ Android

app brings a new standard ofinteroperability and functionality to theconsumer. Collectively, Endomondo,Sony Ericsson and ANT+ enrich the userexperience with more useful, real-timedata and connection to over 14 millioncommercial monitoring sensors.”

This is no doubt good PR for Endomondoand ANT Wireless, but they undoubtedlyneed broader support within handsets tomake this a really big deal. It’s the samemarket that the Bluetooth community isshooting for with Bluetooth low energy,and as we all know, Bluetooth is in rathera lot more handsets.

Z-Wave-based energysaving switch glams upyour pad Who says energy-saving technology hasto be dull? The Italian home controlexpert Think Simple obviously doesn’t.The company’s Vitrum product rangeaims to give domestic energy control anelegant look. Vitrum switches allowsresidents to control lighting, airconditioning or video entry systems fromone central location. All the switchesfeature a glass surface with a touchpad.Surprise and delight features abound -the homeowner can dim the lights or turndown the heating using a circular fingermotion. Communication between all theVitrum devices is based on the Z-Wavewireless standard.

The switch consists of a glass surface inwhich touchpads are integrated. ThinkSimple has developed the EcoSwitchfunction for energy efficient control oflighting: when a user touches the glassswitch, the lights initially only light up

with 65% strength. Vitrum indicates thisby displaying an illuminated green ringaround the touch field. If the usertouches the touchpad again thebrightness of the lighting increases to100% and the ring around the switchthen turns yellow. In this way Vitrumactively helps homeowners save energy,but if they live their lives with the lights at 65% brightness they may be morelikely to trip over the dog, or items offurniture. The glass cover is available in a range of colours.

The technical core of the switch series isthe Z-Wave protocol, which enableswireless communication between theswitch and the end device. This allowsthe user to manage and control theVitrum devices from a tablet such as aniPad. Vitrum can be integrated intoexisting power circuits and is capable ofworking without a neutral wire, whichmeans that old mechanical switches canbe replaced without adding anyadditional wires.

The user can mount the switch on a wallby screwing the electronic element insidea cavity wall installation box before fittingthe glass panel onto the electroniccomponents. As well as making itpossible to control lighting and curtains,Vitrum will also be able to controlheating, manage energy consumption,alarm and CCTV subsystems in the nearfuture, Think Simple told Incisor.

low energy wireless news

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1 in 5 Smartphones willhave NFC by 2014Juniper Research forecasts rapid adoptionof NFC services over the next 3 years,suggesting that at least 1 in 5smartphones worldwide will have NFCcontactless functionality. Worldwide,Juniper forecasts almost 300 million NFCcapable smartphones by 2014. Junipertold Incisor that this growth will be drivenin the short term by mobile networkoperators launching services in 20 earlyadopting countries before the end of 2012.

With more and more handset vendorsintegrating NFC chipsets, Juniper believesthat NFC payments and retail marketingcapability via coupons and smart posterswill become common amongst smartphoneusers in Western Europe, North Americaand other developed regions.

Report author Howard Wilcox gave Incisormore details behind the report’sconclusions: "Juniper’s market analysishighlighted that, although there are stillhurdles ahead, NFC prospects have beenboosted by the succession of mobileoperator and device vendorannouncements. France is a case in pointwhere operators expect to sell one millionNFC devices this year."

NFC is attracting the attention of all themajor players such as Google, FranceTelecom Orange and Telefonica, who seemobile commerce capability as vital.Juniper’s report warns that business modelstructures still require development beforeNFC services will achieve critical mass.

Further findings include: North America willaccount for half of all NFC smartphones in2014, followed by Western Europe, andthat with many entities such as banks,mobile operators, transport companies and

merchants involved, service complexity isa challenge in each NFC rollout.

500 million people touse their mobiles astickets by 2015..... and Juniper is also forecasting that halfa billion people worldwide will use theirmobile devices as travel tickets on metros,subways and buses by 2015. This is overfive times the number generated last yearbut crucially Juniper is expecting usage tospread widely from the currentconcentration in Japan and severalEuropean countries. Outside Japan,systems in operation typically use SMS orbar codes.

