Technologies

Private Radio

Proprietary communications networks, such as licensed radio devices, have been the leading wireless technology for electric utilities and will continue to play a major role in the years to come. Boasting extensive field-tested reliability, licensed radios have many benefits contributing to the Smart Grid. Building redundancy into a private network through backup power or additional sites can help ensure availability during bad weather or peak traffic times. And, private operators maintain control over traffic, helping to ensure there’s always enough capacity.

Parallel Decode™

Parallel Decode adds a whole new dimension to the mobile data world by providing two separate data paths between base stations and mobile units. The advanced DSP modems are able to examine two copies of the same message and rebuild missing data. For the user, this means better range using the same number of radio towers and a faster bit rate without having to add infrastructure. It also means faster response times since there is a reduced likelihood of having to retransmit a garbled message due to fading caused by fast moving vehicles and reflected signals.

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Cloud Computing

The CalAmp On-Line Telemetric platform, or COLT, is a unique enterprise-class software solution designed specifically for telemetric and telematics applications. It provides the network architecture for connecting, coordinating and managing wireless devices. With its high-performance, scalable design, the platform is easily replicated across multiple servers allowing the system to support networks with just a handful of devices or networks with millions of devices.

PEG™

Programmable Event Generator

The LMU family of CalAmp products employs PEG to meet the needs of your application. This advanced on-board alert engine monitors external conditions and supports customer-defined exception-based rules. PEG continuously monitors the vehicle environment and responds instantaneously to pre-defined threshold conditions related to time, date, motion, location, geo-zone, input and other event combinations.

PULS™

Provisioning/Programming, Update, and Logistical System

This server-based solution providing remote configuration, management, and update services for maintenance of CalAmp LMU and related products. Remote management also includes collection of periodic check-in data used for monitoring the health of units in the field. PULS also serves as the host for manufacturing serial number assignment and test logging operations.

GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. Originally intended for the military, the system has been available for civilian and commercial use since the 1980s and has seen great advances in its technology over the years. Available 24 hours a day, today’s GPS devices can calculate amazing amounts of information other than simple longitude and latitude. Just some of the information includes speed, bearing, track, altitude, trip distance, distance to destination, and sunrise and sunset time.

Wi-Fi

Some analysts are describing Wi-Fi as one of the “keystones” of the Smart Grid. It is a mature technology with over a billion nodes deployed, and has several offerings for utilities that are keeping cost in mind. With Wi-Fi chipsets becoming increasingly cheaper to make and shipments exceeding one million units per day, economies of scale keep costs down. Wi-Fi is also seen as a versatile technology scaling from a single pair of devices to thousands of access points and clients, all employing standard TCP/IP communications, conforming to IPv4 and IPv6, and delivering speeds from 1 Mbps to 600 Mbps.

LTE

LTE is the latest standard in mobile network technology, an evolution of GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA cellular networks. With a new radio-access platform that allows operators to achieve higher throughputs with greater capacity than current 3G networks, LTE offers more efficient communications not only with speed but with cost as well.

WiMAX

WiMAX is an IP-based, wireless broadband access technology that provides performance similar to Wi-Fi networks with the coverage and quality of service (QoS) of cellular networks. WiMAX is well suited for Smart Grid applications due to its higher bandwidth, longer range access, and better mobility and security. Plus, it is complementary to many technologies already in place.

Zigbee

ZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard for Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (LR-WPANs), such as wireless light switches with lamps, electrical meters with in-home-displays, and consumer electronics equipment via short-range radio. The technology defined by the ZigBee specification is intended to be simpler and less expensive than other WPANs, such as Bluetooth. ZigBee is targeted at radio-frequency (RF) applications that require a low data rate, long battery life, and secure networking.