Digi Announces ESP gateway with ZigBee Smart Energy certification

Digi International introduced a complete family of Smart Energy products, including the first modules prepared for ZigBee Smart Energy Market and gateways Energy Service Portal (ESP) approved manufactured with these modules.

The public profile of the ZigBee Smart Energy defines how a group of devices work cooperatively within a network, so that utilities can intelligently manage power loads, monitor and optimize use of this consumption. Since the standard communication between devices for home area networks selected by the U.S. Energy Department in its initial policy framework for the development of Smart Grid, ZigBee Smart Energy is a key technology to meet the future needs of management U.S. energy. With the launch of the modules and gateways prepared for ZigBee Smart Energy, Digi makes this technology more accessible than ever.
In the new family of ZigBee Smart Energy products include the Digi XBee ZigBee ® modules and XBee-PRO ® SE and the gateway ConnectPort ™ X2 ESP approved. Based on previous XBee and XBee-PRO ZB, the new modules, XBee and XBee-PRO SE firmware feature that simplifies the work required to develop and approve a ZigBee Smart Energy.X2 ESP device provides the connection between the home area network consumer and provider of energy services through a mobile connection or broadband.
"We developed a new programmable thermostat and controllable with the XBee module SE" said Michael Kuhlmann, president of Residential Control Systems. "The XBee module will facilitate the process of development and reduced the time needed to manufacture our new product by nearly half.
"Digi has taken a clear leadership role in creating Smart Grid," said Joe Dunsmore, president of Digi International. "Our launch of Energy in March iDigi makes creating wireless applications power management. And now with the launch of Smart Energy, our OEM customers can quickly create interoperable thermostats, energy viewers at home, meter reading devices and drivers necessary to load the Smart Grid a reality. "
ZigBee Smart Energy products from Digi also extend the wireless M2M solutions package emerging iDigi Energy, with the hardware, hosted software and services needed to integrate quickly and easily Smart Grid devices. iDigi now includes hardware ready for Smart Energy, and software compatibility with the Smart Energy by iDigi platform, a platform as a service (PaaS) that connects remote devices to applications for a client.
"ZigBee Smart Energy Profile is the norm for Smart Grid applications," said Benno Ritter, Area Vice President of Marketing of the ZigBee Alliance. "With the launch of the new family of Digi products, the company gives a boost to the energy sector to facilitate development by original equipment manufacturers of ZigBee Smart Energy devices.
ZigBee module XBee ZB and XBee-PRO firmware have prepared for ZigBee Smart Energy to enable the implementation of each of the eight devices as defined in the profile of ZigBee Smart Energy public applications: ESP, meter reading devices, viewers in the households reported programmable thermostats, load controllers, extension of coverage, smart devices and prepaid terminals. The programmers who manufacture these devices can already use products from Digi Smart Energy and Energy iDigi package to significantly reduce development time and approval and the necessary expertise to manufacture a product ZigBee Smart Energy.
In addition, ZigBee module XBee and XBee-PRO ZB carry out the functions of network connectivity, integration, authentication and key establishment, offering easy configuration and network modules via the application programming interface (API) XBee. Customers can also upgrade their previous XBee modules ZB and XBee-PRO Smart Energy with firmware for free.
The ConnectPort X2 ESP enables service providers to install energy devices home area networks that are completely managed by the gateway from Digi through a mobile connection or broadband, so that they can implement Smart Grid services in areas not covered by Smart Metering networks.