FROM THE DECT FORUM:

2015 DECT WORLDCONFERENCE- DECT AWARDS 2015

DECT OUTLOOK

DECT IN JAPAN

INTERVIEW WITH THE ULE ALLIANCE

FEATURES:DIALOG SEMI – NINTENDO’S Wii U WIRELESS MICROPHONEDSP GROUP – VIDEO OVER DECTHGI – RINGING IN THE ERA OF THE SMART HOMELANTIQ – ULE – THE RIGHT CONNECTION FOR

THE SMART HOME GATEWAYPLANTRONICS – ANOTHER FIRST FOR DECTTRUECALL – HOW TO BLOCK NUISANCE CALLS

INCLUDES PREVIEWOF 2015 DECTCONFERENCE

October 2014Issue 2Video enabled

The Success Story Continues

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

WELCOME

2

CONTACT DETAILS:Editor: Manek Dubashmanek@manekdubash.comPublisher: Vince Holtonvholton@incisor.tv

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES:All enquiries – Roland Schmidtsecretariat@dect.orgTelephone: +49 89 5166 2456

DECT Today is distributed on a twice yearlybasis to DECT Forum members and otherinterested parties.

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Heading towardsa smarter 2015

Hello, and a very special welcome to the second editionof DECT Today, the place to find out more about theDECT Forum and DECT technology.

We've been delighted with the positive feedback we'vereceived from the first issue and hope to build on that for the future.

Since its introduction in 1992, DECT continues to build on its stupendousrecord of growth, and the advent of new applications for the technologycontinue to take advantage of DECT's solid foundations of interference-free radio spectrum, long range, and ability to support a wide range of applications.

You will see from this issue that we are showcasing many of theseapplications and the vendors who developed them, as well as the hard work putin by members of the DECT Forum as we work towards our flagship event of theyear – the 2015 DECT World Conference. Details of this event, and the 2015DECT Awards, are in this issue

We look at the Japan Working Group, which is making strong in-roads into theJapanese market, and has plans to build DECT – or J-DECT as it is branded inJapan – into a highly popular standard.

Video for home monitoring is a natural application for DECT technology thanksto its lack of interference and support for HD Voice, as well its easy integrationwith home telephony systems. In this issue, the DSP Group demonstrates how itssolution will enable new video products that measure up to our customerexpectations in three critical areas: quality, reliability and cost.

The smart home is rapidly becoming a reality and here DECT also provides justthe right foundation. Making a complex system simple enough to be a truebenefit for consumers is undoubtedly a challenge for systems providers butchipset supplier Lantiq has built this capability into its CPE devices, integratingthe latest ULE Alliance Device Protocols, and showcased in this publication.

A key element of the smart home is interoperability between multi-vendorsystems, with the aim of ending the consumer's struggle to understand how arange of proprietary products work. HGI’s Smart Home Task Force is setting therequirements for the smart home platform and is developing testing approachesthat will enable vendors to bring smart home products to market quickly, and socreate a robust, smart home ecosystem that will flourish for the benefit of many.

Also in the home, consumer control over technology must include the abilityto block nuisance calls, easily and simply. In this issue, Steve Smith, Director oftrueCall, gives a roundup of the different nuisance call blocking technologiesthat are available.

And finally – but by no means least – Avi Barel, Business Development Directorof the ULE Alliance, in conversation with me gives us his view of the current stateof the ULE Alliance, where it's headed, and its role in the wider world over time.

We trust you will enjoy reading this issue of DECT Today – and as ever, if youhave any feedback, the editorial team would be delighted to hear your views. Younever know – if enough people contact us, we may have to start a letters page...

Manek DubashEditor, DECT Today.

CONTENTS

3D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

FEATURES

DECT OUTLOOK

DECT WORLD CONFERENCE AND DECT AWARDS 2015

DECT IN JAPAN

NINTENDO’S Wii U WIRELESSMIC

ANOTHER FIRST FOR DECTWIRELESS

HOW TO BLOCK NUISANCECALLS

VIDEO OVER DECT

THE POWER TO BE

HOME AUTOMATION BECOMES AMASS MARKET

THE RIGHT CONNECTION FORTHE SMART HOME GATEWAY

WIRELESS AUDIO OVER DECT

CLARITY IN ACTION: THE ERA OFTHE SMART HOME

INTERVIEWS

THE ULE ALLIANCE Manek Dubash talks with Avi Barel,

Business Development Director, ULE Alliance.

Contents

16 Manek Dubash learns the latestdevelopments at the ULE Alliancefrom Avi Barel.

6 preview of the DECT Forum’s 2015 World Conference and the DECT Awards.

7 From the start of J-DECT in 2008, through todemonstrating ULE in 2014.

12 DECT is not limited only to audio.Video over DECT is already here.

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6

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8

11

12

15

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21

22

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24 HGI is working to create a robust smart homeecosystem that canflourish to the benefit of many.

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

THE OUTLOOK FOR DECT AND THE DECT FORUM

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The DECT industry is today alive and kicking hard towardsnew initiatives. Working alongside its partner organizations,such as Cablelabs, ETSI and HGI, the DECT Forum hasgalvanized the resurgence of DECT technology towards newapplications, opening up new markets and differenttechnology flavours such as CAT-iq, DECT 6.0, J-DECT andULE.

Building on its significant worldwide spectrum coverage, theopening of new geographical markets has seen the introduction inrecent years of DECT 6.0 in the US and J-DECT in Japan, and theDECT Forum continues to look towards China and India as twofurther potential geographies for spectrum allocation.