Whilst SMS ticketing has been in operationfor several years in large cities inScandinavia and Central & Eastern Europesuch as Stockholm and Prague, Juniperbelieves that recent momentum in NearField Communications (NFC) will only addto market growth. As metro authoritiesbegin the transition to open contactlesspayment systems, NFC ticket usage isforecast to grow significantly beginning in2013.

Report author Howard Wilcox told Inciosr:"Whether by expansion of SMS and barcode delivery or by NFC, at Juniper we seeconvenience and choice for users as keyadvantages of mobile ticketing. It will be2013 before large numbers of NFC enableddevices are in peoples’ pockets and ournew report forecasts the impact ontransaction volumes."

Furthermore, mobile ticketing also haspotential across train and air travel, thelatter driven by mobile delivered bar codedboarding passes.

Near FieldCommunication Forummembers upThe NFC Forum has told Incisor thatGoogle is joining the organization as aPrincipal member. CSR and Intel, formerlyAssociate Members, have raised theirmembership status to the Principal level.

Principal membership is the second-highest level of membership in the NFCForum, with each Principal memberentitled to appoint a voting representativeto each of the Technical, Marketing, andCompliance Committees and WorkingGroups. Principal members can designateindividuals to run for positions leadingCommittees or Working Groups, and theycan propose initiatives and contribute tothe development of Forum deliverables.As Principal members, organizations canalso participate in the NFC Forum testingand certification program using their ownin-house test labs.

31 new Associate, Implementer, and Non-Profit members from across the NFCecosystem have also joined the NFCForum.

"The NFC Forum thrives on the activeparticipation of global industry leadersand innovators such as CSR, Google, andIntel," said Koichi Tagawa, chairman ofthe NFC Forum told Incisor. "Their energy,ideas, and influence will greatly enhancethe work of the Forum, as will the supportof our new Associate, Implementer, andNon-Profit members from around theworld."

www.deangratton.com

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In-flight connectivity set to soarAgainst the backdrop of an almost daily,unrelenting barrage of negativity surroundingthe economy, one might be forgiven forexpressing surprise upon hearing news ofconsiderable investment in any industry. Thatthe oft-beleaguered airline industry is thesource of such investment may come aseven more of a surprise, yet a new reportfrom IMS Research reveals that aconsiderable amount of money is set to beploughed into providing in-flight connectivityin the coming years.

Until recently, surfing the net at 30,000 feetwas the reserve of passengers flying withinthe confines of the USA. In fact, of the 1,149aircraft equipped with in-flight Wi-Ficapability at the turn of the year, 1,115 wereoperated by American carriers. However,2011 looks set to herald the beginning ofwidespread adoption of in-flight connectivityacross the globe. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines,Norwegian Air Shuttle and now SAS are setto bolster European numbers in the very nearfuture, whilst the likes of Singapore Airlinesand Emirates commence large-scaleinstallations elsewhere.

A survey of airlines conducted as part of theresearch revealed that just 9% of participantshad no intention of offering connectivity inthe future. Perhaps even more revealing isthe fact that airlines see connectivity assomething that they must offer in order toremain competitive, and not as a means ofgenerating ancillary revenue. By 2020, IMSResearch forecasts that approximately 50%of the world’s fleet will have been equippedwith Wi-Fi connectivity. With installation costsranging from around $100,000 per aircraft foran air-to-ground system and in the region of$350,000 for satellite connectivity, totalinvestment in this technology alone is set torun comfortably into the billions.

Furthermore, the aircraft cabin – one of thelast bastions of relative silence in a world

awash with mobile phone chatter – stands onthe brink. In addition to offering in-flightinternet, an increasing number of airlines arenow offering passengers the ability to usetheir mobile phones on board. IMS Researchexpects there to be around 6,500 aircraftequipped with cellular connectivity over thenext 10 years. With several new serviceproviders set to jump on the bandwagon andenter the market in the near future, in-flightconnectivity looks set to stay.

