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WINSYSTEMS' PC/104-PLUS 802.11B/G WIRELESS ETHERNET MODULE CUTS THE CABLE
RUGGED AND RELIABLE WIRELESS MODULE LINKS INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
01 March 2003 - WinSystems
| WinSystems introduces the PPM-Wireless, a PC/104-Plus module, enabling both 802.11b and rapid 802.11g wireless networking capabilities. The technology provides a high-speed, industrial data network based upon MiniPCI wireless modules and the Ethernet utilizing a TCP/IP protocol stack. This means that standard CAT5 Ethernet cable is replaced by a radio channel which simplifies cabling installation and configuration issues. Lack of cabling makes moves, adds, and changes easy for installed networks. Also, the portable nature of wireless networks lets engineers pre-configure and troubleshoot entire networks before installing them at remote locations. Once configured, a system can be moved from place to place with little or no modification. |
The PPM-Wireless is a PC/104-Plus compliant module that measures 90mm x 96mm. On board are the interface electronics and a MiniPCI connector. A MiniPCI card is a small version of a standard desktop PCI card with the same features and functionality of a normal PCI card but at about one quarter the size. The PPM-Wireless is shipped with an empty MiniPCI socket so that a user can install their own cards from Intel, Broadcom, Foxconn (Atheros), and others or with an Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Mini-PCI card installed by WinSystems. The Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG card is a standards-based and Wi-Fi Certified wireless local area network (WLAN) solution that allows up to 54 million bits of data to be transferred per second. It is designed to maintain high throughput at longer ranges depending upon which antenna is used. The Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG network connection fully supports today's security standards such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and can be upgraded via software downloads for future security standards such as 802.11i when it becomes available. The PPM-Wireless has a SMA external connector to enable the selection of an antenna having characteristics best suited for the application. The most common antenna types for wireless LANs are omni-directional, but directional radiation patterns are sometimes needed. An optional second connector can support diversity antenna configurations for improved performance. Typical indoor range is 100 ft (30m) @ 54Mbps or 300ft (91m) @ 1 Mbps, but it is dependent upon which MiniPCI module is used and the systems' antenna type and placement. The PPM-Wireless provides a high-performance, 32-bit PCI interface using the PC/104-Plus bus. A PC/104 pass-through connector allows placement flexibility in a mixed PC/104 and PC/104-Plus stack. An on-board 3.3V regulator allows the board to require only +5Volts.
http://www.winsystems.com/
About: WinSystems
Founded in 1982, we manufacture and distribute embedded computers for use in industrial applications. Our products include embedded PC-compatible single board computers, memory boards, input/output (I/O) and enclosures based upon the STD Bus and PC/104 Bus standard architecture.We offer three product families: Embedded PCs. We design both busless embedded single board computers (SBCs) with PC/104 and PC/104-Plus expansion and computers with a hybrid of both STD Bus and PC/104 Bus support. These units are optimized for low cost and high functionality by incorporating all of the basic functions of a computer on a single circuit card. These PC/104, PC/104-Plus and STD Bus expandable PCs embed the PC architecture in space and power sensitive industrial applications. We standardize this hardware and software around the broadly supported PC architecture to save the embedded systems designers substantial development costs and risks plus shorten their time-to-market. STD Bus. As the approved IEEE-961 standard microcomputer bus, the STD Bus is popular worldwide. The STD Bus has a number of advantages over other bus architectures used in industrial applications such as the PC Bus and Multibus. Its simple interface, smaller card size (4.5” x 6.5”); solid, nearly square peripheral cards, and strong card mounts, tolerate shock and vibrations making the STD Bus ideal for rugged industrial enviroments. PC/104 Bus. The PC/104 standard defines a compact, self-stacking, modular form-factor bus for embedding IBM PC and PC/AT compatible system functions within embedded microcomputer applications. The PC/104 modules' small size (3.6” x 3.8”) and low power requirements (typically 1-2 watts per module) make them ideally suited to embedded control applications. Distribution: Direct sales force. Markets: Orginal Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and systems integrators selling to industrial, manufacturing, transportation, communication and military industries, or other markets that require electronic bus products with rugged durability, performance and a long system life span. |
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