DECT continues to be a stalwart of the Enterprise industry andhas seen extended use in business, hospitals, hotels, prisons andthe oil industry with specialist telecommunications equipmentcovering large installations with roaming and handover capabilitiesinherent to its operations. Devices such as rugged handsets,headsets and paging provide a key service to the function of suchindustrial applications. Other innovations have seen the use ofDECT technology in Gaming applications and conference audiosystems for example.

The migration of the switched networks towards IP networks,promoted the innovation and introduction of CAT-iq, whichenables support for key features such as HD Voice, Multi-line,Multi-call, in-field software upgradability, and a whole raft of otheruseful features which re-generated the cordless industry andintroduced DECT to the home gateway market. Adopted by the keyservice providers and now established as the key voice technologyfor gateway integration with a large install base, this provided theperfect platform for the latest initiative towards markets such asHome Automation, Security and Climate Control. We look forwardto seeing ULE as the key player in the IOT.

Building on the properties of the mature and secure DECTtechnology, combined with exceptional range, low cost ofownership, ease of use, and interference free operation, the DECTForum, in conjunction with ETSI, has initiated the update of theunderlying DECT standards to provide a low power variant whichmeets the needs of these new market applications. Such was theimportance for the industry that a sister organization, the ULEAlliance, was created to focus on this technology variant.

The strength of DECT, underpinned by the initiative from theDECT Forum, leaves the expectation,that we shall continue to seehealthy extensions to DECT, and look forward to the next initiativesfor continued growth of the technology.

The outlook for DECT and the

DECT ForumBy Ruth Wilson, Deputy Chair, DECT Forum

Ruth Wilson, Deputy Chair, DECT Forum

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D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

DECT WORLD CONFERENCE AND DECT AWARDS 2015

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DECT World Conferenceand DECT Awards 2015

The DECT Forum is pleased to announce the 19th annual DECT World conference, which will take place in

Barcelona (Spain), Hotel Crowne Plaza (former Fira Palace) on May 19-20th, 2015.

Whilst the location and venue will remainthe same in 2015 as the previous twoyears, the DECT Forum decided to movethe conference from the beginning of theyear to a more appropriate date in May,which does not conflict with otherimportant events in the first quarter orwith any regional holidays. We hope thiswill encourage attendance as this moreconvenient date.

The DECT Forum also announces theintroduction of the first DECT World Awardsfor end products using the DECT technology orany of its derivatives such as DECT 6.0/CAT-iq/DECT Security/J-DECT and ULE. The awardswill be presented at the DECT Worldconference in May 2015.

Innovations for theAnnual World Conference

The conference will provide excitingtechnology, market and product updates alongwith stimulating discussion, and will be agreat place to meet key decision-makers from operators, customers, suppliers, andretailers alike.

Delegates will be able to make use of thenumerous networking opportunities on offer.With some important format changes, DECTWorld 2015 conference is a must-attend-event for the entire industry. Some of theinnovations of the 2015 conference include:

• Discount rate for members of the DECTForum and ULE Alliance

• 50% discount for first time exhibitors• One day conference pass • Free attendance for operators• Elevator pitch for ULE products• Analyst view on the market • Keynote from an external speaker to be

announced• Networking event with DECT Awards

presentation at the venue

The organiser will also provide an optimisedtimeline and preparation for delegates of theconference: the networking tool and theconference brochure with all speakers and theentire program will be available already inJanuary 2015.

DECT World Awards

The newly introduced DECT Awards for endproducts will cover two categories: productinnovation and product design.

For each category, the following will beawarded:

• Winner• Runner up• Highly commended

The winner in each category will receive a prestigious trophy, and the opportunity for a one-page promotion in the next issue of the DECT Today magazine. Awards will bepresented in a ceremony on the evening of the first day of the DECT World Conference(May 19, 2014) at Crowne Plaza (Barcelona).Any company/operator with a product basedon the DECT technology and its derivatives can enter. An entry fee of 250 € will beapplied for any company/operator who is nota member of the DECT Forum or the ULEAlliance. There is no restriction on the numberof products, which a company/operator canenter, and a company/operator may enter both categories.

DECT World 2015 ProductInnovation Award

Will be awarded the product which is consideredto provide the most innovative use of the DECTtechnology or its derivatives. Could be forexample in a new end application, or a newfeature on an existing product. Innovations can behardware or software or a combination of both.

DECT World 2015 ProductDesign Award

Will be awarded the product, which is consideredto provide the most interesting and attractiveindustrial design. Product must be based on theDECT technology or derivatives and be in prod-uction/deployment in 2014/2015. End applicationshould include the use of voice and/or data.

Recognised industry personalities will formthe pretigious jury, headed by the Chairperson ofthe DECT Forum Board.

Useful deadline information:

• Deadline for register of interest – November20th 2014

• Deadline for entry – end January 2015

The DECT Forum would like to encouragemembers and interested companies to partici-pate in this newly created DECT Award. We arelooking forward to receiving your entries.

Click on the video icon towatch the video review of the2014 DECT World Conference

DECT IN JAPAN

7D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

DECT in JapanThe story so far...

Back in autumn 2008, several companiesfrom the Japanese telephone industrygathered in a meeting room in Tokyo. Itwas the start of “J-DECT”, which becamepublicly available in Japan in October2010, following amendments to radiolaws, relevant test procedures (TELEC T-254) and the ARIB (Association of RadioIndustries and Businesses) specificationSTD-T101.

