28 Product Development Aircon connects with smart homes
SMART HOME SOLUTIONS are becoming increasingly popular. The non- profit organisation ULE Alliance has now launched a certification programme for products that are based on the new Ultra Low Energy standard (ULE). Certified products from different vendors, including air conditioning, ventilation, white goods and blinds, can now be easily combined to a single network via one gateway. The standard is supposed to be more secure and more energy-efficient than other wireless standards and can connect devices within a range of up to 300m.
According to Jochen Kilian from the ULE Alliance, ULE is perfectly suited for climate control, security solutions and home automation in general. “ULE ensures the inter-operability between the products of different companies and areas. The standard is based on secure DECT frequencies which previously had been used exclusively for cordless telephones. That’s why ULE can deliver voice transmission and even videos in addition to data and control signals,” Mr Kilian explained. As a result, ULE-based smart
home solutions, including sensors and controls for the air conditioning and other cooling systems, could be controlled with spoken commands.
Most wireless devices used for homes, such as Wi-Fi products or microwaves, are based on either the 2.4GHz or the 900MHz frequency band, which often leads to interferences. ULE uses the protected frequency band of DECT (1,880- 1,900MHz) which has been the standard for cordless telephones in more than 100 countries since its launch in 1987. Today, more than 600 million households rely on DECT. “As existing DECT gateways can easily be upgraded to ULE, it won’t take long before we see the widespread usage of ULE,” said Mr Kilian.
Companies such as Cisco, Panasonic, DSP Group, VTech, Crow, and Lantiq, which has just been bought by Intel, already work with the new standard. The ULE Alliance expects that the new certification programme will attract many additional businesses. “End-users want products which they can combine to their liking rather than being restricted to solutions from one
company,” Mr Kilian pointed out. “That’s why we are very confident that ULE will be a success with customers around the world.”
Battery-powered devices based on the Ultra Low Energy standard can be operated up to ten years before the batteries need to be replaced. ULE uses AES-CCM for encryption and packet authentication to prevent unauthorised access to the hundreds of actuators and sensors that can be combined via ULE. The encryption cannot be turned off which makes ULE particularly safe. Many ULE products can be integrated in a network by the push of a button, making the installation easier than with other standards. With 50m within buildings and 300m outdoors, the range is also superior to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee and Z-Wave.
“With ULE, smart homes will recognise when someone is coming home or leaving, and the system will control the aircon and heating automatically,” said Mr Kilian. “This way, ULE helps to save energy and money while adjusting the room temperature to your preferences.”
RDM launches Mercury Mk3 with built-in IP connectivity
RESOURCE DATA MANAGEMENT released the new Mercury Mk3 controller today. One of the most advanced and flexible controls available the new generation of Mercury controllers build on the success of the Mercury Mk1 and Mk2.
Presenting users with both internal and remote display options, an increased number of analogue inputs, two new dedicated digital inputs and a built-in IP network interface. All of which make it a compact, cost effective and easy to install option when there is a requirement to connect directly to an IP network.
The first Mercury controller, the Mk1, released in 2002 revolutionised the controls industry introducing technology years ahead of anything else available at that time.
It was the first refrigeration controller offering additional IP connectivity while also being the first compact, affordable control of its type.
Introducing the next generation of control the Mk3 has flexible I/O – 10 inputs and five outputs, made up of six resistive temperature probe inputs, two dedicated digital inputs and one 0-10v or one 4-20ma analogue inputs, and five relay outputs, 6A resistive and 2A inductive.
With the additional benefit of all inputs and outputs having a plug-in socket for ease of installation, and the latest microcontroller technology for greater processing power and memory capacity.
It is set to be an exciting year for RDM as their rapid global expansion continues with two new affiliate offices
having opened already this year, RDM Nordic in January and RDM Australia in March. Further product launches are widely anticipated.
What applications can it be used for? Refrigeration, display cabinets or coldroom applications: › To control a PMV valve (LLV or EEV) based on the temperature or pressure input value.
› The control of lights, fans, suction valve, trim heaters and defrost control.
› Optional variable inputs allow for reading a pressure transducer, along with two additional digital inputs over and above the existing switched resistor digital inputs.
› Energy saving features including pulsed trim heaters or case off with lights parameter.
Hydratech ACR News May 2015 Visit ACR News online at
www.acr-news.com
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