EnOcean
Encyclopedia
EnOcean is a German
wireless, energy harvesting technology used primarily in building automation systems, based in Oberhaching
. It is not set out for international, European or national standardization; however, EnOcean GmbH is offering its technology and licenses for the patented features under license within the EnOcean Alliance framework. The concept was developed to enable batteryless sensors and switches for building automation.
. In order to transform such energy fluctuations into usable electrical energy, electromagnetic, piezogenerator
s, solar cell
s, thermocouple
s, and other energy converters are used.
The EnOcean products (such as sensors and radio switches) do not need a battery and are engineered to operate maintenance-free. The signals from these sensors and switches can be transmitted wirelessly over a distance of up to 300 meters. Early designs from the company used piezo generators, later replaced with electromagnetic energy sources to reduce the operating pressure (7 newtons), and increase the service life to 50,000 operations.
Packets of data are relatively small with the packet being only 14 bytes long and are transmitted at 120 kbit/s. RF energy is only transmitted for the 1's on the data, reducing the amount of power required. Three packets are sent at pseudo-random intervals reducing the possibility of packet collisions. Switches also transmit additional data packets on release of push-button switches, enabling other features such as light dimming to be implemented. The transmission frequency used for the devices is 868.3 MHz.
. Advantages are that that it saves time and material by eliminating the need to install wires between the switch and device, e.g., a light, and that it also reduces noise on switched circuits, as the switching is performed locally at the load.
Another application is an audience voting system developed by EnOcean's UK distributor. Each member of the audience is given a four-button remote with an EnOcean transmitter, and the signals are decoded by a receiver connected to a computer. This avoids the need to manage batteries in many remote handsets, and each handset is uniquely identified, so the "quizmaster" or presenter can see each individual answer from each member of the audience.
founded in 2001. It is a German
company headquartered in Oberhaching
, near Munich
, which currently employs 35 employees. It is a technology supplier of self-powered modules
(transmitters, receivers, transceivers, energy converter) to companies (e.g. Siemens, Distech Controls, Seamless Sensing, Zumtobel, Omnio, Osram, Wieland Electric, Peha, Thermokon, Wago, Herga), which develop and manufacture products used in building automation
(light
, shading
, hvac
), industrial automation, and automotive industry
(replacement of the conventional battery in tyre pressure sensors).
The company has won awards for its performance and technology including the Bavarian Innovation Prize 2002 for its globally unique technology, the award "Technology Pioneer 2006" by the World Economic Forum
and the "Top-10 Product for 2007" award by Building Green.
In July 2007, the company announced technology to allow transmitters to be powered from Peltier
devices with a minimum of 2 degrees Celsius temperature difference on each side of a 15 mm square Peltier panel.
In November 2007, MK Electric, the largest manufacturer of consumer electrical fitments in the UK, adopted EnOcean technology for a new range of wireless switches.
, Omnio
, Sylvania
, Masco
, and MK Electric
formed the EnOcean Alliance in April 2008 as a non-profit, mutual benefit corporation which has the formal purpose of initially developing the specifications for the interoperability of the sensor profiles for the wireless products operating in unlicensed frequency bands and subsequently to apply for ratification as an international standard at the appropriate standardization committee, and of helping to bring about the existence of a broad range of interoperable wireless monitoring and controlling products for use in and around residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
Market research company WTRS announced that EnOcean module shipments will reach $1.4B in 2013.
Fhem is a GPL'd perl server for house automation. It is used to automate some common tasks in the household like switching lamps / shutters / heating / etc. and to log events like temperature/humidity/power consumption. Fhem runs as a server, you can control it via web-frontends, telnet, command line program or TCP/IP directly.
In order to use Fhem you'll need a 24/7 server (PC, MacMini, Fritz!Box, NAS, QNAP. etc.) with a perl interpreter and some hardware to access the building automation devices. In case of Enocean, several Transceiver are available (e.g. based on TCM310 or TCM120) with serial or USB interface.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
wireless, energy harvesting technology used primarily in building automation systems, based in Oberhaching
Oberhaching
Oberhaching is a municipality in Bavaria, Germany, with 13,100 inhabitants on an area of 26.6 km². It is located some 15 km south of Munich city center and looks back at a 1,250 year history....
. It is not set out for international, European or national standardization; however, EnOcean GmbH is offering its technology and licenses for the patented features under license within the EnOcean Alliance framework. The concept was developed to enable batteryless sensors and switches for building automation.
EnOcean Technology
EnOcean technology is based on the energetically efficient exploitation of applied slight mechanical excitation and other potentials from the environment using the principles of energy harvestingEnergy harvesting
Energy harvesting is the process by which energy is derived from external sources , captured, and stored for small, wireless autonomous devices, like those used in wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.Energy harvesters...
. In order to transform such energy fluctuations into usable electrical energy, electromagnetic, piezogenerator
Piezoelectricity
Piezoelectricity is the charge which accumulates in certain solid materials in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure...
s, solar cell
Solar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
s, thermocouple
Thermocouple
A thermocouple is a device consisting of two different conductors that produce a voltage proportional to a temperature difference between either end of the pair of conductors. Thermocouples are a widely used type of temperature sensor for measurement and control and can also be used to convert a...
s, and other energy converters are used.
The EnOcean products (such as sensors and radio switches) do not need a battery and are engineered to operate maintenance-free. The signals from these sensors and switches can be transmitted wirelessly over a distance of up to 300 meters. Early designs from the company used piezo generators, later replaced with electromagnetic energy sources to reduce the operating pressure (7 newtons), and increase the service life to 50,000 operations.
