INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FEATURE FINDING THE ENERGY


As Smart technology takes a step forward, Jana Pilhofer, product manager at ZF, takes a step back to look at the changes the company is making to the circuitry in Smart electronics


T


he terms ‘Smart Home’ and ‘connected living’ combine a number of interesting approaches for contemporary lifestyles. The notion of a Smart Home is that it allows a homeowner to use interconnection and automation technologies within a domestic environment to fulfil its potential: devices become smarter, less dependent on human maintenance and programming, lowering the cost of labour and monetary expense as a result. One upcoming technology within


this domesticated area of interest offers wireless and battery free data transmission. Through an emphasis on the digital and a reduction of weight, due to the loss of hardware and larger components such as the battery, Smart Home technology heads towards its intended destination. With this in mind, ZF look to hop on the Smart Technology train with their own contribution: a wire and battery less energy harvesting technology, which can provide cost effective switching solutions in a wide range of environments, for a multitude of applications such as Smart Homes, industrial systems and building automation.


THE GENERATOR The core element of the ZF energy harvesting technology - the generator - is available in mono-stable (momentary) or bi-stable (latching) forms. Based on the inductive principle, the power required to send a wireless signal is generated by the actuation of the patented mechanism, which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy, to power the on-board transmitter. However, this generator is the beginning for ZF’s energy harvesting range.


WIRELESS MODULES One pushbutton module included in ZF’s energy harvesting product range is a light switch module based on KNX-RF. The module comes ready to install, is configurable via ETS without a gateway, and requires no maintenance during operation: in spite of the absence of the battery, the module remains fully operational. The power supply is only required for the programming mode during the set-up process, or to make changes within the application. The wireless light switch module is


versatile and easy to integrate, creating significant freedom during the planning stage as it allows the switch to carry out up to six different functions. The functions available for dimming, shading operations, scene retrieval, or classic toggle operation make it possible to adapt each KNX-RF push button module to the user’s needs. With the ability to communicate


without the need for a gateway, there are many potential applications: flexible room partitions in functional buildings, glass walls, or even mounted directly on a lectern. It is compatible with standard frames and panels for energy harvesting light switch modules, and can also be combined with customer-specific designs and control panels.


/ ELECTRONICS


ZF’s range of energy harvesting products, designed for Smart applications, looking to lighten and speeden respective processes


BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY Finally, with the energy harvesting generator, one has the potential to combine it with the RSL10 SIP: a Bluetooth 5, low energy certified system- in-package from ON Semiconductor. This enables the generator to be used with the growing number of applications for Bluetooth low energy communications. The system-in-package’s low power demand opens it to Bluetooth 5 radio, to develop battery free 2.4GHz applications, with lower manufacturing costs and easier maintenance. The reference design will allow designers to develop wireless control solutions for a wide range of low- cost, low-energy applications, including control solutions in buildings, home systems automation, lighting, shutter control, healthcare, alarm systems, fall detection and vehicle counting. As the product uses the Bluetooth low energy standard, it can also be connected to BLE scanners or lighting and mobile applications, such as IOS and Android.


ZF www.switches-sensors.zf.com ELECTRONICS | JUNE 2019 19


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