RF Remotes

New wireless standard will lead to new technologies.

A recently adopted, low-power, radio-frequency (RF) standard for remote controls has the potential to revolutionize the consumer electronics industry. Replacing infrared (IR) with RF technology will deliver innovative products that will enable a connected home environment that requires fewer batteries.

In March 2009, the ZigBee Alliance reached an agreement with the RF4CE Alliance to provide a new multi-vendor interoperable remote control solution for consumer electronics that promises an easy to use, robust, low-cost communication network for two-way wireless connectivity within the home. The RF4CE Alliance includes four of the largest consumer electronics manufacturers in the world: Panasonic, Philips, Sony, and Samsung.

ZigBee RF4CE was specifically designed for home entertainment and automation applications requiring simple device-to-device control communications that do not require the full-featured mesh networking capabilities offered by the other ZigBee standards. Because ZigBee RF4CE reduces memory size requirements, it also lowers the cost of implementation. Because of its simple device-to-device topology, it provides an easy development and testing path, resulting in faster time to market.

This new ZigBee RF4CE standard provides a common platform for the development of ZigBee powered RF remote controls and devices for industrial, office, and home applications, permitting a wide range of new features such as the ability to transmit through walls and cabinet doors and have two-way interactivity. In addition, by using the new ZigBee low-power features, these new generation remotes should be able to run for a decade or more on a single coin-cell battery.

ZigBee RF4CE can also be integrated in a new generation of security control for homes and buildings. Through use of RF4CE-powered sensors located throughout a house, a homeowner can have a single remote dashboard that can monitor the status of doors and windows. As the door and window sensors do not need wires for power or network connectivity, this makes them much easier to install and maintain. The security dashboard can be accessed locally via the remote control or remotely over the internet.

This same dashboard can be used for energy management, as well. Using RF4CE sensors attached to the various large appliances, it is possible to have a real-time energy dashboard that shows how much power is being consumed by the home’s various systems.

Most current home remote controls use decades-old IR beam technologies. Aside from a short range and limited bandwidth, this requires the user to aim the IR remote control device at the unit that needs to be controlled. Because ZigBee RF4CE devices do not have to be aimed, this means that the central control devices for home entertainment and automation can be hidden away in closets and cabinets.

RF also provides a much greater range than IR. This enables someone with a single remote controller to manage entertainment, environment, security, and other applications located throughout the home. They no longer have to adjust the air-conditioning thermostat in one room, go downstairs to check the security system, go into the den to adjust the sound system, and then climb back upstairs to change the channel on their TV set or DVR. By using a ZigBee RF4CE device it is possible to control all the devices from a single remote.

One obvious concern is that this greater range and power also increases the possibility for interference and noise between devices. For example, you would not want a neighbor’s remote controls affecting your TV programs and home security system. ZigBee RF4CE uses a schedule and pairing protocol similar to that of Wi-Fi to keep each device separated from neighboring ZigBee RF4CE networks, even in a dense urban apartment complex.

Like Wi-Fi, ZigBee RF4CE uses the same 2.4 Ghz band. However, GreenPeak’s ZigBee RF4CE implementation is very immune to Wi-Fi and is a technical feature of its radio.

Because ZigBee RFCE supports interactivity, it is no longer necessary for a person to stand in front of a TV set to adjust the volume. Neither would the person need to watch the TV screen to set up DVR recording times. By using the view screen on the ZigBee RF4CE remote device, users will be able to interact with TV or internet eCommerce services, buying products and reading/responding to emails from anywhere in the home, all on the remote control. It is even possible that video captures and still images could be relayed from the building’s security system to the remote control’s viewing screen.

Another enticing feature of ZigBee RF4CE interactivity is a “Find Me” capability. Manufacturers can build in a button on a TV set or set-top box that, when pressed, will enable a lost remote to start blinking, beeping, or playing music.

Another attractive feature of the technology is low power consumption. The first generation of RF4CE remotes will be able to work off a single tiny coin cell battery for the life of the device—10 years or more. By using smaller batteries and removing the need for maintenance and access to a battery compartment, manufacturers will be able to design sleeker and more stylish remote controls. In addition, many remote control users have experienced the issue of broken or loose battery compartment doors that are held together with tape or rubber bands. By removing the need for battery compartment access, this symptom of remote abuse will be eliminated.

It is estimated that every year the world's remote controls consume approximately 4 billion batteries. By slashing that number by 90 percent to only 4 hundred million, ZigBee RF4CE remotes will contribute significantly to reducing the amount of toxic chemicals and heavy metals that need to be mined, refined, manufactured into batteries, and then disposed of. In addition, this will also cut the overall carbon footprint of the battery manufacturing and disposal process.

It’s important to note that ZigBee and RF4CE can serve more than just remote controls. There are many other applications that can benefit from ultra low-power wireless networks such as home security, power management, health monitoring, environment management, lighting controllers, and even toy controllers.

For example, in 2010 we expect to see ZigBee low-power lighting switches that will not use batteries and will not need to be connected to the power main. The energy expended simply by one’s fingers turning the switch on and off will supply enough power to transmit the control signal across the room to a lamp embedded with a ZigBee slave device. With such applications, turning the switch generates a tiny burst of power that transmits a signal that activates or deactivates the light. Not only does this save power and eliminate the need for batteries, it also slashes construction and installation costs. It makes planning a home interior much more flexible and creative. The homeowner can place the switch anywhere in the room without concern for power connections.

Within the next decade, a plethora of ZigBee remote control devices will empower a revolution in homes and offices. Not only will ZigBee help make lives be a bit more convenient, secure, and energy aware, but the environment will be a great deal cleaner by removing the need for batteries.