San Jose, CA-- Redpine Signals Inc., a leading developer of ultra-low-power, high-performance, multi-standard wireless chipsets and systems, and a Cisco Developer Network member, introduced Wi-Fi RTLS tags operating in the 5 GHz band. Offering advanced features for enterprise and industrial markets, the WiseMote WM1-20 (2.4 GHz) and WM1-50 (2.4/5 GHz) 802.11n Wi-Fi RTLS tags work with any third-party hardware and software RTLS infrastructure.
Offering advanced Wi-Fi features, including enterprise security and single-stream 802.11n operation, the new tags are ideal for deployment in enterprise environments. Operation in the 5 GHz band provides for close adherence to designed battery life, compared with crowded 2.4 GHz channels. The operating profiles of tags and sensor nodes involve long periods of sleep, with low-power consumption interspersed with brief periods of activity. Traffic on the channel extends the periods of activity as the Wi-Fi devices wait for a chance to transmit.
The Redpine devices can be programmed to operate in a variety of modes, supporting multiple location tracking and update mechanisms. In Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) mode, they offer Cisco CCX-compliant beaconing, with configurable patterns, telemetry, and alarm notifications. In Wi-Fi-associated mode, they periodically connect to access points and communicate sensor and channel data to a server. In other beaconing modes, the devices support standard Wi-Fi clients, with simple tag identification software to locate and identify assets.
"Redpine's 5 GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi technology, support for enterprise security, and partner ecosystem is a step in the right direction to accelerate growth in this market," said Drew Nathanson, Vice President of AutoID at VDC Research Group.
"Even a moderately busy channel can reduce the battery life of Wi-Fi devices. This can disrupt the deployment, management, and maintenance planning of asset tracking and monitoring in an enterprise. Moving to the 5 GHz band is not only for high throughput, QoS-sensitive applications, but is also an important step for long-battery-life applications," said Venkat Mattela, CEO of Redpine Signals. "Our goal with our new products is to offer advanced ultra-low-power Wi-Fi technology in 5 GHz, as well as an RTLS architecture that enables our partners to provide their own value to the total solution and ultimately accelerate RTLS deployments worldwide."
With the new tags, Redpine is also releasing the WM0 tag configurator and chokepoint device with low-frequency-excitation circuitry and an automated wireless-configuration solution, creating a complete hardware and software infrastructure that enables third-party RTLS solution development.
Redpine partners with third-party companies that provide advanced location technology and develop applications with system integrators, creating an ecosystem of partners that are equipped to develop RTLS solutions for an array of verticals.
Redpine will showcase its products at the RFID Journal LIVE! conference and exhibition from April 3 to 5 in Orlando, FL. Visitors can experience hands-on demonstrations of Redpine's WiseMote solutions in multiple RTLS and sensor applications.
About Redpine Signals
Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Redpine Signals Inc., is a fabless semiconductor and wireless system solutions company, focusing on innovative, ultra-low-power and high-performance products for next-generation wireless applications. Redpine was founded in 2001 and was the "first in the industry to launch an ultra-low-power, low-cost, single-stream 802.11n chipset in late 2007. Again, in 2009, Redpine pioneered the adoption of self-contained 802.11n modules into the then emerging M2M market. Redpine offers chipsets, modules, and solutions, covering multiple market segments, including industrial, consumer electronics, medical, mobile, PC, and smart energy. Its technology portfolio includes multi-stream 802.11n, 802.11ac, BT4.0, and mobile WiMax (802.16e). The company has more than 150 employees worldwide. For more information on Redpine products, contact Redpine at [email protected].