Wi-Fi certifications reach 10,000The Wi-Fi Alliance has now granted morethan 10,000 Wi-Fi Certified designations. Therate of product certifications has risenexponentially over the program's lifetime.While it took eight years to reach the 5,000-certification milestone, more than 2,000certifications were given in 2010.

"We are incredibly proud of the real impactand value of our Wi-Fi Certified program,"Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliancetold Incisor. "Wi-Fi technology was in itsinfancy just ten years ago. Today Wi-Fi isincreasingly enabling new products, newapplications and new markets that extendour connectivity and enrich our experience.Wi-Fi certification will remain a fundamentalpart of our connected experience since wecontinue to develop numerous newcapabilities and applications for Wi-Fi."

The Wi-Fi Alliance believes thatmanufacturers are certifying and shippingmore Wi-Fi devices than ever before to meetdemand, and cites ABI Research, which hasreported that annual Wi-Fi shipments grew to761 million products in 2010 and that thenumber will reach one billion by the end of2011. Wi-Fi Alliance certifications grew 62percent in 2010, the largest year-over-yeargrowth in the history of the program.

The fastest-growing Wi-Fi Certified productcategories were mobile phones and

consumer electronics - such as TVs, tabletsand gaming devices - which together accountfor more than half of all certifications. The10,000th certification was for a LED-LCD TVwith Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Protected Setup.

TI introduces OpenLink,open source solutions for low power wirelessappsTexas Instruments (TI) has announced deliveryof a mobile-grade, battery-optimized Wi-Fisolution to the open source Linux communityas part of the OpenLink project, focused onproviding a wide range of wireless connectivitysolutions for native Linux.

TI told Incisor that customers and developerstargeting battery-powered Wi-Fi products cannow use its OpenLink drivers, gaining nativekernel benefits such as tested technologiesand simplified re-integration when upgradingfrom one kernel version to the next. Inaddition to Wi-Fi, the OpenLink projectincludes native Linux solutions for Bluetoothand FM technologies, and will expand tosupport other technologies such as ANT,Bluetooth Low Energy and ZigBee. TI will alsointroduce additional low-power features to thekernel when possible.

Oz Krakowski, open source communitymanager, wireless connectivity solutions at TIexplained: “OpenLink marks TI’s commitmentto deliver cutting-edge wireless capabilitiesinto the hands of Linux developers. We’reenabling built-in kernel access to TI’s latestWiLink combo solutions, bringing low powerwireless communication to battery-operatedmobile devices such as smartphones, tablets,eBooks and industrial PDAs.”

OpenLink wireless connetivity drivers attach to open source development platforms suchas BeagleBoard, PandaBoard and otherboards.

high speed wireless news

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173 million Wi-Fi Direct-enabled devices to shipin 2011 Already on the market in small numbers, Wi-Fi Direct is expected to have a break out yearin 2011. The number of Wi-Fi Direct-enableddevices shipped will reach 173 million,research company In-Stat has told Incisor.Devices shipping with embedded Wi-Fi Directin 2011 will be led by desktop PCs, digitalTVs, mobile phones, and notebook PCs. In-Stat suggests that Wi-Fi Direct creates amuch more powerful Wi-Fi solution, as itenables the wireless networking standard toadd peer-to-peer capability, with no need fora Wi-Fi access point. This creates a muchmore compelling standard, a type of one-stop-shop for wireless connectivity, andbrings Wi-Fi into competition withspecifications such as Bluetooth. Andbecause Wi-Fi Direct is software based, themarginal cost of Wi-Fi Direct-enabled siliconover basic Wi-Fi silicon is negligible.

"Wi-Fi Direct enjoys wide backing from Wi-Fisilicon vendors," commented Brian O'Rourke,Research Director. "Companies such asAtheros, Broadcom, CSR, Intel, Marvell,Qualcomm, Ralink, and Realtek all haveplans for widespread release of Wi-Fi Direct-enabled silicon. In fact, many of thesecompanies received Wi-Fi Direct certificationfor at least one chip solution in the fourthquarter of 2010, shortly after the specificationwas released by the Wi-Fi Alliance inOctober. Ultimately though, the key to Wi-FiDirect’s success will lie in the applicationprogramming interface (APIs) software that isdeveloped to make Wi-Fi Direct useful to theconsumer.”

