[September 19, 2008]

Sensinode Intros New Software Stack, Wireless Router and Mesh Gateway

By Arun Satapathy

TMCnet Contributing Editor

Sensinode is now offering a new software stack, a new wireless router and a new mesh gateway for M-Bus (Metering Bus). These new products extend the power of wireless sensor technologies in both near- and mid-range applications — including Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and smart object applications in very low power distributed networks based on Texas Instruments' (News - Alert) low-power RF devices for 868/915 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency range in module form factor from Radiocrafts.

The solution consists of NanoStack 2.0, the new NanoRouter 2.0 wireless Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) router and the advanced NanoGateway 2.0 for M-Bus that provides better scalability, cost-efficiency and coverage among urban and suburban AMI wireless networking infrastructure solutions.

Leveraging the Texas Instruments CC2430 2.4GHz IEEE (News - Alert)/802.15.4 system-on-chip, Sensinode energizes growth of low-cost, small form factor IP-enabled devices’ market by providing advanced networking solutions based on the 6LoWPAN standard. NanoStack 2.0 also supports the TI CC110 low-power 868/915 MHz radio chip, for applications that benefit from extended range (up to several kilometers).

NanoStack 2.0 is a new release of Sensinode's communication stack for IP-based wireless sensor networks that extends IP-based technology into a new realm of low-power, reliable Radio Frequency (RF) transmission of sensor and control data.

NanoStack 2.0 is platform and radio independent and it gives chip manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), systems integrators and solution providers a fast, easy and cost-efficient way to boost their business by utilizing open standards and innovative low-power mesh solutions on inexpensive radios.

NanoRouter 2.0 is a gateway router solution (consisting of both leading edge software and performance optimized hardware) between IP-based 6LoWPAN low-power wireless networks and backbone IP networks. NanoRouter 2.0 offers scalable, reliable and seamless connectivity between Internet and wireless sensor networks. Key features of the NanoRouter family include Ethernet and Power-over-Ethernet support, multiple 6LoWPAN radio support, long-range radio performance and end-to-end IPv6.

NanoGateway 2.0 for M-Bus connects point-to-point M-Bus devices seamlessly into the larger IP-based AMI mesh network. It increases the flexibility of wireless M-Bus and provides utilities with an easy-to-implement and efficient way to extend their networking solution with mesh technology. Key features of the NanoGateway 2.0 for M-Bus include 868/915 MHz and 2.4GHz support, 6LoWPAN networking and interoperability.

"As a leader in the commercial deployment of IP-based 802.15.4 wireless systems, Sensinode is in continuous contact with global organizations deploying a wide range of sensor network applications," said Endale Mitiku, VP Marketing/Sales for Sensinode. "In industries such as energy, customers are looking for the ease of operation and confidence of IP-based networks. Supporting utility industry standard RF frequencies is a natural extension of our position."

"The NanoStack, NanoRouter and NanoGateway 2.0 products are important developments in the evolution of wireless sensor networks," said Mark Grazier, manager of the TI Low-Power RF Developer Network. "By extending IP-based networks across the frequency spectrum, from the utility industry standard 868/915 MHz to 2.5 GHz, Sensinode complements TI's strategies for extending the reach of low-power wireless networking solutions."

The company said that the NanoStack 2.0, NanoRouter 2.0 and NanoGateway 2.0 for M-Bus will be available in the fourth quarter of 2008 for worldwide licensing and delivery.

INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO West 2008 — the biggest and most comprehensive IP communications event of the year — concluded Thursday in Los Angeles, California. Thousands of attendees flocked to the event for three valuable days of exhibits, conferences and networking opportunities. Mark your calendar now for ITEXPO East 2009, February 2-4, 2009, in sunny Miami, Florida.

Read archived editions of Show Daily eNewsletters from ITEXPO (News - Alert) West 2008 here. See you in February!