It was December 2010 when Japan's firstDECT-compatible phone appeared on themarket, at a time when most digital phonessold into the home were operating in the2.4GHz band.

In the 3.5 years since the launch, mostcordless telephones for the home - includingthose attached to fax machines - have beenswitched to DECT-compatible or with a J-DECTlogo, and marketed with catchlines such as"interference-free from 2.4GHz".

In autumn 2011, Japan's DECT Forummembers got together and started talkingabout forming a new Forum working group.The following February, we announced theJapan Working Group's (WG) foundation, withthe aim of promoting "the deployment of the1.9GHz digital cordless telephone system andits new use-cases in Japan".

The Japan WG's biggest mission for the firstyear was to design and register a unique “J-DECT” logo. The logo was formallyregistered with the Japanese patent office inDecember 2012 as a property of the DECTForum, guidelines for usage were agreed, andnew products with the logo appeared in storesin spring 2013. The J-DECT logo can now be found onproduct cabinets and packaging,manuals, catalogues and web articlesbranding products as manufactured orsold by members of DECT Forum, andcomplying with ARIB STD-T101.

We had another challenge in May2012: it was the first time weparticipated at the “Wireless Japan”exhibition held at Tokyo Big Sight. It's thecountry's biggest event for the latestwireless technologies.

Anticipating that very few people -even wireless experts - knew about DECT,we started by explaining basic issues

such as who we were, what DECT technologyis and what its capabilities are, using displaypanels, presentation materials and recentlylaunched products. We found most of thosematerials worked well - but we forgot to tellpeople how “D E C T” is pronounced!

In May this year, we attended the event forthe third time, and focused more onpresenting ULE and its applications, includinga live demonstration with support from theULE Alliance. We definitely attracted moreserious visitors to our booth than in previousyears, interested in doing potential businessaround DECT/ULE.

On the other hand, we recognised that DECTis not yet widely known as a unique and viablemedia for the home or the local area,especially when competing with well-known

technologies like ZigBee, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This is particular to Japan, where the920MHz band which opened in July 2012,has been popular – more so than 2.4GHzZigBee – for HAN or local sensor applicationsdue to its wider range and multiple modulesbeing available, and there being manyplayers in the market.

Future challenges for the Japan market orby Japan WG are:

• expansion of the DECT spectrum• intensive promotion• deployment of further new products /

applications with DECT/ULE• Invitation of new WG members• introduction of more products with

J-DECT logo

Above all, we need morespectrum for J-DECT, which can beachieved by using radio spectrumnow allocated only for public PHS.This issue is becoming increasinglycritical as more video-enabledapplications - such as video doorphones, wireless microphonesand/or enterprise DECT cordlessphones - are being launchedalongside existing legacy cordlesstelephones, so more spectrum orQoS will be needed.

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

NINTENDO WII U WIRELESS MICROPHONE

8

The application requirement was clear:for end users to be able to sing in timewith music – karaoke – and dance andjump when they feel like it, all with near-zero latency – under 15ms – all withoutthe fuss and hazards associated withwired microphones. Danish partnercompany RTX implemented a customsoftware solution for Nintendo onDialog’s chipset – delivering exactly that.

Wii U Wireless Microphone incorporatesDialog's SC14448 and the associated USBDongle houses Dialog's SC14492. Nintendochose DECT technology to connect itswireless microphone to its console's twin USBsockets because DECT offers just the rightcombination of factors.

The home environment is noisy, full of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals in the crowded2.4GHz band, which mitigates against theprovision of the kinds of deterministic, low-latency responses that singing your words offthe screen absolutely demands.

Trials established for example thatBluetooth is vulnerable to interference, whichwould quickly annoy budding pop stars!

DECT's protected 1.9GHz band guaranteesa lack of interference and drop-outs. This isparticularly important in this application, notonly because voice applications demand lowlatency, but also because the console's USBports are close together, making interference-free connectivity even more difficult whenusing a shared radio band.

Dialog's silicon solution offers otherbenefits too, including impressive battery life– up to 40 hours using dry cell batteries,achieved by power managementtechnologies, such as dynamic and granularpowering down of chip components that arenot currently in use, and the optimisation ofradio transmit time. It also provides easyconnectivity. With two mikes in use, Nintendo wanted simplicity from the user'spoint of view. Users only need to plug in the

dongle and the mike just works, with nopairing problems.

DECT technology allows one or moremicrophones to be connected to the sameFixed Part USB dongle, but from a user pointof view this is not preferred. Selling setscontaining a microphone and a DECT USBdongle guarantee it always worksimmediately out of the box. When a consumerwants to use a second microphone he uses asecond set and plugs the second dongle in theWii-U.

This makes the technology implementationmore complex. However, says Jesper Noer,regional sales manager of RTX Design

Services: "The strength of DECT is that we cansolve this and make it possible to have twoFixed Part DECT USB dongles close to eachother without interference, and with very lowlatency. We used a fixed frequency sine waveas input for both microphones and measuredno artefacts at the dongle side. If you haveartefacts on the sine wave, it won't workproperly.

"We made sure the dongles could co-existwithin a couple of millimetres of each other.We also made sure it worked perfectly whenthere were people between the microphonesand the dongles. The robustness of the DECTtechnology showed that this can be donewhere other radio solutions fail."

