Wifi Revolution

RF Monolithics (News - Alert) (RFM) Inc., a leader in M2M wireless technology, has recently announced the launch of the WLS-series which combines of Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Bluetooth combination modules. RFM has added the new WLS-series’ three standards-based modules, the WLS1270, WLS1271, and the WLS1273, to the integrated short-range radio product line. The new WLS-series modules have been designed to provide high performance, low cost, standards-based radios and technologies with faster time to market, along with RFM”s proprietary RFIC and SAW-based product portfolio.

In a release, the President and CEO of RFM, Mr. Farlin Halsey, said that, “The addition of the WLS-series combo modules enables RFM to reach a broad new level of customer beyond our historical customer base. We are already engaged with both existing and new customers in early evaluation stages, which provide us initial insight into how this product line further enhances our opportunities in our target markets and across a broader set of applications. And given the rapid introduction of new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices in M2M applications, the potential market for these products is significant and fits well within our M2M strategy. According to the April 2011 issue of Connected World Magazine, by the year 2020 over 50 billion M2M intelligent devices will be wirelessly connected. Many M2M applications employ end-devices that are Wi-Fi- and/or Bluetooth-enabled which are connected to the internet via an open or private communications network.”

The new WLS-series comprising of the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Combo Short-Range Radio Modules are FCC or ETSI (News - Alert) certified. The products of the WLS-series are based on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology and built on a single SoC with a high-efficiency RF front-end circuit with a DC-DC converter. For a complete radio design, the modules require minimal external circuitry, an antenna, power source, processor, associated interface hardware and the radio hardware design.

The Director of Product Management for the RFM Integrated Short-range Radio Product Portfolio, Mr. Larry Miller, said that, “Immediate access to information and the standards-based communications protocols for ease of connectivity have become major selling points for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. As a result, the RFM WLS-series of combo modules are ideal for OEMs wanting to quickly add Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi + Bluetooth connectivity within a broad range of products for world-wide markets. The WLS-series modules are particularly appealing to designers because of their optimized RF performance and high-level of integration all within a small form factor. Both are hallmarks of the RFM integrated short-range radio line for which we are well-known. The benefits to our OEM customers are low-cost and shorter design cycles.”