David - -
An interesting question, as it’s a seemingly trivial application of
Bluetooth (802.11b) wireless technology to power controls or sensors.
As I’m sure you’re aware, the X-10 power line controllers perform much
the same function through electrical wiring.
However, much of the Bluetooth activity has centered on automotive,
computer and audio (including cell phone) activities, rather than home
controls. A quick check of Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Quality Lab
(WHQL) testing shows that it’s hard to find the category in which
these controllers would reside. Nor does the old bluetoothweb.com
(now called wirelessdirectory.com), which has a good directory of
Bluetooth activities, show much available for the home. References in
that directory to controls or controllers are to chip designs or
PC-based control modules.
There is some good news: a recently written weblog gives us a few
clues on implementations of wireless for home uses:
Bluetooth Weblog
Garth Gutenberg’s "A Day in the Life . . . Bluetooth at Home" (March
8, 2003)
http://bluetooth.weblogs.com/discuss/msgReader$534
As noted in Gutenberg’s article, the Hassnet JB-3000 control modules
have yet to ship, as you’ll note in reading the detail product
specifications on the Hassnet page. Hassnet is a Korean company
that’s less than 4 years old:
Hassnet
"JazzBlue: LAN/PSTN Access Points & Bluetooth Wireless Automation and
Control Units"
http://www.hassnet.com/product/jazzblue.asp
The closest product providing the types of I/O that you’re seeking is
Roving Networks’ BlueSentry D/A and A/D products:
Roving Networks
"Products" (2003)
http://www.rovingnetworks.com/products.htm
The BlueSentry provides the ability to sense state or outputs from
other devices in the A/D version and acts to control power devices in
the D/A version:
http://www.rovingnetworks.com/documents/Bluesentry.pdf
Right now the BlueSentry products are available from the company at
$199 per controller.
The BlueX product mentioned in the Gutenberg’s excellent overview is
not mentioned on the Roving Networks website and several attempts to
call the company on Friday morning received no response.
Google search strategy:
Bluetooth + "controllers"
Bluetooth + "sensors" + home
Bluetooth + "control modules"
X10 + "control modules"
So at this point, you’re a little ahead of the "power curve" on home
sensors and controls (no pun intended).
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA |
Request for Answer Clarification by
davepies-ga
on
25 Apr 2003 09:33 PDT
Hello - although this piece fills in a gap in my knowledge
(bluetooth), the only overlap with the question is the fact that the
Bluesentry Bluetooth Interface includes 2 general purpose circuits,
that can be controlled as open / close relays (from what I can gather)
from a given distance. 2 circuits is better than none, and I can try
and get my head around the fact that there is an access point (much
like 802.11), and whether you can use several of these side by side to
control several general purpose things.
The other half of the question was the opposite: when something remote
forces a relay switch high or low, a signal is sent back to the
controller to let it know.
If you can point to some more information just on the first point
(e.g. comparisons with WiFi, the way the interface works, does the
microwave affect it...) then I will be a happy chappy.
thanks,
David
|
Clarification of Answer by
omnivorous-ga
on
26 Apr 2003 13:00 PDT
David --
It's a busy weekend and I just wanted you to know that I'll get to the
clarification before it's over. I talked with one of the Roving
Networks people last week and can add some first hand information.
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA
|
Clarification of Answer by
omnivorous-ga
on
28 Apr 2003 08:44 PDT
David - -
I chose Bluetooth for the sensor and controller products, knowing that
it would be the most-likely implementation of home automation due to
cost.
Bluetooth deliveries have been slower than originally predicted, but
Xilinx goes out on a limb for a forecast of units -- and OEM
semiconductor pricing:
2002: $17, 121 million units
2003: $8
2004: $7
2005: $6, 1.1 billion units
The Xilinx forecast in in it's "Bluetooth Introduction" (undated)
contains excellent breakdowns by cellular/mobile/desktop/access point
markets and is available here:
http://www.xilinx.com/esp/bluetooth/tutorials/intro.htm
Complete Bluetooth transceivers are about $13 in bill-of-materials at
the hardware level, according to Cambridge Silicon Radio, a U.K.
supplier. Of course there are software costs on top of this, as well
as the costs of the surrounding hardware (not to mention profits and
overhead for the suppliers). All of this to say that Bluetooth 802.11
isn’t in the same ballpark as X10 units, which send signals over power
lines. But they offer better software control and security.
