Zilog Announces New "ZAURA™ RF Fluorescent Ballast Reference Design" Featuring Advanced Wireless Tec
Zilog Announces New "ZAURA™ RF Fluorescent Ballast Reference Design" Featuring Advanced Wireless Technology
MCU-Based Energy-Saving Lighting System with Wireless Digital Connectivity
MILPITAS, Calif. & BIEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zilog®, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation (NAS: IXYS) and a pioneer supplier of application-specific, embedded microcontroller (MCU) system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for the industrial, telecommunications, automotive and consumer markets, today introduced a fluorescent ballast reference design featuring ZAURA™RF wireless technology to enable wireless connectivity and control for lighting systems in offices, schools, factories and other facilities. Because lighting consumes major amounts of energy worldwide, and with numerous global economic and environmental imperatives toward reducing and eliminating wasted energy, Zilog has designed the ZAURA™ RF fluorescent ballast reference design to provide a quick time-to-market reference solution that will assist in achieving reduced energy expenditures.
This reference solution integrates Zilog's ZAURA RF 868 MHz wireless module onto a fluorescent ballast base power board to create a fluorescent ballast demonstration board designed to showcase the features and performance of an inductor-based fluorescent lamp driver with active power factor correction (PFC) and a microcontroller (MCU). Because it is a reference design, it can be used as a basis for developing systems that can control fluorescent lighting installations. On its own and without the ZAURA RF wireless module attached, the base power board functions as a demonstration board providing current to power fluorescent lamps. However, the fluorescent ballast base power board cannot control lamp brightness because the source of the PWM pulses required to perform this operation is generated by the Z8F2480 MCU on the RF module.
And yet in combination, the fluorescent ballast base power board with the RF module attached, all controlled by a hand-held remote control device, enable RF communication to turn fluorescent lamps on and off and adjust the brightness of these fluorescent lamps within a 10%-100% range. For purposes of demonstrating RF control, the hand-held ZAURA RF remote control device is also included with this reference design.
The fluorescent ballast with ZAURA Control Reference Design includes the following features:
Fluorescent ballast base power board
Two-lamp testing capability
ZAURA RF 868 MHz wireless module
Remote brightness and on/off control
180 VAC to 230 VAC input
ZAURA™ RF Lighting Systems were developed to provide intelligent energy-saving lighting for schools and other high-occupancy buildings. The ZAURA™ system consists of a main sensing mechanism and operates wirelessly, communicating with each individual lighting fixture. Zilog is currently working with customers in the Netherlands who are installing new ZAURA™ lighting systems in multiple locations in which reduced energy consumption will dramatically impact the bottom line.
"The new ZAURA™ RF Lighting System is well suited for existing fluorescent light installations, enabling improved energy efficiency without the need to perform expensive retrofits in a typical building. This new system can achieve immediate improvements in energy efficiencies with a low initial investment, yet also provide a fast ROI," said Steve Darrough, Zilog's Vice President of Marketing.
IXYS and Zilog, being major players in the power management and energy efficiency marketplace, collaborated in developing ZAURA™ specifically for lighting applications. The first step in this initiative has been providing occupancy-based lighting controls for the large installed base of fluorescent lights ("FL") in the market worldwide.
For more information about Zilog's Fluorescent Lighting Ballast Reference Design, visit www.zilog.com.
About Zilog, Inc.
Zilog is a trusted supplier of application-specific, embedded system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for the industrial and consumer markets. From its roots as an award-winning architect in the microprocessor and microcontroller industry, Zilog has evolved its expertise beyond core silicon to include SoCs, single board computers, application specific software stacks and development tools that allow embedded designers quick time to market in areas such as energy management, monitoring and metering, motor control and motion detection. Zilog is an IXYS company. For more information, visit our websites at http://www.ixys.com, and http://www.zilog.com.
About IXYS Corporation
IXYS Corporation makes and markets technology-driven products to improve power conversion efficiency, generate solar and wind power and provide efficient motor control for industrial applications. IXYS offers a diversified product base that addresses worldwide needs for power control, electrical efficiency, renewable energy, telecommunications, medical devices, electronic displays and RF power.
Safe Harbor Statement
Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including the performance, features and suitability of products for various applications, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of IXYS to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.
Zilog® and ZAURA™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Zilog, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners in the United States and other countries.
Steve Darrough, 408-644-6534
Vice President of Marketing for IXYS-Zilog
sdarrough@zilog.com
KEYWORDS: United States Europe North America California Switzerland
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