AUSTIN, TX /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Freescale Semiconductor has achieved Golden Unit certification by the ZigBee Alliance for the new ZigBee 2012 specification and ZigBee Input Device standard. Freescale is one of the first ZigBee Alliance members to achieve the Golden Unit status, supporting the latest ZigBee specification's update to the PRO feature set and input device standard for RF4CE. Both implementations passed independent testing conducted by third parties.

One of ZigBee's key strengths is offering the market multiple interoperable platforms, providing product manufacturers with a solid supply chain and the greatest choice in technology needed to deliver a wide range of energy-efficient home and commercial building automation and industrial products.

Freescale is one of the first semiconductor vendors to make both of these technologies available, demonstrating leadership in ZigBee and further enabling customers. ZigBee solutions from Freescale provide manufacturers of smart energy, home automation, health care, and home entertainment products with easy-to-use, low-cost technology they need for applications such as smart meters, lighting, portable medical, set-top boxes, remote controls, and other electronic devices.

"By achieving Golden Unit certification for both the ZigBee PRO 2012 and ZigBee Input Device, Freescale continues to demonstrate its leadership in ZigBee by delivering the latest protocols available from the ZigBee Alliance," said Geoff Lees, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Freescale's microcontroller business. "By providing these standardized, interoperable solutions to our customers, they can in turn develop the high-quality, easy-to-use solutions required by the most discerning audience of all—consumers."

The core ZigBee specification defines ZigBee's smart, cost-effective, and energy-efficient mesh network. It is an innovative, self-configuring, self-healing system of redundant, low-cost, low-power nodes that enable ZigBee's unique flexibility, mobility, and ease of use. ZigBee PRO, the most widely used specification, is optimized for low power consumption and to support large networks with thousands of devices. The ZigBee 2012 release increases network efficiencies and improves interoperability for network devices and ZigBee PRO application standards.

ZigBee Input Device is a global standard for greener, more innovative and easy-to-use mice, keyboards, touchpads, wands, and other input devices used with computers and consumer electronic devices. This standard allows consumers to more easily navigate content and search/setup programs to record. In addition, it allows them to use their devices from greater distances or even from another room because operation is not limited to line of sight. ZigBee Input Device is a standard designed specifically for the ZigBee RF4CE specification.

"We continue to see a significant increase in designers who are using ZigBee in their product development efforts," said Bob Heile, Chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "The ZigBee Alliance congratulates Freescale for their Golden Unit status and continued effort in supporting these specifications and standards."

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About ZigBee
The ZigBee Alliance offers green and global wireless standards connecting the widest range of devices to work together intelligently and help you control your world. The alliance is an open, nonprofit association of approximately 400 organizations, driving development of innovative, reliable, and easy-to-use ZigBee standards. The alliance promotes worldwide adoption of ZigBee as the leading wirelessly networked sensing and control standard for use in consumer, commercial, and industrial areas.

About Freescale
Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in embedded processing solutions, providing industry-leading products advancing the automotive, consumer, industrial, and networking markets. From microprocessors and microcontrollers to sensors, analog integrated circuits, and connectivity, our technologies are the foundation for the innovations that make our world greener, safer, healthier, and more connected. Some of our key applications and end-markets include automotive safety, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, next-generation wireless infrastructure, smart energy management, portable medical devices, consumer appliances, and smart mobile devices. The company is based in Austin, TX, and has design, research and development, manufacturing, and sales operations around the world.

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