The Roving Networks D/A sensor, which has a sample rate of 100Hz,
should accomplish the device control that you’re seeking. The spec
sheet for the product is here:
Roving Networks
"BlueSentry Bluetooth Sensor Interface" (December, 2002)
http://www.rovingnetworks.com/documents/Bluesentry.pdf
You’ll note on company web pages that the BlueSentry product will have
L2CAP and SPP modes in a version being introduced this month. L2CAP
is the logical link controller and adaptation protocol, which controls
both security and quality of service information. In talking with
Roving Networks early last week, reliability and noise immunity should
be higher than the inexpensive X10 solutions, which use electrical
wiring.
Most early reports worrying about microwave interference say that the
software for authentication and security is good with Bluetooth,
though the interference may cut data rates by 15-30%:
Computerworld
"Jams Ahead for Wireless LANs" (May 22, 2000)
http://www.computerworld.com/news/2000/story/0,11280,45106,00.html
University of Victoria
School of Electrical & Computer Engineering
"Bluetooth Technology Evaluation Project" (undated)
http://www.ece.uvic.ca/499/2001a/group19/Introduction.htm
There’s been scads written about the Bluetooth interface and I’m not
exactly certain what you’d like to see in terms of interface.
Obviously a lot depends on software supplied with each device. At the
core level, Frontline Test Equipment does a pretty good job of
providing an overview of the Host Controller Interfaces (HCIs):
Frontline Test Equipment
"FTS for Bluetooth" (undated)
http://www.fte.com/blu01.asp
A Google search strategy using "Bluetooth" and anything turns up
thousands or even tens of thousands of documents. It’s a
well-documented public protocol.
One of the prime differences between WiFi and Bluetooth is range, the
former designed for 500m and the latter for distances of 10m and a
second is data rates (11Mbps vs. 400kbps). The design differences
contribute to cost differences of 10X for WiFi. Detailed differences
in specification are contained in these lecture notes from Prof. Jeff
Bayer’s University of Texas design class. I couldn’t get this
presentation to load directly from the UTexas site but it is available
in the Google cache. If you have problems getting to it, use the
Google search term “WiFi vs. Bluetooth” and it should appear as the
4th reference:
University of Texas
MIS 6327 (Fall, 2001)
http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:uTOQFl1WkUEC:www.utdallas.edu/~jbayer/MIS6327/mis_6327.htm+%22wifi+vs.+bluetooth%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
davepies-ga
on
28 Apr 2003 10:06 PDT
Hello again - I am currently looking to gather temperature information
from around a property - biggest distance 20meters through the odd
little wall. I can see the system you have described does this but I
then need it to be understood by a "Premise" automation system
(www.premisesystems.com)
Will it work?
thanks
david
|
Clarification of Answer by
omnivorous-ga
on
28 Apr 2003 11:10 PDT
The Premise Systems or Lantronix product doesn’t seem to have WiFi or
Bluetooth capabilities built in, though they are using a variety of
wired and wireless protocols to get data. (They show no
Bluetooth/WiFi devices, but show support for X10, some RF, and even
infra-red protocols:
Lantronix
"What’s New in Premise 2.0"
http://www.premisesystems.com/product/new.html
A complete list of supported devices is available:
"Supported Device Directory"
http://www.premisesystems.com/product/devices
The Premise Systems forums (which require registration) has a thread
started by the company asking for what additional drivers should be
written for the system. The systems most in-demand seem to be X10
drivers (and there are so far no requests for Bluetooth or WiFi
devices, though many recognize that open systems designs are the wave
of the future), with requests for USB control of a number of devices
too.
That said, the Premise Systems software seems to be very open, using a
TCP/IP and .Net foundation, so it should be relatively easy to add.
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA
|
Clarification of Answer by
omnivorous-ga
on
24 Feb 2005 08:09 PST
David --
I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about the
ZigBee wireless alliance and thought about this question. Since I
can't link the WSJ article directly, I'll provide the ZigBee link:
http://www.zigbee.org/en/index.asp
The Journal article notes that it's using unlicensed radio spectrum,
which may limit ZigBee to North American applications -- but that it
has 100 manufacturers supporting it. The Journal article is very good
in summarizing the state of the home controller market.
The area's come a LONG way since I originally wrote this Google Answer.
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA
|
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