So, using low-latency audio, Dialog’stechnology offers interference-freeconnectivity, impressive battery life andreliability, and allows consumers morefreedom to move, dance and jump whenusing the Wii U for karaoke or other games.What's more, the audio quality is just as goodas a wired connection – so singers get thebest of both worlds.

Nintendo’s Wii U Wireless Microphone

Nintendo has deployed Dialog Semiconductor's silicon to combine a number of the benefits of DECT technology

and so provided Wii U Wireless Microphone, designed for its latest gaming console.

Products & Solutions forDECT

CAT-iqULE

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DECT-ULE-VoIP module

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

PLANTRONICS DELIVERS ANOTHER FIRST FOR DECT WIRELESS

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Plantronics delivers another first

for DECT WirelessA pioneer in wearable technology, Plantronics is once again delivering

a first-to-market advantage for customers. As popularity of DECT wireless headsets gains momentum across all industries – headset

industry analysts predict product shipments to triple in the next 7 years — so does the need for heightened security requirements.

Plantronics leads the headset industry withcertification in new DECT Forum securitystandards that go beyond traditionalauthentication and encryption measures.Customers benefit with greater choice andflexibility in wireless headsets becausePlantronics keeps ahead of dynamictechnology demands to ensure robust,secure communication solutions.

From a garage to themoon and back

Plantronics was started by two airline pilotsworking in a garage, intent on developing abreakthrough in commercial aviation headsets.Together, they pioneered the world’s firstlightweight headset. Plantronics MS50 was theheadset used in outer space by astronaut WallySchirra for the Mercury mission, and soon after,Neil Armstrong used a Plantronics headset toutter his legendary words, “That's one smallstep for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Plantronics remains a global leader in audiotechnology today. From Bluetooth® and DECTheadsets to mission-critical environments andunified communications (UC), Plantronicscontinues to raise the bar on matchless audioquality and innovation. Our products are usedby everyone from pilots, astronauts and 911emergency workers to 100% of Fortune 100companies.

Plantronics wirelessexcellence

With the advent of UC, wireless technologies areincreasingly in demand across many enterprises.Workers use the PC as a softphone and connectusing audio devices, such as headsets, tocollaborate more effectively and improve

productivity and mobility. DECT wirelesstechnology is a key attribute in acceleratingheadset-to-softphone usage, which analystsexpect will double over the next few years.

Plantronics is at the forefront of thisimportant trend with cutting-edge yet proventechnology, quality, security and service. Wehave engineered some of the smallest DECTradio boards in the industry. We launched ourfirst DECT wireless products in Europe in 2002,and in 2005, Plantronics engineer Steve Cahillwas instrumental in outlining the DECTspecifications for bringing the technology tothe US. We were the first company to occupythe newly created UCPS band for DECT in the

US, and released Plantronics CS55, CS70N andSupraPlus Wireless headset models.

Scroll forward. Our now legendary CS500™Series set a new wireless standard for deskphone communication with the lightest DECTheadset on the market and up to 350 feet ofrange for stellar hands-free performance. Ourflagship Plantronics Savi 700 Series DECTwireless solutions deliver intelligent multi-deviceconnectivity, the same long-range wirelessperformance in an equally lightweightconvertible headset.

Securing the future ofDECT tech

When the DECT Forum announced its latestsecurity standards, we began working to adoptthe recommendations for implementation withinour products. The expanded security guidelinescover authentication, encryption, call setup, callprogress and tear down, and include a stringentcertification process for full members of theDECT Forum. Plantronics has been a member ofthe DECT Forum since 2002, with fullmembership since 2006.

Obtaining DECT Forum Security Certificationrequires products to meet all compliance criteriaand be submitted for independent verification atan approved test lab. Plantronics’ CS500 Serieswith the DECT Security Certification Logo andsecurity enhancements are already available.Customers can expect the updated security-certified Plantronics Savi 700 Series products tobe available a little later this year, and Savi 400products in early 2015. For customers wishing toupdate existing Savi products to the same securitylevel, we will be making the firmware upgradesavailable online via the Plantronics website.

For more information, please visitwww.plantronics.com.

Neil Armstrong walked on the moon anduttered the legendary words: "That's one smallstep for man, one giant leap for mankind"through a Plantronics headset.

Our flagship DECT headset system, Savi 700Series features multi-device connectivity tomeet the evolving needs of enterprise workers.

HOW DO YOU BLOCK NUISANCE CALLS?

11D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

Nuisance phone calls are a huge problemfor people all across the world – in the UKthey account for over half the calls thatsome people receive. They may just be anannoyance, or they may bring danger –calls from criminals attempting to scam ordefraud. In recent years there have beenhuge advances in the technology availableto block nuisance calls, and this is now inits third generation.

The First Generation of call managementtechnology was the Caller-ID service – thiswas introduced around 1990 and allowedusers to see who was calling before theypicked up.

Second Generation call managementtechnology is built upon the Caller-ID service,and allows users to unconditionally block callsfrom particular numbers, groups of numbersor classes of caller. This is the technology thatis currently available in many DECT handsets.This technology has many limitations:-

• The first call from each nuisance caller stillgets through – it is only subsequent callsfrom that caller that are blocked. There areliterally thousands of Caller-IDs that youmay want to block, and call centres oftenrotate the Caller-IDs they send, so next timethey call you it may be from a differentnumber.

