NXP shows smart home control using 6LoWPAN
At an IPSO Alliance event on the “Internet of Things”, NXP Semiconductors presented a smart home control demo using JenNet-IP – its ultra-low-power wireless connectivity network layer software based on 6LoWPAN. The demonstrator showed compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), LED light bulbs, smart plugs and a display panel – each with its own IP address – monitored and controlled wirelessly by popular tablet computers as part of a secure network.
Building on the GreenChip smart lighting demo released earlier this year, the new JenNet-IP home control demo also showed how groups of lights and other devices can be managed through a mobile app, and how energy usage in the home can be monitored in real time. A Wi-Fi gateway with a USB dongle based on the NXP JN5148 wireless microcontroller served as a bridge between the 6LoWPAN IPv6-based home wireless network and the local IPv4-based wireless network, and also provides a DHCP server for the IP addresses of local 6LoWPAN devices.
At the opportunity of the presentation, NXP renewed its commitment to the wireless low power technology as a strategic building block for smart lighting. “Smart lighting as a concept has sparked the imagination of industry observers worldwide, and the feedback we’ve received on JenNet-IP – from customers and partners – has been brilliant,” said Jim Lindop, chief strategist, Low Power RF product line, NXP Semiconductors. “NXP is firmly committed to the ongoing development of ultra-low-power 802.15.4-based solutions for wireless connectivity in the smart home, in smart buildings, and in smart industrial environments.”
Recent updates to the JenNet-IP protocol include enhanced gatewayless operation, allowing consumers to use remote controls and switches to control devices in the home without an Internet connection. This is particularly important as consumers will typically start off with a small number of IP-enabled lights and a single remote, adding more lights, devices and remote controls as they become familiar with the technology, before finally upgrading the system to include an Internet gateway. Enabling the network to work independently from an Internet gateway ensures that the network will continue to work if the gateway fails, thus overcoming a weakness of other wireless control solutions. Other updates to JenNet-IP include faster throughput, improved security, and support for more types of Building and Home Automation devices in the SNAP (Simple Network Access Protocol) layer.
JenNet-IP is a sophisticated network layer using the IPv6 addressing and header compression schemes as defined in the IETF 6LoWPAN standard, and is designed for ultra-low-power networking based on IEEE 802.15.4 for both residential and industrial applications. Capable of scaling to support large networks up to 500 devices, JenNet-IP has many attractive features including ultra-low power consumption, long RF range, low memory footprint, and a low total cost of ownership. In May, NXP announced its intent to make JenNet-IP available under an Open Source license.
Information on JenNet-IP is available at https://www.nxp.com/jennic/products/protocol_stacks/jennet-ip
Additional information can be found by visiting www.nxp.com.
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