EnOcean and Sensordynamics announce Energy Harvesting Single Chip RF Transceiver

“We are very proud of this product,” stated Dr. Gerhard Schultes, Director, System Design, for SensorDynamics. “The EO3000I ASIC will power the breakthrough of highly sophisticated, energy-autonomous wireless systems in building automation applications. It differs from forerunner systems not only through the excellence of its technical specifications but also through its additional components, needed for safe and extremely low energy operation.”

EnOcean’s innovative Dolphin platform has an open, non-proprietary, flexible hardware and software architecture with the EO3000I ASIC at its core. A unique feature of the EO3000I is its extremely economical use of available energy, which enables the direct operation of the sensor interface and radio transceiver from various types of weak or strong energy converters – electrodynamic, solar or for differences in temperature, vibration and rotation.

EO3000I incorporates an integrated sensor interface consisting of a pair of high precision analogue to digital converters (ADCs) and an arbitrary function generator, routable to various pins. This provides the highest flexibility for single-ended or bridge sensor measurements. The EO3000I’s RF transceiver covers the two ISM frequency bands 868 and 315 MHz for worldwide license-free operation. The ASK transmission, bandwidth and data rates are in accordance with the EnOcean wireless standard. The receiver uses fully digital IF signal processing to overcome process tolerances. A freely programmable standard 8-bit micro controller with 32k on-board flash memory enables highly efficient product development.

EnOcean offers an operating system matching the EO3000I chip with extensive firmware, among other things for basic system functions switching, dimming and monitoring. The modules can consequently go straight into an application without programming. For simple implementation of more complex system functions, for example connection of an information display, the Dolphin API allows straightforward programming of applications in the high-level C language. The API is not only restricted to the protocol stack for EnOcean wireless - it also offers many other powerful functions, for the control of energy management for example, use of the digital or analog I/Os, access to flash memory and the continuously powered RAM0, and control of timer functions.

Only a few extra components, such as a crystal oscillator, an antenna and the energy supply, are necessary to form a complete, bidirectional wireless sensor system. Application examples include remote controls and room sensors with a display to show return messages. Even actuators without cables and batteries are possible, for instance centrally and wirelessly controlled heating valves as a simple retrofit in a single room.

“Based on the Dolphin EO3000I chip, we develop modules that allow simple installation and system integration with their wide-ranging application functions,” commented Armin Anders, Head of Product Marketing, EnOcean GmbH. “Time and cost to develop are very much reduced and no RF engineering expertise is required.”

EnOcean is currently preparing its market roll out of the next generation of wireless sensor and transceiver modules based on the EO3000I chip, available in early 2009.