In-Stat also suggests that: • Every PC, CE device, and mobile phone

that ships in 2014 with Wi-Fi silicon will beWi-Fi Direct-enabled.

• The Wi-Fi Direct-enabled device shipmentcompounded annual growth rate will be79% between 2011 and 2015.

If you want to know more, you need to getyour hands on In-Stat’s new report - Wi-FiDirect: It's all about the software.

Wi-Fi for the army Fortress Technologies has released a securewireless mesh point for tactical wirelessdeployment. The ES2440 is multi-radiomesh point that enables local access aswell as area coverage, using Fortress'FastPath Mesh technology. Fortress tellsIncisor that with the proliferation of wirelesscommunications in the public sector,particularly to in-theatre military scenarios,the information sharing effectiveness hasbeen enhanced by solutions like theES2440 that provide broader real-timeaccess to data for situational awareness,force management and logistical support.

The ES2440 Infrastructure Mesh Point is aquad radio wireless access device with theability to provide multiple mesh links overlong distances and with high performancenetwork coverage in harsh outdoorenvironments. The Fortress productdelivers DoD 8100.2 compliant802.11i/WPA2, AES and IPSec FIPS 140-2certified security that can be upgraded andaccredited to NSA Suite B IPSEC, used forCOTS for Secret level communications.The ES2440 is designed to meet broadMilspec standards and has passed thehighest level of environmental testing. The ES2440 with FastPath Mesh isapparently optimized for dynamic mobilecommunications and bandwidth intensiveapplications, such as streaming video, and services the growing demand forintelligent devices connecting at the truetactical edge.

"Covering large areas of operation, andconnecting efficiently to command centres,tactical assets, logistical centres, vehiclesand dismounted soldiers to provideconstant access to information is moreimportant than ever in the field today,"

Janet Kumpu, Fortress’ vice president ofcorporate development and marketing toldIncisor. Kumpu continued: "Fortress hasbecome the market expert in deliveringmobile communication solutions to thetactical edge with high performanceequipment that meets the level ofruggedization and information assurancedemanded by the public sector to ensuresafety of the mission."

CSR adds Wi-Fi to its automotive-gradefamilyCSR has introduced CSR6000, anautomotive-qualified standalone Wi-Fisolution. It is pre-integrated and validatedon CSR’s automotive grade SiRFprimareference platform. CSR is claiming highRF performance across the automotivetemperature range and a QFN packagefacilitating chip on board designs. Inaddition, CSR offers a Wi-Fi software suitesupporting all of the major automotiveoperating systems.

“As part of our automotive platformstrategy, CSR is now able to combine theAEC-Q100 qualified SiRFprimaAuto Systemon Chip (SoC), CSR’s automotive-gradeBluetooth solutions, the automotive-gradeCSR6000 Wi-Fi family of devices andassociated CSR Synergy connectivity hostsoftware, overcoming a major challengefaced by systems integrators in terms ofboth the time required for connectivityintegration and the associated cost ofsoftware design, debugging and testing,”Thomas Carmody, Head of ConnectivityMarketing in CSR’s Automotive and PNDBusiness Unit told Incisor.

The CSR6000 family is available in volumetoday.

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DATE EVENT LOCATION NOTES LINK

May 17 - 18 In Building Wireless Paris, France - http://imsformation.com/?CategoryID=2011 Access & Offload 276&ArticleID=22

Symposium

May 18 - 19 European ZigBee Munich, Germany - http://www.zigbee-devcon-europe.de/2011 Developers

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Show (CES)

Feb 21 - Mobile World Barcelona, Spain - www.mobileworldcongress.com March 1 Congress 20122012

April 24 - 26 Bluetooth Special Renaissance - www.bluetooth.org2012 Interest Group All Vancouver Hotel,

Hands Meeting Vancouver, Canada

2011

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