Users no longer need a separate processor for sensor interface and peripheral data analysis, thus reducing the cost, footprint, and power consumption of the integrated wireless sensor node. Application development time is accelerated thanks to a library containing reference code and source code examples. Among the SmartMesh IP mesh networking products, based on 6LoWPAN, is a pre-compiled network stack that offers >99.999% network reliability with ultra-low power consumption. This is especially important in industrial Internet of Things applications where wireless sensor networks may be deployed in harsh and remote environments.
The integrated Software Development Kit (SDK) supplied with the LTC5800-IPM (system-on-a-chip) and LTP5901/2-IPM (printed circuit board modules) is designed to ensure that developers can stably run the pre-compiled SmartMesh IP network stack and their applications simultaneously. To support the growing developer community for this platform, the DustCloud Developer Community (www.dustcloud.org) provides an interactive forum for developers working on SmartMesh IP-based applications. It contains source code, software reference designs, and detailed SDK documentation, as well as a discussion forum.
Applications written in the SDK can:
• Read and control peripherals: GPIO (general purpose input/output) pins, A/D converter inputs, UART (universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter), SPI (serial peripheral interface) master, I2C (inter-integrated circuit) master, and 1-wire master.
• Process data, such as statistical analysis, for local decision-making and control.
• Send and receive messages wirelessly via the SmartMesh IP wireless mesh network.
Linear Technology's Dust Networks® product group develops the most reliable, standards-based, low-power wireless sensor network products on the market. Dust Networks products have been field-proven and deployed in over 45,000 customer networks in 120 countries. With average current consumption below 50 μA in heavy-duty applications, SmartMesh IP and SmartMesh WirelessHART products offer battery life exceeding 10 years, enabling wireless sensor nodes to be placed virtually anywhere. Like all SmartMesh products, they include pre-compiled network stacks and software for dynamic mesh optimization, allowing developers to focus on the rapid development of Industrial Internet of Things applications and rely on Dust Networks' extensive experience in embedded mesh networks.
The integrated SDK is already available within the SmartMesh IP product line. For more information, visit www.linear.com/solutions/5457
Main features of the integrated SDK for SmartMesh IP
• Enables the development of custom software applications on the internal ARM Cortex-M3 of SmartMesh™ IP
• No need to develop a network stack; network software for SmartMesh IP is supplied as a pre-compiled library
• Data reliability >99.999% proven in SmartMesh IP networks and battery life >10 years
• Eliminates the need for an external microprocessor
• The Dustcloud developer community, www.dustcloud.org, offers an interactive support forum