• Many call centres withhold their number, orcall from VoIP systems (so that their Caller-ID is unavailable). Second Generationsystems allow you to block all callers whowithhold their number, or all calls where thenumber is unavailable, but this means thatyou risk blocking some calls that you wantto receive. In the UK hospitals, doctors, thepolice and social services all withhold theirnumber.

Local authorities in the UK tested a SecondGeneration blocker and found that it blockedjust 32% of nuisance calls.

Third Generation technology differs fromSecond Generation technology in that it

focuses more on the people you do want tospeak to rather than the people you don’twant to speak to – their numbers are probablyalready in your phone’s PhoneBook. Calls fromthese callers get straight through, calls fromcallers on your Block list are blocked with amessage asking them not to call again, butwhat about calls from numbers, or calls thatarrive without a number?

Third Generation systems intercept thesecalls, tell the caller that you don’t accepttelemarketing calls, and asks them to identifythemselves by saying their name and pressinga button. Silent calls and recorded messagesare blocked - they can’t press a button – andthe vast majority of telemarketers will hang upwhen they are intercepted (they havecommission to earn and know that they’re notgoing to make a sale to someone who isscreening their calls). Legitimate callers whoaren’t yet on your Allow list can easily getthrough by saying their name - your phonerings, announces the caller and gives you theoption of accepting the call, accepting the calland putting them on the Allow list, sendingthe caller to the answering machine, orblocking the caller (playing them the Block

message and putting their number - if it isavailable - onto your block list).

The phone will start blocking unwantedcalls immediately it is plugged in – it can beconfigured by the user, or they can just leaveit to learn who you want to speak to as it isbeing used. This describes just the basicconfiguration – Third Generation devices allowusers to set up a call handling strategy tomeet their own particular needs.

In the UK there have been a number ofindependent trials of this technology and ithas been shown to consistently block 95%+ ofnuisance calls.

The first phone to incorporate ThirdGeneration technology has been launched byBT in the UK – the BT8500. This uses trueCall’saward winning call blocking technology and isproving a big hit with customers.

Nuisance call blocking technology can openup the DECT market – it can command a pricepremium, and it is a compelling reason forpeople to replace their existing phone. Manypeople buying BT’s new BT8500 are replacing aBT6500 (BT’s Second Generation call blockingphone) that they bought only 18 monthsearlier!

How do you block nuisance calls?

Steve Smith, Director of trueCall gives a roundup of the different nuisance call

blocking technologies that are available.

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

HOME MONITORING WITH VIDEO OVER DECT

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Home monitoring with video over DECT

Millions of homes around the globe are already using DECTcordless phones, enjoying crystal clear sound and

unrivalled home coverage. But DECT is not limited only toaudio. Video over DECT is already here, offering better

resolution and a higher frame rate at an affordable price.

Video systems for home monitoring havebeen traditionally locked into the wiredage. Requiring complicated wiring andspecial installation, they exceedperformance needs and so are very costly.DECT systems that deliver video to homeapplications, such as surveillance andmonitoring, bring home owners thebenefits they have come to appreciate inDECT cordless phones.

DSP Group, a pioneer in this area, providessolutions that build on the company’s extensiveexperience and broad DECT product range.

The basic home video system may consist ofone or more cameras and one or more displayunits – portable or stationary, battery-operated or mains-powered. With no wiresattached between cameras and displays, alldevices connect over wireless DECT.

In comparison to video delivered over Wi-Fi,DECT for video offers:

• A solution tailored for home monitoring• A cost-effective platform that enables

affordable products without over-specifiedperformance-related costs

• Low current consumption that supportsbattery-operated cameras and displays withsignificantly increased standby time, thanksto Ultra Low Energy (ULE) technology

• A long range and dedicated frequency bandthat provides full home coverage with aninterference-free operation

• Integrated antenna diversity mechanismstabilising video link in indoor, multi-pathenvironment

• Built-in support for HD Voice• Easy implementation of video link into

home telephony systems, ideal for imageviewing on any DECT handset at home forapplications such as baby monitors, doorbells and internal calls

• Simple transfer of camera image over IP tothe cloud, PC or any cellular phone

DECT video setup can be either single- ordualpath, depending on the configuration:

• Single Path – This is usually from abattery-operated camera acting as a DECTportable part (PP) to the DECT fixed part(FP). Thiscan be a simple DECT base with adisplay or a DECT-enabled HGW or OTTdevice with IP access

• Dual Path – The DECT FP acts as a relay to

display the image on a DECT PP, such as aportable display

A variety of applications may use these typesof configurations. From door-bell camera, roomand baby video monitors to external housesurveillance systems. The DECT base (FP) inthese systems support configuration such as:

• Surveillance dedicated base with portable orfixed display units (e.g. wall mounted displayunit).

• Cordless phone base – where standard phonefunctionality is combinedwith video and monitoringand the handsets can act asportable displays• DECT-enabled HGW – inthis case, on top of the in-house link, an externalcommunication link ispossible via the IPconnection. ­ This external link enables avariety of applications,including cloud-basedservices such as security,healthcare, and

Figure 1: Single Video Path

Figure 2: Dual Video Path

➔

HOME MONITORING WITH VIDEO OVER DECT

13D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

monitoring within the home, such asroom or baby monitoring, house keepers,unattended children, security, and so on,all from a remote PC or mobile phone.

Some of these use cases are depicted below.

