Product category:
Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications
News Release from: Low Power Radio Solutions | Subject: ER400TRS
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 16 May 2003
Tiny transceiver provides all-in radio
The ER400TRS is an extremely compact licence-exempt intelligent radio transceiver module designed to make best use of LPRS's innovative Easy-Radio technology.
New from Low Power Radio Solutions, the ER400TRS is an extremely compact licence-exempt intelligent radio transceiver module designed to make best use of the company's innovative Easy-Radio technology The UK designed and manufactured device houses a complete transmitter and receiver system with all communications protocols embedded in onboard memory to allow OEMs to add wireless capabilities to their products without the need to understand radio technology
All this comes in a tiny 9-pin single-inline package which is smaller than most receivers, let alone transceivers.
The new transceiver will suit any wireless application that requires two-way data telemetry or where it is essential that a receiving node issues a "receipt" to confirm reception of transmitted data.
These include equipment such as remote data acquisition systems, handheld terminals and electronic point of sale terminals.
The ER400TRS transceiver is supplied "ready-to-run out-of-the-box" from LPRS.
Alternatively, designers can make use of a range of user-programmable functions to customise their radio links to their own specifications using simple software commands.
In either case, the high-performance FM modules use their embedded Easy-Radio software to ensure that the datastream from transmitter to receiver is "efficiently" packaged to maximise both the range and the data transfer rate of the radio link.
The datarate of the link defaults to the industry standard of 19.2Kbit/s, but can be programmed to any rate between 4.8 and 76.8Kbit/s.
A line-of-site range of 250m is easily attainable.
All encoding and decoding functions are also handled onboard.
The modules are compliant with EN300-220-3 and EN301489-3 for unlicensed use in the pan-European 433-434MHz band.
The units can be user-programmed for use in one of ten channels within the band so that systems can avoid specific congested or "dirty" frequencies.
A crystal-controlled synthesiser is used to guarantee frequency accuracy.
The transmitter power output is also programmable up to the legal maximum ERP of 10mW, using a standard 50ohm antenna type, such as a whip, helical or PCB loop.
LPRS Managing Director Barry Gillibrand is well aware of the difficulties designers have faced in the past in trying to use low-power radio transceivers.
"We started selling our first transceiver modules almost ten years ago", he says.
"And it soon became apparent exactly how difficult it was to make practical use of the available bandwidth.
We were selling radios that were easily capable of 19.2Kbit/s but our customers had no chance of attaining datarates like that without intimate knowledge of radiocommunications protocols".
"But now with Easy-Radio taking care of the datastreams these transceivers do exactly what they say they will", boasts Gillibrand.
The ER400TRS transceiver has serial input and output lines to simplify interfacing with host equipment.
The module also features a received signal strength indicator output which can be put to good use when setting up fixed links or networks of devices.
The transceiver modules are designed to run from single 3.6V lithium cell supplies, but for added system flexibility can be used with any DC supply between 3.3 and 5.5V.
Power consumption is battery friendly, with typical current drains for the transmit and receive functions of 23 and 17mA, respectively.
When idle, the transceiver draws a low quiescent current of 2mA.
The transceiver comes as a screened single-inline module which integrates radio, microcontroller and power supply circuitry in a space-saving outline.
The 9-pin SIP measures just 37 x 14 x 4mm, and operates over an extended commercial temperature range from -20 to +60C. Request a free brochure from Low Power Radio Solutions ...
• Low Power Radio Solutions: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
