STMicroelectronics introduces wireless transceiver

     STMicroelectronics introduces a high-performance, ultra-low power wireless transceiver. Targeted applications include Automatic Meter Infrastructure and other devices with built-in wireless sensor nodes, such as alarm systems, security systems, home and building automation, and industrial monitoring systems. Combining superior reception sensitivity with the lowest current consumption, ST's SPIRIT1 consumes more than 50 percent less power than existing solutions on the market.

     Today's electromechanical meters will eventually be replaced by smart electronic meters, both power companies and electricity consumers will enjoy the many benefits of smart meters. Features such as full remote control, peak hour analysis, consumption behavior analysis, anti-theft electricity mechanism, outage alarm and time-of-use tariff make the supply and use of electricity, gas or water more efficient and economical.

     St's SPIRIT1 transceiver handles communication between a home's or merchant's smart meter and a data concentrator set up in the power company's control center. SPIRIT1 can use low-frequency carriers below 1 GHz for close-range data transmission, ensuring that wireless signals can penetrate concrete walls and building structures.

     Power consumption is a key parameter in battery-powered wireless meters. The extremely low current consumption gives SPIRIT1 unmatched market competitiveness, power consumption is 50 percent lower than existing solutions in the market, and SPIRIT1 devices last twice as long as comparable devices.

     SPIRIT1's impressive reception sensitivity of -120dBm allows designers to reduce transmitter output power, thereby reducing overall current consumption, without compromising the stability of channel connections. The new transceivers support advanced communication technologies, such as frequency hopping, auto-acknowledgment, and antenna diversity, Ensure that target applications are able to deliver data accurately in harsh environments or challenging logistics conditions.

     The new product also integrates other features, such as 128-bit data encryption, error checking, FIFO storage modules, and highly flexible programmable packet management, which help reduce the power consumption of the main microcontroller and the total system cost.