Until now, sufficient image quality andframe rates were stumbling blocks to thebroad adoption of video over DECT. QVGA(320x240) resolution and higher frame ratesare set to change this. QVGA resolutionenables good image quality for display on alarge screen (typically 3-4 inches), and itsframe rates are sufficient for typical videoneeds in home applications.

The examples below compare QVGAresolution images (JPEG format) with lowerresolution imaging. QVGA provides a level ofimage quality that enables detail capture inboth static and live settings – precisely whatthe end user needs.

Recent advanced technologies developed byDSP Group enable video over DECT with QVGAand higher resolution with acceptable framerates at an attractive cost.

Chipsets andconnectivity

With the demand for video monitoring athome becoming increasingly widespread aspeople take ownership of security and safetyissues that directly affect their family, several companies are already working closelywith DSP Group on the next generation ofvideo over DECT systems. Well-known DECTODM SGW (Shenzhen Guo Wei Electronics Co.)is among them.

“DSP Group’s solution for video over DECTenables us to provide our customers in thismarket with better quality and higherperformance products,” says Malcolm Paton,Global Marketing Director of SGW. “We areconfident that this solution will result in newvideo products that measure up to ourcustomer expectations in three critical areas:quality, reliability and cost.”

The portable DECT solution from DSP Groupis based on the DHXchipset family. It isa highly integratedsystem on a chip(SoC) solution forULE technology –the next generationof homeautomation andmonitoringstandards. The DHXfamily offers the

advantages of superior range, video and audiosupport over DECT, long battery life, and DIYinstallation.

DSP Group is providing the DECTconnectivity for the Home Gateway (HGW)with the advanced DCX81 DECT/CAT-iq SoC, or the complete Over-the-Top (OTT) IP terminal solution with the high-performanceDVF99 SoC.

About DSPGroup

DSP Group®, Inc.(NASDAQ:DSPG) is aleading global providerof wireless chipsetsolutions for convergedcommunications.Deliveringsemiconductor systemsolutions with softwareand hardware referencedesigns, DSP Groupenables OEMs/ODMs,consumer electronics(CE) manufacturers and

service providers to cost-effectively developnew revenue-generating products with fasttime to market.

At the forefront of semiconductorinnovation and operational excellence for overtwo decades, DSP Group provides a broadportfolio of wireless chipsets integratingDECT/CAT-iq, ULE, Wi-Fi, PSTN, HDClear™,video and VoIP technologies. DSP Groupenables converged voice, audio, video anddata connectivity across diverse mobile,consumer and enterprise products – frommobile devices, connected multimedia screens,and home automation & security to cordlessphones, VoIP systems, and home gateways.

Leveraging industry-leading experience andexpertise, DSP Group partners with CEmanufacturers and service providers to shapethe future of converged communications athome, office and on the go.

For more information, visit www.dspg.com.

For more details, please contact; DSP Group Tali Chen CVP, Corporate Development Tali.chen@dspg.com

SGW Malcolm PatonGlobal Marketing Director of SGWMalcolm.Paton@sgwglobal.com

Figure 3: Video DoorBell / External camera

Figure 4: Video Room /Baby monitor

Figure 6: QVGA Resolution (left) and QQVGA Resolution (right) Images

Coding Scheme Image Size Frame Rate Mode

Motion JPEG QVGA 13FPS Single pathH264 QVGA 33FPS Single pathH264 HVGA 15FPS Single pathJPEG-Still VGA (and more)Motion JPEG QVGA 6FPS Dual pathH264 QVGA 14FPS Dual pathH264 HVGA 7FPS Dual path

Table 1: Video over DECT Rates (QVGA = 320x240, HVGA=480x320)

Table 1 below shows performance examples for both single anddual paths using different codecs and system configurations.

OPERATOR NEWS

Operator NewsBT takes aim at nuisancecallers

As reported elsewhere in this issue, unwantedcalls and automated recordings from PPIclaim and sales companies are Britons’ topannoyances, a new survey has found.

Research from UK operator BT showednuisance calls ranked above queue jumpers,noisy neighbours and rude commuters as thebiggest bugbear, with the average person in theUK receiving six nuisance calls a week.

The poll of 2,000 people revealed 44% foundthe calls physically increase their stress levels,but some recipients have found a fun way todeal with them – 10% of Scots have admittedto playing a prank on cold callers, such asputting them on hold.

Those troubled by nuisance calls can nowtackle the problem with the new DECT-basedBT8500 Advanced Call Blocker. The phone is BT’smost advanced call-blocking phone to date,stopping up to 100% of nuisance calls.

Its Call Guardian feature means the phonecan intercept all calls from people not on thecontact list. A virtual assistant asksunrecognised callers to announce their nameprior to being connected, and users can thendecide to accept or reject the call; if they rejectit, that number is stored so it is blockedautomatically if they call again.

It can also block withheld numbers andinternational numbers, which account for asignificant proportion of nuisance calls. Userscan also block callers by area code and mobilenumber.

TV presenter Janet Street-Porter, who islaunching the phone, said: “The BT8500Advanced Call Blocker is designed to stop theseannoying and often intimidating nuisance callsonce and for all. Your home is your sanctuaryand the fact that these callers can invade yourpersonal space is simply not on. Thankfully,they can now be blocked without even needingto speak to a cold caller, which is a huge stepforward.”

US operator deploys HD Voice

Cablevision appears to be the first largecable company to roll out an HD voiceservice to its home subscribers. Initially, it isdoing this in New York and surroundingareas.

