In order to facilitate the development of network topologies Telit is marketing two new gateways that combine short-range technology based on the IEEE (News - Alert) 802.15.4 wireless protocol with a second air interface: Bluetooth or 2.5G cellular.

The Bluetooth gateway enables a low-cost, easy way of creating a semi-automated home network. This allows a regular smartphone to interact with appliances that have an embedded RF module and thereby control usage. The gateway with the cellular interface, which employs a rechargeable battery, targets applications such as energy sensors in the field. In this case, the gateway is used in combination with a system that periodically collects data from the short-range world and sends it back to a remote server.

The second product can also be deployed in the home in order to enable home appliances to be monitored from remote locations. For example, the smartphone can then be used to switch appliances on or off and to monitor surveillance cameras.

These new gateways are ideal for applications that require long and short-range connectivity, e.g. industrial automation, large sites that need to be monitored and controlled monitoring, as well as home automation. In a nutshell, any application that needs a combination of low cost, ease of integration, low data rate plus reliable, secure data transfer and low power consumption.