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Spinwave's
A3
Wireless Sensor Networks: System Overview

Spinwave Systems’ A3
Wireless Sensor Network has been specifically designed for the building
automation market.
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The Network outsmarts
changing RF interferences with
self-adapting frequency agility in three
dimensions, using Spinwave’s U.S. patent pending extension of
the IEEE 802.15.4 specification.
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The installed cost per
point is, in many cases, significantly lower than traditional
hardwired sensor solutions.
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The industry’s broadest
range of integration options make it easy and cost-effective to
interface to virtually any Building Management System.
Applications include:
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Schools and
Universities
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Manufacturing Facilities
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Housing
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Retail Space
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Office Buildings
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Warehouses
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Entertainment Venues
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Medical Facilities
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Government Buildings
Click to learn
how A3 technology withstands the most challenging RF environments.
Spinwave’s A3
product line provides a complete solution consisting of:
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Sensors and Repeaters |
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Wireless
Sensors are available in a variety of form factors (e.g.
zone, outdoor, duct) and for measuring different environmental
variables (e.g.
temperature,
humidity,
electricity/gas/water,
voltage).
Wireless sensors are typically battery-powered. Sophisticated
power management results in long battery life - 3 to 8 years,
depending on transmission intervals.
Optionally, sensors can be line-powered, using a small switching
power supply that fits into a standard gang box. When a sensor
detects the presence of a power supply, it will automatically
also function as a repeater/router.
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Wireless Pulse
Counters are used to wirelessly transmit electric/water/gas
meter values and make them available as BACnet, LON or Modbus
variables using Spinwave’s BMS Protocol Interface or as digital
outputs (pulse replication) using a BMS I/O Interface.
The
Pulse Counter consists
of a high-power radio and a signal conditioning module. The
radio is connected through a standard CAT5 cable to the signal
conditioning module, providing data and power to the radio.
Pulse Counters can
be battery or line-powered. A set of 6 D-Cell batteries will
last for up to 8 years. Pulse counters are suited for both
indoor and outdoor applications (when
mounted in weather-proof enclosures). |
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Mesh
Repeaters/Routers significantly extend the range and node
count of wireless sensor networks.
Repeaters/Routers provide alternate wireless communication paths
from sensors to other Repeaters to RF receiver modules thus
improving the network’s ability to cope with obstacles.
The wireless network will automatically “heal” and reconfigure
itself if a communication path is obstructed.
The ZigBee Edge Router interfaces 3rd Party ZigBee
sensors to the A3 wireless network. ZigBee devices can benefit
from enhanced integration options and superior interference
avoidance.
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Deployment Tools |
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The mobile
Site Survey Tool allows users to easily test the RF link
quality and signal strength at desired sensor locations prior to
installation.
The
Site Survey Tool takes the guesswork out of quotes and
installations.
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NetQuest™
software is a PC-resident commissioning and maintenance tool
for Spinwave’s A3 Wireless Sensor Networks.
Based on the Microsoft .Net3 framework, it
provides the ability to manage a wireless network remotely from
a central location.
NetQuest allows user to:
- Connect a PC to a sensor
network
Import building floor plans
- Automatically discover
wireless network devices
- Configure sensors and
interfaces
- Graphically map sensor
values to interface objects(BACnet objects, LON SNVTs,
Modbus registers, or I/O terminals)
- Monitor and verify sensor
data and network status
Document system configurations
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BMS Interface Options |
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The BMS
Protocol Interface easily connects Spinwave’s wireless sensors
to open-protocol Building Management Systems (BMS).
Up to 31 separate wireless devices (sensors and/or repeaters)
are supported per
BMS Protocol Interface.
Sensor data points are mapped to BMS network variables and are
presented to the Building Management System as native BACnet
objects, LON SNVTs or Modbus registers.
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The Direct I/O Interface is ideal
for applications requiring only a few sensors or for situations where
the Building Management System does not provide open protocol
connectivity.
Up to 8 wireless sensors are supported per
Direct I/O Interface through
4 analog outputs and 5 digital outputs.
Wireless sensor values are mapped to analog outputs. Sensor override
buttons can be assigned to digital outputs.
To make wireless sensor readings available to a Building Management
System, I/O Interface outputs are simply wired to building automation
controller inputs.
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The ASCII
Protocol Interface allows for easy serial protocol
integration of wireless sensor networks with proprietary
embedded devices and PCs.
Sensor data is provided via the interface’s RS-485 port and easy
to parse text messages.
The ASCII Protocol Interface is supported by Spinwave’s Logger
software for PC-based logging of sensor data in CSV, XML and
HTML formats. Microsoft EXCEL™ integration provides a
cost-effective graphical reporting solution. |

System Architecture

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