Cablevision has blazed this trail previously, asit was also the first cable company to roll out HDvoice to its business customers, as far back asfive years ago. Our understanding is that otheroperators only started rolling out HD voice overthe past two years, which means thatCablevision has something of a lead in providingHD voice services.

Subscribers using the service will be suppliedwith DECT CAT-iq 2.0 wireless phones.Cablevision, which markets its consumer servicesunder the Optimum brand name, will apparentlyroll out its HD voice service on an area by areabasis, and plans to have covered all of itscustomers within the next two months.

THE POWER TO BE...

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The power to be...Dialog Semiconductor will probably be bestknown to the DECT community for its single-chip family comprising the industry's firstfully integrated, monolithic DECT / DCT /CAT-iq / ULE processor ICs. These ICscombine baseband processing and radiofunctionality and provide a platform forcreating a complete range of DECT / DECT6.0/ K-DECT and ISM band 2.4 GHz models.

Dialog’s single-chip solutions feature a 16-bit CompactRISC™ microcontroller for generalprocessing including power management andnon-real-time MMI functionality. In addition, apowerful Gen2DSP core processes the audiostreams and delivers the superior voice qualityof the CAT-iq standard. All of Dialog’s single-chip DECT / CAT-iq solutions include supportfor hands-free speakers, LCD displays and LCDbacklighting, allowing various products to bedeveloped for different market segments usingthe same chip.

However, the reality is that DialogSemiconductor provides a broad portfolio ofsemiconductor solutions, as we shall see.

Mixed signaltechnologies for growth& volume markets

While DECT, CAT-iq and ULE remain at the coreof Dialog’s business, the company is, at heart, afabless provider of mixed signal integratedcircuits optimised for personal portable, lowenergy short-range wireless, LED solid statelighting and automotive applications.

In touch with today’s gravitation towardsmobile computing and communicationsdevices, Dialog has developed leading powermanagement intellectual property (IP) andfocuses on power saving technologies. Dialogsolutions power today’s smartphones, tablets,ultrabooks and other portable devices, withbusiness units responsible for PowerManagement, Ultra Low Power Audio, Short-range Wireless Technologies and Low StandbyCurrent, High Efficiency AC/DC PowerConversion.

Alongside developing proprietary solutionsthat are optimised for specific markets, Dialogalso works closely with industry bodies todefine and implement new wireless standardsand technologies. As a result, Dialog’ssolutions for real-time wireless voice and dataapplications ensure the earliest support for theimproved and innovative features specified inthese new releases.

One example of this would be Dialog’sSmartPulseTM - wireless sensor network deviceswhich use DECT ULE to provide interference-free connectivity for smart home applianceswith ceiling-to-cellar reach and the option ofvoice control. SmartPulse is used by customersincluding Phillips, AVM, Panasonic, Everspringand Gigaset.

Another example of Dialog’s innovativedesign process is SmartBondTM, a Bluetooth®Smart System on Chip (SoC) that has beendesigned for the wearable computer, wirelesskeyboard and mouse, SmartTV remote controland proximity tag/indoor navigation markets.The SmartBond low power solution doublesbattery life for Bluetooth Smart products, oralternatively enables fewer batteries to be usedin contrast to existing SoC’s on the market.

Test and physicallaboratories

While leveraging the outsourcing model to itsfullest for volume manufacturing, Dialog stillretains a prototype test facility, includingphysical analysis capabilities in-house. Thisfacilitates fast ramping to volumemanufacturing at the foundry and atpackaging and test sub-contractors, achievingbest in class industry yields and extremely highquality and reliable products.

Equally important, it allows Dialog tominimise the scope of tests required and thedevice test time, helping to reduce unit costs.Dialog Semiconductor maintains this test andphysical laboratory at Kirchheim, nearStuttgart, Germany.

The “go to” company forintegrated power savingtechnologies

With approaching 30 years of experience,Dialog Semiconductor provides flexible and dynamic support, world-class innovationand the assurance of dealing with anestablished business partner.

Dialog continues to have smartphone andtablet design win success for powermanagement and audio through engagementswith the world’s leading, trend-setting globalconsumer electronics brands. Dialog takes a“total system” approach to minimising energyusage with its highly integrated andconfigurable power and audio managementcircuits which enable portable devices to chargefaster and support power-hungry multimediaapplications and extend consumers’ playtimebetween charging.

With R&D centres in ten countries, spanningthe USA, Europe, APAC and Japan, there is littledoubt that Dialog is ideally placed to serviceglobal, brand-name OEM clients. Currently thehighest growth mixed signal semiconductorcompany, Dialog is geared to provide high-volume custom product and ASSP productcapability, having developed a broad portfolio ofecosystem partnerships with the leadingapplication processor vendors.

Through continued investment in R&D andstrong relationships with its customers, processorand foundry partners, Dialog is on track tosustain its record of innovation, diversificationand growth over the coming years.

www.dialog-semiconductor.com

Manek Dubash talks to Avi Barel, Business

Development Director ofthe ULE Alliance

Q: WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE ULE ALLIANCE FROM THE POINTOF VIEW OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTIONAND THE ALLIANCE'S ACTIVITIESAROUND THAT?

We see an increasing number of newdevelopments using ULE technology bymembers of the ULE Alliance and othercompanies. So it's good news for us.

We are stepping up our promotionalactivity to increase the awareness of ULE. Forexample, you will see plenty of activity atupcoming events such as Broadband WorldForum in late October, European Utility Week

at the start of November, as well asConnections Europe in late November andCES in January. We will also be participatingin lots of events throughout 2015.