Packets of data are relatively small with the packet being only 14 bytes long and are transmitted at 120 kbit/s. RF energy is only transmitted for the 1's on the data, reducing the amount of power required. Three packets are sent at pseudo-random intervals reducing the possibility of packet collisions. Switches also transmit additional data packets on release of push-button switches, enabling other features such as light dimming to be implemented. The transmission frequency used for the devices is 868.3 MHz.
Application examples
One example of the technology is a battery-free wireless light switchWireless light switch
A wireless light switch is a light switch that commands a light or home appliance to turn itself off or on, instead of interrupting the power line going to the light fixture...
. Advantages are that that it saves time and material by eliminating the need to install wires between the switch and device, e.g., a light, and that it also reduces noise on switched circuits, as the switching is performed locally at the load.
Another application is an audience voting system developed by EnOcean's UK distributor. Each member of the audience is given a four-button remote with an EnOcean transmitter, and the signals are decoded by a receiver connected to a computer. This avoids the need to manage batteries in many remote handsets, and each handset is uniquely identified, so the "quizmaster" or presenter can see each individual answer from each member of the audience.
EnOcean Company
EnOcean GmbH is a venture-funded spin-off company of Siemens AGSiemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
founded in 2001. It is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
company headquartered in Oberhaching
Oberhaching
Oberhaching is a municipality in Bavaria, Germany, with 13,100 inhabitants on an area of 26.6 km². It is located some 15 km south of Munich city center and looks back at a 1,250 year history....
, near Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, which currently employs 35 employees. It is a technology supplier of self-powered modules
Self-powered equipment
Human-powered equipment describes electrical appliances which can be powered by electricity generated by human muscle power as an alternative to conventional sources of electricity such as primary batteries and the power grid....
(transmitters, receivers, transceivers, energy converter) to companies (e.g. Siemens, Distech Controls, Seamless Sensing, Zumtobel, Omnio, Osram, Wieland Electric, Peha, Thermokon, Wago, Herga), which develop and manufacture products used in building automation
Building automation
Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system of a building. A building automation system is an example of a distributed control system...
(light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
, shading
Window blind
A window blind is a type of window coverings. There are many different kinds of window blinds, using different systems and materials. A typical window blind is made with slats of fabric, wood, plastic or metal that adjust by rotating from an open position to a closed position by allowing slats to...
, hvac
Environmental Control System
The environmental control system of an aircraft provides air supply, thermal control and cabin pressurization for the crew and passengers...
), industrial automation, and automotive industry
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
(replacement of the conventional battery in tyre pressure sensors).
The company has won awards for its performance and technology including the Bavarian Innovation Prize 2002 for its globally unique technology, the award "Technology Pioneer 2006" by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
and the "Top-10 Product for 2007" award by Building Green.
In July 2007, the company announced technology to allow transmitters to be powered from Peltier
Thermoelectric effect
The thermoelectric effect is the direct conversion of temperature differences to electric voltage and vice-versa. A thermoelectric device creates a voltage when there is a different temperature on each side. Conversely, when a voltage is applied to it, it creates a temperature difference...
devices with a minimum of 2 degrees Celsius temperature difference on each side of a 15 mm square Peltier panel.
In November 2007, MK Electric, the largest manufacturer of consumer electrical fitments in the UK, adopted EnOcean technology for a new range of wireless switches.
EnOcean Alliance
A group of companies across Europe and North America including EnOcean, Texas InstrumentsTexas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
, Omnio
Omnio
Omnio is the second full-length album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band In the Woods.... It was released on October 14, 1997, through Misanthropy Records.-Track listing:#"299 796 km/s" - #"I Am Your Flesh" - #"Kairos!" -...
, Sylvania
Osram Sylvania
Osram Sylvania Inc. is the North American operation of lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH, which is owned by Siemens AG. It was established in January 1993, with the acquisition of GTE’s Sylvania lighting division by Osram GmbH....
, Masco
Masco
-Plumbing products:-Decorative architectural products:North America* Behr Process Corporation* Franklin Brass Mfg. Corp. * Ginger* Liberty Hardware* Masterchem Industries LLC* Melard Manufacturing Corp....
, and MK Electric
MK electric
MK Electric is a company that makes electrical accessories. The company's headquarters are in Basildon, Essex, England, from where it makes and sells goods worldwide.-History:...
formed the EnOcean Alliance in April 2008 as a non-profit, mutual benefit corporation which has the formal purpose of initially developing the specifications for the interoperability of the sensor profiles for the wireless products operating in unlicensed frequency bands and subsequently to apply for ratification as an international standard at the appropriate standardization committee, and of helping to bring about the existence of a broad range of interoperable wireless monitoring and controlling products for use in and around residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
Market research company WTRS announced that EnOcean module shipments will reach $1.4B in 2013.
Software automation
EnOcean is newly perfectly supported by Fhem.Fhem is a GPL'd perl server for house automation. It is used to automate some common tasks in the household like switching lamps / shutters / heating / etc. and to log events like temperature/humidity/power consumption. Fhem runs as a server, you can control it via web-frontends, telnet, command line program or TCP/IP directly.
In order to use Fhem you'll need a 24/7 server (PC, MacMini, Fritz!Box, NAS, QNAP. etc.) with a perl interpreter and some hardware to access the building automation devices. In case of Enocean, several Transceiver are available (e.g. based on TCM310 or TCM120) with serial or USB interface.
See also
- INSTEONINSTEONInsteon is a system for connecting lighting switches and loads without extra wiring. INSTEON is a dual-band mesh home area networking topology employing AC-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with devices...
- 802.15.4
- ZigbeeZigBeeZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on an IEEE 802 standard for personal area networks. Applications include wireless light switches, electrical meters with in-home-displays, and other consumer and industrial...
- Z-WaveZ-WaveZ-Wave is a proprietary wireless communications protocol designed for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments...