Trilliant Uses Freescale Tech Based on IEEE 802.15.4 Protocol to Deploy Wireless Smart Grid in N. America

June 24, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

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Trilliant Inc. delivered a two-way fixed wireless smart grid deployment in North America based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) 802.15.4 compliant media access control/physical layer (MAC/PHY) from Freescale Semiconductor.

"Individuals want to do the right thing when it comes to energy efficiency. Utility company customers, for example, consistently respond well when given the devices and information to better manage energy consumption," said Bill Vogel, president and CEO of Trilliant.

"This requires a sophisticated technology infrastructure. The IEEE 802.15.4 compliant platform from Freescale allows Trilliant's smart grid network to give smart meters extended range for real-time remote monitoring, eventually providing cost-savings information for end-users," he said.

According to Mareca Hatler, director of research for ON World, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is one of the fastest-growing markets for IEEE 802.15.4.

"Freescale shipped the most [IEEE] 802.15.4 chipsets last year, and smart metering implementations made up a significant portion of the sales," Hatler said.

Trilliant adopted the IEEE 802.15.4-compliant chipsets from Freescale in 2005 to provide an integrated standards-based platform for AMI and demand response applications.

Hydro One partnered with Trilliant to provide customers with smart meters that provide both utility companies and the consumer better control and monitoring of energy use.

The companies said that consumers with this data can make more educated decisions regarding when to perform tasks that require large amounts of energy, like running heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, appliances, pumps and water heaters.

Source: Freescale Semiconductor Inc.