26.08.2009

Jennic and Mitsubishi Corporation Announce Strategic Partnership / JN5148 ZigBee PRO Kits & Modules Now Available

Jennic Ltd, available through GLYN High-Tech Distribution, and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), announce a partnership agreement in Japan to serve the emerging markets for low power wireless technology. The agreement sets out the basis of a strategic partnership, with MC representing and supplying the complete range of hardware and software solutions from Jennic, and their own solutions.

Jennic’s wireless solutions target the broad markets of Energy and Environmental Management, Active RFID, and Consumer Electronics. With a strong product portfolio of wireless microcontrollers, modules, evaluation kits, software stacks, recent product announcements for the JN5148 ultra-low power wireless microcontroller, an RF4CE demonstration system and escalating developments with ZigBee PRO, 6LoWPAN and Smart Energy solutions, Jennic positions itself to deliver world class technology into today’s high growth markets.

Jim Lindop, Jennic CEO, commented, “The partnership with MC undoubtedly provides a strong arm into Japan and the joined representation will significantly enhance Jennic’s relationship into existing customers and extend coverage to many new customers. I firmly believe the partnership defines a significant strategic milestone, and is without question a major new chapter for Jennic in Japan”.

Tadashi Takasugi, Mitsubishi Corporation General Manager, commented, “The partnership holds great synergies. Jennic’s focus markets in Smart Energy, Asset Tracking / Logistics, and RF Remote Controls, play directly into MC’s core business segments. Jennic have a strong reputation, competitive products and good customer traction, and MC in Japan and the rest of the world are perfectly positioned to drive these further, to become the lead supplier for low power wireless technology”.

MC and Jennic have already demonstrated a strong working partnership, with MC already supporting Jennic’s JN5139 wireless solution into the prominent leading Japanese consumer-electronics producers’ new range of Power Consumption Monitors.

In a related development, Jennic has announced recently the release of JN5148 ZigBee PRO Evaluation Kit (P/N: JN5148-EK010, US$649 each plus freight) and JN5148 modules (pricing available on request). 

Customers with JN5139 Evaluation Kit (JN5139-EK010) can upgrade to ZigBee PRO by ordering the ZigBee PRO Upgrade Kit (P/N: JN5148-UG010, US$249 each plus freight).

The JN5148 32-bit wireless microcontroller achieves a system operating current consumption of 18mA when receiving, and 15mA transmitting at +3dBm, which is typically 35% lower than current solutions. With 128kB ROM, 128kB RAM and enhanced coding efficiency, the JN5148 has sufficient space for developers to integrate their embedded application software and the ZigBee PRO protocol stack into a single chip. It can also be used as a co-processor, enabling ZigBee PRO to be added easily and quickly to existing systems.

Programmable CPU clock speeds from 4 to 32MHz and the use of five separate power domains provide the ability to select low power or high performance up to 32 MIPS CPU operation for the JN5148 to be used across the full range of applications from low-power battery-backed networks to high I/O, processor intensive systems. A unique patent-pending Time of Flight ranging engine integrated into the device revolutionises location-based services for sensor networks by providing improved accuracy over conventional signal strength based systems with little incremental cost.

To order or for more details on Jennic products, please send us an email at sales@glyn.com.au