News and New Products

Tiny module unites industrial applications

By Warren Webb, Technical Editor -- EDN, 6/10/2008

Following the small-form-factor trend in embedded devices, Connect One just introduced the Mini Socket iWiFi serial-to-Wi-Fi module for connecting industrial devices running machine-to-machine applications to 802.11b/g wireless networks. The company based the device on the iChipSec CO2128 communication-controller chip, and it integrates wireless and SSL (secure-socket-layer) encryption algorithms and serves as a firewall to protect the embedded-system application from the Internet. To facilitate mobility, Mini Socket iWiFi supports seamless roaming between access points. The board’s 31×41-mm size and advanced power-conservation features make it an effective technology for mobile, battery-operated embedded devices.

With several sleep modes and the ability for the host application to turn off the wireless communications, minimizing power requirements. In deep-sleep mode, the module’s power consumption is only 30 μA. Simple text commands drive the Mini Socket iWiFi, which offloads the Wi-Fi drivers, WPA (Wi-Fi-protected-access) supplicant, Internet security, networking protocols, and all communication tasks from the host application. The module operates at an industrial-temperature range of −40 to +85°C (−40 to +185°F), complies with ROHS (restriction-of-hazardous-substances) directives, and is available now. Prices start at $59.