EnOcean has introduced a line of energy harvesting wireless sensor modules. Designed to function without the need for an external power source, these modules, ranging from a simple push button to transceiver gateways and programmable system components, are designed to operate in the 315 MHz and 868 MHz unlicensed bands.
Unlike sensors using proprietary RF protocols, EnOcean sensors are able to communicate via TCP/IP networks, which means that when installed, the energy use of any web-connected building can be managed from another web-connected device.
Examples of these modules include switches, solar sensor modules (pictured above), and bidirectional serial interface modules with programmable API.
The equipment is said to be low cost, with an example street price for the TCM200C 315 MHz bidirectional serial interface (which uses the API library) in the $50 range.
Interesting equipment to know about should you encounter it in your hardware or RF hacking. Here’s the manual for the user programmable API.
You said, “Unlike sensors using proprietary RF protocols, EnOcean sensors are able to communicate via TCP/IP networks, which means that when installed, the energy use of any web-connected building can be managed from another web-connected device.”
I read the data-sheet, I searched their site, I studied the block diagrams of their example applications – I don’t see anywhere where it is claimed they use TCP/IP for communication between these modules. The application block diagram shows a gateway with THAT connected to the outside via TCP/IP, but nothing in the enOcean network looks like it is connected via TCP/IP.
Also, the ONLY “energy harvesting” module in the enOcean line-up seems to be the one connected to a $0.25 solar cell. Your introduction seems to imply all the enOcean modules are energy harvesting. They are NOT.
The serial bridge module (which you say costs $50) is not energy harvesting. You can take an ATMEL AVR ATtiny micro-controller and pick from a number of low power ISM band transceivers to build a tiny power sipping serial to radio bridge for around $5.
If in-fact it is true that TCP/IP is NOT a part of the enOcean approach, then there’s nothing new going on here.
Finally, I find it insulting that the trolls at enOcean PATENTED the solar module. The patent office is just as much to blame too. low power sensor monitoring modules powered by ambient light with solar cells via switching converter/regulators has been around for ages. They may use a tad more energy than the enOcean module, but that hardly justifies a blanket patent on the technology being awarded to enOcean.
One more thing… enOcean claims their technology allows hundreds of modules to co-exist and still maintain a high probability of data throughput. They compares this graphically to “typical Radio Sensors” which show no throughput with only a few sensors operating.
This is completely mis-leading. I can only assume the graph is assuming there is NO transmission protocol being used that allows co-located transmitters on the “typical radio sensors”; which would NOT be the case with a properly designed sensor module.
An inexpensive ISM radio module will leave the transmission protocol up to the designer. The transmission protocol is managed in the micro-controller. There are any number of air protocols that allow the co-location of any number of transmitters. A simple example is X.25/AX.25 with allows contention-based packet-based sharing of the network. Modern protocols even allow co-operation of any number of transmitters (mesh connection with repeating).
These protocols are well studied and highly optimized with many years of research and testing behind them. It is extremely hard to believe that enOcean has done something so dramatic in this ares – but you would never know that looking at the graphs of their comparative radio throughput.
Drone,
I kind of agree on your view on silly patenting.
However, to defent the article writer on one point: I believe one more module (in addition to the solar panel) is an “energy harvesting” [buzzword!] device. And that’s the push button.
It get’s its energy for the RF communication from a small charge from the button press of a human hand. Can be used e.g. for a light switch.
But yeah, the patent system is so broken. There’s too much trolls and silly patents, so the system seems to harm/slow down innovation more than it protects/promotes. Revolutionize it, I’d say.