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Crossbow Signs Partnership With Atmel to Enable 802.15.4 Wireless Market; Integrated Hardware and Software Platforms Provide Solution for Wireless Sensor Network Applications

Posted on: Tuesday, 27 June 2006, 09:00 CDT

Crossbow Technology, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Atmel(R) Corporation to accelerate time-to-deployment for 802.15.4 wireless sensor network OEM designs.

The partnership will deliver optimized integration of hardware and software platforms for OEMs and includes:

-- Support for Atmel's AVR(R) Z-Link(TM) 802.15.4 hardware solution in Crossbow's MoteWorks(TM) wireless sensor network mesh networking platform.

-- Development of a Crossbow MICA OEM transceiver module, integrating Atmel's ATmega1281 microcontroller and AT86RF230 802.15.4 transceiver chips into a low-power module for wireless sensor applications with multiple years of battery lifetime.

-- Delivery of MoteWorks evaluation copy in Atmel's 802.15.4 Demonstration Kit, providing OEMs with a complete hardware and software solution for reliable, low-power mesh networking applications.

-- Leverage Crossbow's expertise in sensors and sensor integration and engineering services capabilities to provide OEMs with fast time-to-deployment for 802.15.4 based wireless sensor network applications.

MoteWorks is an open standards-based platform for reliable, low-power wireless sensor network OEM designs that has been proven in numerous OEM applications and was awarded Sensors Magazine's "Best of Show" Gold Award at Sensors Expo in Chicago this month.

The MoteWorks software platform includes:

-- Complete Networking Platform for Wireless Sensors with 99.99% mesh network reliability, choice of network topology and power profiles and open programming APIs.

-- Network commissioning and management with reliable, low-power over-the-air-programming of deployed wireless sensor networks.

-- Enterprise connectivity through XML-based application server middleware for transparent message routing, message parsing and server-side application development.

-- Broad sensor support through a large library of sensor drivers.

Atmel's solution includes their ultra low-power, high-sensitivity 2.4 GHz AT86RF230 802.15.4 radio, a choice of ultra low power AVR microcontrollers with flash densities of 64-, 128- or 256KB, and a small footprint, fully compliant media access control (MAC) software optimized for the AVR architecture. This chip combination consumes less than 2 uA in sleep mode and has a 103 dB link budget with an operating range of up to 2.8 times that of any 802.15.4 solution on the market today. The wider operating range means that an 802.15.4 system can be deployed with fewer nodes, significantly reducing system cost.

Availability

The MoteWorks evaluation copy is included in Atmel's 802.15.4 Demonstration Kit.

Crossbow's MICA OEM module, incorporating the ATmega 1281 and AT86RF230 chips is scheduled for Q4 2006 volume availability.

About Crossbow

Crossbow Technology, Inc. is the leading technology platform provider for the wireless sensor network market. Founded in 1995, Crossbow's wireless sensor networks products are used by Fortune 100 and start-up companies alike for applications including industrial automation, building automation, home automation, environmental control, defense, security and asset tracking.

Crossbow is a privately held company. Major investors include Cisco Systems, Intel, Morgenthaler Ventures, Paladin Capital Group and The Cambria Group. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Crossbow has representation in 24 countries world wide through direct offices and distributors.

For more information about Crossbow, please visit www.xbow.com or call 1-800-926-9832.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(R).

Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R), AVR(R) and others, are registered trademarks, Z-Link(TM), and others are trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be the trademarks of others.

Source: Business Wire

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