A3
A3 System Overview
Spinwave Systems’ A3 Wireless Sensor Network has been specifically designed for the building automation market.
- The Network outsmarts changing RF interferences with self-adapting frequency agility in three dimensions, using Spinwave’s U.S. patent pending extension of the IEEE 802.15.4 specification.
- The installed cost per point is, in many cases, significantly lower than traditional hardwired sensor solutions.
- The industry’s broadest range of integration options make it easy and cost-effective to interface to virtually any Building Management System.
Applications include:
- Schools and Universities
- Manufacturing Facilities
- Housing
- Retail Space
- Office Buildings
- Warehouses
- Entertainment Venues
- Medical Facilities
- Government Buildings
A3 System Architecture
The Spinwave A3 product line provides a complete solution consisting of:
| Sensors and Repeaters | |
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Wireless Sensors are available in a variety of form factors (e.g. zone, outdoor, duct) and for measuring different environmental variables (e.g. temperature, humidity, electricity/gas/water, voltage).
Wireless sensors are typically battery-powered. Sophisticated power management results in long battery life – 3 to 8 years, depending on transmission intervals. Optionally, sensors can be line-powered, using a small switching power supply that fits into a standard gang box. When a sensor detects the presence of a power supply, it will automatically also function as a repeater/router. |
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Mesh Repeaters/Routers significantly extend the range and node count of wireless sensor networks.
Repeaters/Routers provide alternate wireless communication paths from sensors to other Repeaters to RF receiver modules thus improving the network’s ability to cope with obstacles. The wireless network will automatically “heal” and reconfigure itself if a communication path is obstructed. The ZigBee Edge Router interfaces 3rd Party ZigBee sensors to the A3 wireless network. ZigBee devices can benefit from enhanced integration options and superior interference avoidance. |
| Deployment Tools | |
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The mobile Site Survey Tool allows users to easily test the RF link quality and signal strength at desired sensor locations prior to installation.
The Site Survey Tool takes the guesswork out of quotes and installations. |
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NetQuest software is a PC-resident commissioning and maintenance tool for Spinwave’s A3 Wireless Sensor Networks and provides the ability to manage a wireless network remotely from a central location. NetQuest allows user to:
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| BMS Interface Options | |
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The BMS Protocol Interface easily connects Spinwave’s wireless sensors to open-p rotocol Building Management Systems (BMS).
Up to 31 separate wireless devices (sensors and/or repeaters) are supported per BMS Protocol Interface. Sensor data points are mapped to BMS network variables and are presented to the Building Management System as native BACnet objects, LON SNVTs or Modbus registers. |
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The Direct I/O Interface is ideal for applications requiring only a few sensors or for situations where the Building Management System does not provide open protocol connectivity.
Up to 8 wireless sensors are supported per Direct I/O Interface through 4 analog outputs and 5 digital outputs. Wireless sensor values are mapped to analog outputs. Sensor override buttons can be assigned to digital outputs. To make wireless sensor readings available to a Building Management System, I/O Interface outputs are simply wired to building automation controller inputs. |
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The ASCII Protocol Interface allows for easy serial protocol integration of wireless sensor networks with proprietary embedded devices and PCs.
Sensor data is provided via the interface’s RS-485 port and easy to parse text messages. The ASCII Protocol Interface is supported by Spinwave’s Logger software for PC-based logging of sensor data in CSV, XML and HTML formats. Microsoft Excel integration provides a cost-effective graphical reporting solution. |