The Internet of Things I Distribution
consumption. The RN131 can wake up, connect to a wireless network, send data, and return to sleep mode in less than 100ms, allowing it to run for years on two standard AAA batteries. Using only 35mA when awake and 4 A when asleep, such remarkable power efficiency makes possible a whole new breed of Internet-enabled products. There are variants available for industrial as well as commercial temperature operation. Evaluation boards and development kits for these modules help designers climb up the learning curve and speed up development times - all of
Microchip WiFi communications development board
features an integral PCB antenna whilst the MRF24WB0MB utilises an external antenna via its u.FL connector. Time-to-market is fast, thanks to matching circuitry and a free bundled protocol stack. The latter supports a rich selection of UDP and TCP services including Web servers, secure socket layers, IP4 and IPv6, SNMP, SMTP client, FTP, and mDNS. Space is often at a premium at the edge of the IoT, and Roving Networks RN171 and RN131 modules are of particular interest as they offer a certified Wi-Fi capability in a space-saving surface-mount package with ultra-low power
which are vital in this incredibly dynamic, fast-moving and agile marketplace. It’s a scene that embraces more than just Wi-Fi. Cellular wireless, wired Ethernet, and a plethora of wireless mesh technologies under the umbrella of Industrial, Scientific and Medical wireless frequencies - all contribute to the Internet of Things. There is help, across the board, for these enabling technologies, with specialist distributors frequently providing the catalyst to bring different vendors’ solutions together. One example of this is Anglia’s recent introduction of a GSM reference design to help customers get to market faster with their Internet-enabled products. The GSM Springboard for Microchip 16/32bit Micro is based on a Cinterion GSM Module and comes with software that demonstrates an embedded HTTP server running on the microcontroller over a GSM Network; and this can be monitored or controlled through any Web browser.
Bridging the power gap
At the edge of the IoT, devices can’t necessarily rely on the availability of mains power. Even where a connection is available, there is often a need for the device to continue
operating in the event that it fails. Advances in primary energy sources, new power supply ICs and power management techniques together are greatly extending the period of operation of networked devices in the field. Today’s Li-ion and Li-polymer cells continue to provide ever-improving energy densities, charging rates and discharge profiles for autonomous objects on the Internet. They are complemented by increasing use of super-capacitors and ultra-capacitors, for example as power back-up for memory functions and providing additional peak power to prolong battery life in devices that use mechanical actuators, for example. To help designers make the most of this
Advantech’s SUSIAccess provide a ready-to-use remote access solution
more generous power budget, new generations of battery management ICs are helping designers eke out the last drops of energy to power IoT applications. A good illustration of this the recently- introduced low-voltage input boost regulators for PIC MCUs, which provide an easy-to-use power supply solution for applications powered by either one/two/three-cell alkaline, NiCd, NiMH,
one-cell Li-Ion or Li-Polymer batteries. Microchip’s MCP1624/3 are compact, high- efficiency, fixed frequency, synchronous step-up DC-DC converters that can be paired with any PIC microcontroller. The result: flexible intelligence for any single cell or low voltage application. As Internet connectivity becomes truly ubiquitous, the only limits to expansion of the Internet of Things will be the imagination of people wishing to harness it. To make their visions a reality, many of the electronic components, modules, subsystems and software tools are already in place.
Anglia Components |
www.anglia.com
David Potts is Divisional Marketing Manager Semiconductors, Anglia Components
www.cieonline.co.uk
Components in Electronics
September 2012 25
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