Nanotron Technologies Presents First nanoNET Hardware

Nanotron Technologies will introduce its first hardware for the new wireless network nanoNET at the Electronica 2004 (November 9 -- 12 in Munich -- hall A6, booth 129). nanoNET is based on Nanotrons worldwide patented Chirp technology and was developed especially for demanding applications such as active RFID, industrial control, home automation and sensor networking.

Berlin (PRWEB) September 27, 2004 -- Two years after the world premiere of our Chirp technology, we now offer a whole set of products", says Nanotrons CEO Dr. Jens N. Albers. In addition to the transceiver IC nanoNET TRX, our customers can also purchase complete RF modules, Evaluation Kits and related software. This guarantees an easy entry into Chirp technology."

nanoNET TRX IC

The nanoNET TRX is a transceiver IC for the worldwide license-free ISM band at 2.4 GHz. The CSS modulation technique (Chirp Spread Spectrum), developed by Nanotron Technologies, is based on Chirp pulses and is used for robust data transmissions. With a maximum physical data rate of 2 Mbps, the IC provides a range of 900 meters outdoors or 60 meters indoors (typical) at 10 mW output power and at a data rate of 1 Mbps. Because the nanoNET TRX has a sleep mode with extremely low power consumption and a high data rate (which transforms to a small duty cycle), products with ultra low current can be realized. Sample chips of the nanoNET TRX are already available with mass production starting no later than the second quarter of 2005.

Technical Data

Frequency range: ISM band at 2.4 GHz

Modulation technique: Chirp

Bandwidth per symbol: 64 MHz effective

System gain: 17 dB

Carrier-to-interference ratio: -3 to 0 dB @ BER=10-3

Max. physical data rate: 2 Mbps

Max. output power: 10 mW

Sensitivity (@ BER=10-3, 1 Mbps): -92 dBm

Supply voltage:    2,4 to 3,6 V

Supply current (TX @ Pout=10 mW): 86 mA

Supply current (TX @ Pout=1 mW): 67 mA

Supply current (TX @ Pout=0,1 mW): 60 mA

Supply current (RX): 40 mA

Standby current (active Real Time Clock): 1 ¼A

Max. range outdoors (@ 10 mW): 900 meters @ 1 Mbps

Typ. range in buildings (@ 10 mW): 60 meters @ 1 Mbps

Temperature range: -40 to +85 °C

nanoNET RF Test Module

The nanoNET RF module contains a complete nanoNET node and can be connected to an external microcontroller with a SPI interface. The module can be used for the evaluation of RF performance and prototypes. An improved version ready for mass production is in preparation and will be presented at Electronica. A special Adapter Board is available for connecting the RF Module to a parallel PC port.

Technical Data

Frequency range: ISM band at 2.4 GHz

Modulation technique: Chirp

Max. physical data rate: 2 Mbps

Max. output power: 10 mW

Sensitivity (@ BER=10-3, 1 Mbps): -92 dBm

Supply voltage: 2,4 to 3,6 V

Supply current (TX @ Pout=10 mW): 86 mA

Supply current (TX @ Pout=1 mW): 67 mA

Supply current (TX @ Pout=0,1 mW): 60 mA

Supply current (RX): 40 mA

Standby current (active Real Time Clock): 1 ¼A

Max. range outdoors (@ 10 mW): 900 meters @ 1 Mbps

Typ. range in buildings (@ 10 mW): 60 meters @ 1 Mbps

Temperature range: -40 to +85 °C

Max. SPI clock: 16 MHz

nanoNET RF Performance Evaluation Kit

The nanoNET evaluation kit allows an easy entry into Chirp technology. With this Kit customers can immediately establish an RF link and test the quality of the air link. The kit provides a graphical front end for the PC with which customers can check the communication parameters (for example, the bit error rate) in real time. The kit contains two RF Test Modules, two MCF boards with coldfire controllers from Motorola and software.

Technical Data

Controller: Motorola Coldfire MCF5272VF66

Flash: 2 MB

SRAM: 32 MB

ADC: 10 Bit, 2 channels

DAC: 10 Bit, 2 channels

Interfaces: Ethernet, RS 232; USB ready

Supply voltage: 4,5 to 9 V

Supply current: 640 mA

Connectors for RF modules: 2

Software: BER measurement, graphical front end for the PC

nanoNET software

Nanotron Technologies offers a Portable Protocol Stack (PPS), which can be ported easily to different microcontrollers and has only limited requirements to the hardware (the PPS can run on 8, 16, 32 bit controllers). Portations to some common target platforms were completed successfully by Nanotron Technologies.

In addition to the PPS, Nanotron Technologies also offers a driver software which provides some basic functionalities like chip initialization and data sending and receiving.

The software and application team of Nanotron Technologies support customers during development of their software and help to shorten the time-to-market significantly.

First pilot projects

First pilot projects confirm that nanoNET is especially robust against disturbances and reflections (multipath fading). Prototypes exist in the following areas:

- Active RFID (Requirements: high robustness, low power)

- Industrial control (Requirements: high robustness, long range)

- Building control (Requirements: long range, networking capabilities)

- Telemetry (Requirements: long range, high robustness)

About Nanotron Technologies:

Nanotron Technologies has developed the new RF transmission system MDMA (Multi Dimensional Multiple Access) which can be applied for all kinds of wireless communication. MDMA is based on the use of Chirp pulses and allows the optimal utilization of the available bandwidth. Nanotrons first product is nanoNET TRX, a transceiver with extremely low power consumption, high robustness against disturbances and a long range. It is optimized for mobile battery-driven applications and the wireless control of industrial processes in, for example, the rapidly growing markets for RF identification systems (RFID), sensor networking, industrial control and home automation. Further products for very high data rates are also under development at Nanotron Technologies. The company was founded in 1991 by Manfred Koslar and has about 35 employees. Nanotrons headquarters are in Berlin.

Visit Nanotron Technologies at Electronica: Hall A6, Booth 129

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