Telegesis make 'In Home Displays' easier

Date: 29/6/2009

Telegesis (UK) Ltd manufacturers of advanced ZigBee modules today announced that it has released a new software command set for ZigBee Smart Energy ‘In Home Displays'.

The Telegesis SE IPD command set is designed to simplify the design of ‘In Home Displays' which inform the consumer about their energy consumption, either graphically or via text displaying pricing and usage information to involve the consumer in energy management options and potential savings.

By using the Telegesis IPD AT command set Designers can quickly develop a compliant ‘In Home Display' without complex embedded code. To simplify communication with Telegesis ZigBee modules, the AT-style command set, similar to the industry standard Hayes modem control language is used to issue and acknowledge over 30 commands needed to control an ‘In Home Display' as specified in the ZigBee Smart Energy application profile.

The ZigBee Smart Energy Profile is an application defining messages necessary to enable Smart Energy functionality between metering equipment and other ZigBee Smart energy Home Area Network (HAN) devices. This includes activities such as reading data from energy or water meters, demand response/load control applications, communicating price signals, and presenting information or text messages to consumers via In Home Display devices.

The AT IPD command set works with the Telegesis range of ZigBee modules which allow designers to quickly add ZigBee functionality into virtually any device and provide a low cost, low power ZigBee solution based on the EmberZNet ZigBee PRO stack. No RF expertise is required to add ZigBee networking capability to products using the ETRX2 which offers fast integration and the shortest possible time to market.

The SE IPD AT command line interpreter is based on the Zigbee Smart Energy R14 specification using the ZigBee PRO feature set of ZigBee 2007. Interoperability with other devices implementing the Smart Energy Application Profile and which also use the ZigBee PRO feature set is guaranteed.

Ollie Smith Business Development Director of Telegesis commented "‘In Home Displays' are a vital part of the Smart Metering revolution. Our AT command set plays a key role in simplifying and accelerating the design of these displays. Any competent designer can now easily produce a compliant ZigBee Smart energy In Home Display'".