Understanding Wirepas Technology: Features, Applications, and Benefits

This article introduces Wirepas technology, covering its features, applications, and benefits. Wirepas Connectivity is a decentralized mesh network protocol stack that operates independently of specific hardware or radio frequency chips. It originated from research conducted at TUT (Tampere University of Technology) in Finland over a 10-year period. Wirepas Ltd., now headquartered in Tampere, has expanded with offices in the UK and USA. Note that a software license is required before shipping products using Wirepas.

Figure 1 illustrates a typical Wirepas network using a mesh topology.

Features of Wirepas Technology

• Frequency Bands: Wirepas supports both the 2.4 GHz ISM band and sub-GHz bands. The 2.4 GHz band is globally supported and suitable for high-density installations like indoor lighting control (where low latency is critical) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) where long battery life is important. Regional sub-GHz bands are designed for longer-range, less dense deployments such as outdoor lighting control and metering.
• Simultaneous Communication: Devices communicate using different channels simultaneously.
• Power Options: Wirepas accommodates both mains-powered and battery-powered devices.
• High Density: Wirepas mesh networks can support over 1000 radios per cubic meter without collisions.
• Autonomous Optimization: Devices can automatically select the best neighbors, optimal transmit powers, and most reliable channels. This eliminates the need for central network management and simplifies scaling.
• Homogeneous Routing: All devices can route packets, creating a homogenous network from a connectivity perspective. The devices self-organize into a network without requiring pre-planning.
• Multi-Gateway Support: Wirepas supports multiple gateways to avoid a single point of failure.

Figure 2 shows the Wirepas protocol stack.

Applications of Wirepas Technology

Wirepas technology is utilized across various industries, utilities, and logistics for the following applications:

• IoT Applications: Suited for IoT applications that demand high scalability and reliability.
• Lighting: Applications requiring lower latencies.
• Beacons and Sensors: Applications where longer battery life is crucial.
• Metering: Electricity and water meters requiring extended device-to-device coverage.
• Asset Management and Tracking
• Machine Monitoring and Control: Centralized monitoring and control of machines.

Benefits of Wirepas

• Agnostic Design: It is application, hardware, and frequency band agnostic.
• Efficient Protocol Stack: Employs an embedded protocol stack with a small memory footprint.
• Collision-Free Spectrum Usage: Supports efficient, collision-free usage of the frequency spectrum.
• Low Power Consumption: Wirepas devices are designed for low power consumption.
• Low Latency: The network provides low latency.
• High Reliability & Availability: Provides reliability and availability in diverse environments.
• Unlimited Scalability: Offers unlimited scale in terms of coverage and density.
• Application Flexibility: Can be used in a variety of applications.
• Frequency Band Support: Supports different frequency bands.
• Data Rate & Range Flexibility: Supports different radio data rates and ranges.
• Lowest Total Cost of Ownership