San Diego — Xecom, Inc., Milpitas, California, introduced Monday at Wireless Systems 2004 two power saving features in its XE900SL10, miniature 900 MHz spread-spectrum transceiver module. These features reduce power consumption and provide new tools for designers of portable systems and battery-powered applications in their battle to extend battery life. In a typical remote monitoring application, such as water meter reading, the XE900SL10 can operate as long as five years on a single AA battery.

The two new power saving modes, sleep mode and power-down mode, substantially reduce power consumption compared to the previous generation product. The lower power requirement combined with the XE900SL10’s miniature 1-inch square package makes the XE900SL10 suited for designers of portable systems.

In sleep mode, the module performs a full system shutdown, reducing the total current draw to less than 40 microamps from the 3.3 V power source. This represents a 99.7 percent decrease in the power required compared with an idle transceiver without the sleep mode. The module awakens automatically and reverts to its previous operating mode upon receipt of any input.

In the power-down mode, only the RF portion of the module is turned off. This permits the system host to issue commands for configuration and control of the transceiver while drawing less than 500 microamps. The command & control mode does not substantially slow system response. From the command & control mode, the module can jump to the RF transmit mode or RF receive mode in just 200 microseconds.

The XE900SL10 is a Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum Transceiver in the 900 MHz ISM band. It provides long-range data communications at relatively low data rates. The module transmits with an output power of up to 10 milliwatts and provides a range of 300 feet or more in obstructed environments including transmission through walls, floors and ceilings. The module sells for $20.95 each in 10,000 piece quantities.

For more information, visit www.xecom.com.

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