The Wi-SUN Alliance has selected Renesas’ sub-gigahertz (Sub-G) wireless solution as a candidate of the interoperability test bed units (TBUs) for the Wi-SUN FAN (Field Area Network) Certification Program. The Alliance is an international industry group that specifies wireless communication standards used within the Sub-G band. Renesas is part of the first wave of companies participating in the Wi-SUN FAN 1.0 certification process with its RAA604S00/RX651 wireless solution. Certifications are planned for the end of 2018.
The Sub-G wireless solution features Tessera Technology’s evaluation platform, which includes an evaluation board mounted with Renesas’ RAA604S00 wireless communications system-on-chip (SoC) and RX651 microcontroller (MCU), as well as communication control software provided by Renesas. Renesas demonstrated the new Sub-G wireless solution at the European Utility Week 2018 in Vienna, Austria.
Users who develop smart meters, smart illumination, infrastructure equipment, and similar products using the Renesas Sub-G wireless solution will be able to easily assure interoperability between equipment that uses the Wi-SUN FAN specification. As a result, they will be able to reduce the development period for Wi-SUN FAN-compliant application equipment by approximately one year compared with alternative solutions. The Sub-G band offers features that are resilient to physical obstacles and can transmit data even further when compared to other standards, even in urban environments. Since wide areas can be covered with good stability through mesh networks, it is appropriate for applications such smart meter communication, power usage visualization, monitoring equipment utilization, and managing various sensors within a utility, factories and buildings.
In 2015, Renesas introduced the world’s first Sub-G wireless solutions to qualify as a Wi-SUN HAN (Home Area Network) standard Certified TBU with its RAA604S00/RX63N wireless solution. In addition to the Wi-SUN HAN standard, which mainly applies to indoor systems, Renesas is now leading the industry with testing for early certification for the Wi-SUN FAN standard, which applies mainly to networks for smart cities, smart utilities, and other applications requiring large-scale networks. This solution provides developers a jumpstart on creating applications such as power management equipment and sensor equipment that support the Wi-SUN FAN standard. Accelerating device interoperability through the Wi-SUN FAN specification supports the deployment of secure, meshable, and adaptable multi-service networks for connecting key infrastructure within energy management and urban environment applications that form the basis of smart city technologies.
