MEDIA RELEASE PR35244
Digi Announces ZigBee Smart Energy Certified ESP Gateway Built upon Industry's First ZigBee
Smart Energy-Ready Module
MINNETONKA, Minn., June 30 /PRNewswire-Asia/ --
- New comprehensive Smart Energy product family expands iDigi(TM) Energy offering -
Digi International (Nasdaq: DGII) today introduced a comprehensive Smart Energy product family,
including the industry's first ZigBee Smart Energy ready modules and certified Energy Service Portal (ESP)
gateways built on these modules. The ZigBee Smart Energy public profile defines how a collection of
devices works cooperatively within a network, enabling utilities to intelligently manage energy loads, monitor
energy use and optimize consumption. As a device communication standard for home area networks
(HANs) selected by the U.S. Department of Energy in their initial standards framework for Smart Grid
development, ZigBee Smart Energy is a key technology for addressing America's energy management
needs in the future. With the release of ZigBee Smart Energy ready modules and gateways, Digi is making
this technology more accessible than ever before.
Digi's new ZigBee Smart Energy product family includes the XBee(R) and XBee-PRO(R) SE ZigBee
modules and ConnectPort(TM) X2 ESP certified gateway. Built upon the existing XBee and XBee-PRO ZB,
the new XBee and XBee-PRO SE modules feature firmware that simplifies the development work required
to develop and certify a ZigBee Smart Energy device. The ConnectPort X2 ESP gateway provides the
connection between a consumer's HAN and an energy service provider over a broadband or cellular
connection.
"We developed a new programmable and controllable thermostat using the XBee SE module," said
Michael Kuhlmann, president, Residential Control Systems. "The XBee SE module made the development
process easy and reduced development time of our industry-leading product by almost half."
"Digi is taking a leadership role in creating the Smart Grid," said Joe Dunsmore, CEO, Digi International.
"Our March launch of iDigi Energy makes creating wireless energy management applications incredibly
easy. And now with this Smart Energy launch, our OEM customers can quickly create the interoperable
thermostats, in-home energy displays, metering devices and load controllers needed to make the Smart
Grid a reality."
Digi ZigBee Smart Energy products also expand the recently launched iDigi Energy wireless M2M
solutions bundle, which features the hardware, hosted software and services necessary to quickly and
easily integrate Smart Grid devices. iDigi now includes Smart Energy ready hardware as well as Smart
Energy software support through the iDigi platform, a Platform as a Service (PaaS) that connects remote
assets to a customer's applications.
"The ZigBee Smart Energy profile is the standard for Smart Grid applications," said Benno Ritter, vice
president of marketing at the ZigBee Alliance. "With the release of Digi's new product family, the company
is driving the energy industry forward by making it easier for OEMs to develop ZigBee Smart Energy
devices."
XBee and XBee-PRO ZB ZigBee modules feature ZigBee Smart Energy-ready firmware for supporting
the implementation of each of the eight devices defined in the ZigBee Smart Energy public application
profile. These include ESPs, metering devices, in-premise display devices, programmable communicating
thermostats (PCTs), load controllers, range extenders, smart appliances and prepayment terminals.
Developers making these devices can now use Digi's Smart Energy products and iDigi Energy bundle to
dramatically reduce the development and certification time, and overall expertise required, to produce a
ZigBee Smart Energy product.
Additionally, XBee and XBee-PRO ZB ZigBee modules handle networking, joining, authentication and
key establishment functions, and provide simple network and module configuration via the XBee Application
Programming Interface (API). Customers can also upgrade their existing XBee and XBee-PRO ZB modules
with Smart Energy firmware free of charge.
The ConnectPort X2 ESP enables energy service providers to deploy HAN devices that are completely
managed by the Digi gateway over a broadband or cellular connection, allowing Smart Grid services to be
deployed in areas not covered by Smart Metering networks. Once a Smart Meter is installed, the gateway
can join that network providing programmable energy services in the home and secondary communication
paths over public networks for enhanced energy service offerings. The ConnectPort X2 ESP was tested
and certified using National Technical Systems' (NTS) ZigBee Smart Energy (SE)Test Harness.
Digi has launched a development program for those interested in leveraging these products immediately.
For more information on this program, and to get started developing around Smart Energy today, visit
About Digi International
Digi International is making wireless M2M easy by developing reliable products and solutions to connect
and securely manage local or remote electronic devices over the network or via the Web. Digi offers the
highest levels of performance, flexibility and quality, and markets its products through a global network of
distributors and resellers, systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). For more
About RCS
RCS creates innovative products for the energy management and controls market. For 20 years, it has
been a leader in providing this market with a wide range of communicating thermostats and HVAC control
products, including zone controls and dampers. RCS has developed advanced, next generation thermostat
products that communicate with Utility Meters and support Demand Side Management (DSM) programs
providing energy savings to the end users and grid reliability to the Utilities. RCS also provides system level
solutions for monitoring and actively controlling energy consumption. These products include energy
manager controllers and monitoring devices like communicating electric and water meters. For more
ZigBee: Control your world
ZigBee is the global wireless language connecting dramatically different devices to work together and
enhance everyday life. The ZigBee Alliance is a non-profit association of more than 300 member
companies driving development of ZigBee wireless technology. The Alliance promotes world-wide adoption
of ZigBee as the leading wirelessly networked, sensing and control standard for use in consumer
electronics, energy, health care, home, commercial and industrial areas. For more information, visit:
About NTS
National Technical Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of engineering services to the defense, aerospace,
telecommunications, automotive and high technology markets. Through a world-wide network of resources,
NTS provides full product life-cycle support, offering world class design engineering, compliance, testing,
certification, quality registration and program management. For additional information about NTS, visit
All brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.
Press Contacts:
Kylie Chan
Channel Marketing Manager, Asia Pacific
Digi International
Tel: +852-2833-1008
Fax: +852-2572-9989
Email: kylie.chan@digi.com
SOURCE Digi International
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