Controller chip supports ZigBee 3.0

The GP691 features a radio transceiver, a real-time medium access control processor, an MCU, a security engine, 16KB RAM and 248KB Flash memory for field upgradeability. According to the company, the chip offers the industry’s most efficient power consumption for both transmit and receive, which is important for the design of battery and energy harvesting powered Smart Home and IoT devices. The controller chip, which supports the latest ZigBee 3.0 (including the ZHA1.2) specification for wireless sense and control networks, is over the air upgradable and features support for new 802.15.4 based standards, such as Thread.

ZigBee 3.0 supports a wide range of home, enterprise and industrial automation, smart energy, and light link applications. The IEEE 802.15.4 compliant specification can cover a complete home with multiple floors and handle dead spots and WiFi interference via mesh networking. ZigBee 3.0 also supports large networks comprised of thousands of devices, making it suitable for industrial applications and building automation. The specification also includes Green Power, which is part of the ZHA and ZLL profiles and supports energy harvesting and battery-free applications.

The GPM6000 module, which was developed in partnership with Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) (USI), helps designers reduce time-to-market without having consider RF product integration challenges or international wireless certification. Measuring 25x17x2.5mm, the pre-integrated, pre-certified module adds a power stage/LNA providing up to 20dBm output power, special transmit and receive circuitry, an integrated antenna and a connector for a second external antenna. These features allow for greater range and robustness.

“The IoT will transform everything – making our lives more comfortable and more secure. In the future, the next generations will look at us and wonder how we ever survived our ‘dumb’ homes,” said Cees Links, CEO, GreenPeak. “New devices, new technologies, new ways of connecting devices to each other and to people, all require wireless solutions that are reliable, robust and simple to use. GreenPeak and our eco-system partners are dedicated to making the Smart Home and IoT as simple, reliable and ubiquitous as WiFi is today.”

“USI has a long history in working with the GreenPeak team that goes back to the early development of WiFi-modules. Today USI is the undisputed world leader in WiFi and Bluetooth (combo) modules and therefore it is a logical step that USI and GreenPeak team-up for world-class ZigBee modules as well,” commented CY Wei, President, USI. “The market of ZigBee and ZigBee-combo modules will eclipse the market of Bluetooth and WiFi, enabling USI to further expand its industry and technology leadership.”