New IEEE802.15.4 MAC Software from A.N. Solutions Offers Ultimate Flexibility to Developers

@ANY SMS offers developers an easy control of @ANY 868/915 MHz and 2.4 GHz hardware platforms’ functionality via AT commands supporting all IEEE 802.15.4-based functions. Additionally, @ANY SMS facilitates the incorporation of numerous custom features, allowing developers an utmost flexibility.

"At A.N. Solutions, we apply the same modular approach to both hardware and software design,” said Thomas Lerm, CEO of A.N. Solutions GmbH. “The goal is to offer our clients easy-to-use, interoperable components that can be mixed-and-matched depending on their exact requirements. @ANY Smart MAC Suite simplifies the developer’s task and helps cut time to market by offering handy software tools to control and customize the hardware platform."

@ANY SMS comes in two versions, SMS Base and SMS Pro, which are tailored to different Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) applications. Both versions are offered with @ANY SMS Monitor, a user-friendly and easy to customize GUI for network monitoring and application-driven extensions.

@ANY SMS Base version provides essential functionality designed for simple network topologies and evaluation purposes. It can be used to set up Coordinator - End Device link, using star or peer-to-peer topologies. SMS provides a simplified, widely common, adjustable communication interface using a standardized AT command set via RS232 interface. It allows controlling the majority of @ANY platform features and enables flexible commissioning procedures, as well as easy debugging and testing.

@ANY SMS Pro version facilitates development of complex applications and supports additional Tree topologies with static routing, based on IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer. This allows a large number of versatile example applications. SMS Pro features data broadcasting and full function device capabilities. SMS Pro has a built-in frame redirection feature that can be used to forward data to different network nodes. This important feature allows to create tree networks without host intelligence. Routing algorithms that are not included in @ANY SMS toolchain, can be added as part of the customer-specific extensions.

The key features of @ANY SMS include:

• @ANY modules can be connected directly to a host processor as a communication extension by UART whereas the interfaces of the @ANY module enhance the system capabilities by adding additional sensors and actuators

• User can program and facilitate @ANY Platform without embedded programming knowledge by simply using S-Register mapping and AT-Commands

• Smart MAC Suite provides full-featured IEEE 802.15.4 functionality to users.

• Users can set up various network topologies (star, peer-to-peer and tree) using static routing.

• Data packages can be transmitted directly or indirectly / acknowledged or broadcasted.

• Temperature sensor support as used on @ANY-BRICK (LM73) and @ANY-HPT (DS7505), as well as support for up to 10 GPIO lines are already included

• More hardware support, including additional sensors (for example using ATMega TWI), more GPIO lines, ATMega AD/DA features or different UART baud rates can be provided on request. Please refer to Customization section for more information.

• Both @ANY SMS Base and @ANY SMS Pro can execute commands triggered by timer or external events without host intelligence

 

@ANY Smart MAC Suite Base is included into @ANY DESIGN development kits. Smart MAC Suite Pro is available as an upgrade at one-time-license fee. They are subject to the user license agreement terms. Developers can now create and edit EEPROM configuration data for use with our @ANY SMS software online as easy as one, two, three. A user-friendly profile generator is available at http://an-solutions.de/cgi-bin/sms_profiler.py. In order to provide maximum design flexibility for the clients, A.N. Solutions offers RF design and engineering services. Software customization services cover all major IEEE802.15.4-based software stacks, including ZigBee PRO, related profiles, and 6LoWPAN. For more information on A.N. Solutions Sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz hardware and software products, please visit http://an-solutions.de/products.html.