The AME Zigbee platform
Total solution provider
Applied Micro Electronics BV is an experienced total solution provider of Zigbee technology. It provides the complete hardware/software development and manufacturing chain of:
• Zigbee Gateway Devices (AME Gateway-200 platform)
Based on an ARM-9 with embedded Linux operating system
• Zigbee Reduced Functional End devices (RFED)
Especially suitable for battery-powered end devices due to low power consumption and advanced sleep behaviour
• Zigbee Full Function Devices (FFD)
Continuously standby and act as router
Connectivity architecture
Figure 2 outlines the software architecture of the platform. The AME Gateway platform bridges the Zigbee network to Ethernet and thereby opens the door towards a multi-network platform, where each network is linked to another network either through a gateway-to-gateway connection, or centrally controlled from a server park. This multi-network platform concept pushes Zigbee technology beyond local home automation and smart metering into corporate building automation and energy management.
Technology integration
As a total solution provider AME offers the possibility to truly integrate various technologies on a single System-on-Chip platform. Examples are DECT, TCP/IP (Wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi), Bluetooth and USB. Remote firmware upgrading The AME Zigbee platform allows for robust remote upgrading of all its products with a minimal down-time. The Firmware Upgrade application on the gateway device offers remote downloading of a complete firmware image or separate packages in the background. In addition, each Zigbee node offers over-the-air firmware upgrading from the gateway device. In either case, once downloading is complete, the firmware is validated and activated through a reboot cycle in a controlled fashion.
Interoperability
Committing to the public profiles of the Zigbee Cluster Library standard enables interaction between Zigbee devices of different vendors. In practice, it will be possible to control
an end device of brand “X” with an actuator of brand “Y”, if both implement the same public profile. A network will be formed automatically with all ZigBee compliant devices in range, independent of the brand or device type. As more and more devices are equipped with the ZigBee technology, interoperability of all types of devices around us becomes possible.