Four chips for the RF4CE market

The first ultra low cost communications controller chips optimized for RF4CE applications

GreenPeak makes it easy for CE manufacturers and MSOs to introduce low cost and robust RF4CE remote control solutions.
With the launch of new chips, GreenPeak allows the development of robust and low cost ZigBee RF4CE remote control applications for TV’s and set-top boxes, addressing an overall one billion unit annual market.

The devices listed below all have full RF4CE functionality with ZRC embedded, targeting specific product applications: GP510: System on Chip RF4CE network layer communication controller with SPI or TWI or UART GP520: front-panel controller for set-top box with SPI/TWI interface GP530: front-panel controller for TV with UART interface GP540: complete, low-cost “remote control on a chip” including embedded keyboard scanner and full IR functionality

All devices are optimized for low cost, ease of integration and allow fast time-to-market by only requiring a simple configuration step to achieve a complete RF4CE ZRC-compliant end product.

Low cost and ease of integration
Bringing the complete RF4CE functionality for each application into a single device makes low cost and reliable RF remote controls a reality. This new series of RF4CE chips brings the cost of the total solution down and makes the choice for RF remote controls even easier. GreenPeak provides a streamlined one-stop-shop offering for RF4CE chips. The integration of advanced RF4CE configurability provides simplicity of integration bringing the development and integration time down to virtually zero.

No battery replacement, maintenance free
GreenPeak’s unique ultra low power technique with an extreme low power synchronization mode optimized for remote controls enables the remote control to run on a single coin cell battery for ten years or more without having to change or recharge it, so it essentially becomes maintenance free. This also enables advanced and very thin remote control designs not requiring a battery lid, increasing the degrees of freedom for the remote control designer.

Robust to interference
GreenPeak also takes Wi-Fi coexistence one step further. The GreenPeak RF4CE chips offer an additional 30dB (1000x) better interference robustness against Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other RF signals, which is the result of a superior radio design with antenna diversity technology. This patented technology uses two separate antennas to avoid the typical in-door wave cancellation, essential when more TVs and set-top boxes will be equipped with Wi-Fi internet connections.

Find-me and push messaging functionality Unique to GreenPeak's RF4CE communication controller chips is the "Find-me" and "Push messaging" feature. The addition of the smart “push messaging” and “find-me” apps to the communication controllers is based on GreenPeak's unique ultra low power synchronization technique and allows both applications to operate with a minimal impact on battery life thereby allowing the remote control battery life to reach more than ten years. Push-messaging allows for a variety of new remote control capabilities including tele-voting and gaming, personal messages and reminders, real-time sports results, stock information and residential sensor network monitoring. Push-messaging also enables operators to create new opportunities for advertising revenues via server initiated commercial push messages on the consumers’ remote control. Find-me enables users to simply push a “find-me” button on the TV or STB that results in the remote generating a signal, blink and beep, to make it easy to find, even when it is out of sight. No more lost remote controls. For a long time, the current infra-red remote control has essentially not changed, but today more advanced communication capabilities enable new apps and increased functionality. The low power push-messaging and find-me apps are great examples of more functionality and a better user experience and in applying GreenPeak’s technology it will not even impact battery life.

Overview new communication controller chips

RF4CE Communication controller
Chip	Application	Function	Interfaces	Brochures
GP510	Target or controller	RF4CE network protocol	SPI or TWI or UART	GP510 product sheet
GP520	Set-top box & DTA	RF4CE protocol, ZRC target function	SPI-TWI serial interface	GP520 productsheet
GP530	TV front panel	RF4CE protocol, ZRC target function	UART serial interface	GP530 productsheet
GP540	Remote Control	RF4CE protocol, ZRC controller function	Single chip solution with keyboard and IR transmit engine	GP540 productsheet

RF4CE remote controls
Much better than IR (infra-red) based remote controls, RF remote controls provide two-way high-speed communication and do not require line of sight as the radio signal transmits through cabinets, obstacles, walls and floors. A ZigBee RF4CE remote control system (compliant with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, operating in the 2.4GHz global frequency band) is faster, more reliable, includes richer, bi-directional communication and provides a greater range compared to traditional IR remote controls.

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