RF system solutions provider Ethertronics has unveiled a new M2M module called EtherModule 1.0. An industry first, it is the result of collaboration between the company’s three divisions – antennas, systems and chips.
Designed for M2M and other wireless applications, EtherModule 1.0 is a turnkey, plug-and-play, active antenna system module that combines Ethertronics' advanced antenna architecture and EtherChip 1.0 tunable capacitor on a printed circuit board, for easy integration by wireless product designers.
To deliver maximum performance across a wide range of frequencies and applications, according to the maker, EtherModule 1.0 offers a typical dynamic range of 20 dB. And by combining closed loop functionality with a proprietary algorithm incorporated in a microprocessor, the module dynamically senses and optimizes the antenna system without external control signals from the device.
As a result, it provides a tuning capability that enables the seamless adjustment of the antenna to its dynamic requirements, such as frequency shift, hand, head and environmental effects, or more bandwidth.
Consequently, added Ethertronics, it offers true turnkey plug-and-play antenna system that can be integrated into M2M devices. This minimizes the need for additional engineering design, getting products to market faster.
EtherModule 1.0 also leverages the company's recently launched EtherChip 1.0 tunable capacitor, utilizing Air InteRFace Digital Conditioning technology. The first in a series of building blocks for RF front-end module chips to provide more "smarts" to antenna and RF systems, the EtherChip 1.0 enables characteristics of the antenna and RF performance to adapt to the environment experienced by the antenna.
"There are a number of universal pain points for wireless product designers – from being able to deliver high performance in ever-shrinking form factors, to needing to quickly deliver new products to market, while remaining competitive and relevant,” said Laurent Desclos, president and CEO at Ethertronics. “EtherModule 1.0 integrates Ethertronics' innovative active antenna, RF systems and chip technology into a turnkey plug-and-play module to provide maximum performance and reliability to M2M wireless devices."
Measuring 35-x15-x10-mm, EtherModule 1.0 covers one frequency or a wide range of frequencies (100 MHz to 3 GHz) depending on the needs. Standards covered by the frequencies include 2G, 3G and 4G cellular, as well as Bluetooth, ISM, Wi-Fi and ZigBee.
Edited by
Braden Becker