Another important initiative in our key aimof increasing the adoption of ULE technologyworldwide is our decision to fund thedevelopment of ULE application layer protocolsoftware. This development is now very near tocompletion. Once completed, we will offer oursoftware as open source to the developmentcommunity as a whole, not just to ourmembers. We believe that this will help fasterand broader adoption of ULE technology.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THE ALLIANCEAND WHAT WOULD YOU SEE AS YOUBEST SUCCESSES, YOUR CURRENTCHALLENGES – AND HOW DO YOUR PLAN TO ADDRESS THEM?

As business development director, my roleconsists of several activities:• Increasing awareness of ULE technology by

promoting it worldwide via a range ofinstruments, including conferences,publications, events and face-to-facemeetings.

• Establishing co-operation with otherstandards organisations, we already have ➔

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

DECT TODAY INTERVIEW

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DECT TODAY INTERVIEW

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agreements with ETSI and HGI, others arein process.

• Adding more members - we've had greatsuccess in 2013 – the first year of the ULEAlliance, with a growth in membership toaround 40. Currently we have over 50members, and it's increasing steadily.

The ULE Alliance's mission is to create aframework that will enable alliance membersto develop products faster, keepingdevelopment costs well under control. Thecertification programme is the key to makethis happen, and the development of thatprogramme was designated by the ULEAlliance board as the top priority activity for2014. It allows members to test forinteroperability and so obtain certification ofcompliance to the standard, and was createdwith some great contributions from ourtechnical team and our partners.

And here's my challenge: to increaseawareness of the Alliance, and of ULE andDECT technologies in general. The situation isthat we have in our hands probably the besttechnology for the Internet of Things (IoT). It'sbest because of its unique characteristics – adedicated radio band and a lack ofinterference with other radio technologiesand ability to deliver voice and datasimultaneously. All these result in longerrange, the sophisticated, feature rich,yet simplest network architecture andlowest ownership cost of all similartechnologies.

All this is a great starting point butit doesn't equate to automatic success– so my personal challenge is to makeit a success. This means bringing moremembers into the alliance, creatingmore awareness and supportinginternal projects.

Q: SEPARATE FROM YOURPERSONAL ROLE, WHAT DO YOUSEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGESFACING THE ALLIANCE?

ULE is a late-comer so we need toclose the gap of many years againstexisting technologies. Our biggestchallenge is to get decision-makers, beit engineering, marketing or businessmanagement, to see what greatbenefits they can get from ULE. Thismeans for example that we'll beattending more exhibitions,conferences and working with morepublications to raise awareness.

The Alliance board of directorsallocated significant funds to supportstepping up promotion activities,which will become the main focus

area for 2015. We partnered with Park’sAssociates and will be participating in eventsstarting with Connections Europe andConnections CES, and more throughout 2015.ULE will be promoted in Park’s Associatesmarketing material and this will help us reachout to development and decision-makingcommunities. We are constantly seeking forspeaking opportunities at conferences, wherewe can talk about what we are doing and thebenefits of the technology. One issue is that,in Europe, most people know about DECTbecause it's a big standard and it is supportedby ETSI. We are less well-known in the USAbut we shall be getting more exposure.

Q: WHAT ABOUT ULE VS MAINSTREAMDECT? ARE THE TWO TECHNOLOGIESDESTINED TO END UP IN COMPETITION?

In the long run, ULE will be bigger thanDECT because the IoT will be huge. But we arenot in competition – we complement eachother. As an example, several operators haveDECT-enabled gateways, ULE devices can beadded to the home and still use the samegateway. No other technology can do this.This is one reason why we attract muchattention from the operators and serviceproviders. We are building our technology andmarket shoulder to shoulder with DECT, and

from a technology point of view, a ULE deviceuses DECT. So there's no competition.

Q: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BEST USECASES FOR ULE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILLHELP TO ENHANCE THE AWARENESS OFULE IN FUTURE?

Like DECT, ULE is a universal technology. Itcan support voice and data, and is the bestwireless technology for the IoT. The catch isthat the potential is so broad that you can findyourself chasing after a multitude ofopportunities. So we decided to focus on keyapplications including home automation, homesecurity, climate control and healthcare.

And as far as awareness is concerned, anymajor product introduction in one of the focusareas will enhance the awareness of ULE. In 2015,we expect to see significant product deploymentsusing ULE, mostly in the home automation area.Companies developing new products are in allthe areas we have talked about.

Q: WHAT'S YOUR KEY MESSAGE FOR DECTTODAY READERS?

ULE is here and it's growing, so we invite theDECT community to join hands with us becauseULE is the future.

www.ulealliance.org

For more in format ion p lease v is i t www.dspg.com or contact in fo@dspg.com

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Come meet us and experience the industry’s most innovative IoT solutions at BBWF 2014 and EUW 2014

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HOME AUTOMATION BECOMES A MASS MARKET

19D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

Home automation becomes a mass market

Open standards such as ULE cater to the needs of consumers and smaller businesses

By Tilmann Braun

Intelligent networks thatconnect and control buildingshave been an important part ofmodern building managementfor quite some time. What isnew is that such networks areall of a sudden becominginteresting for regularhouseholds and SMEs too. Thereasons behind this surge arenew standards which useexisting infrastructures.

Fitting homes and buildings withautomation technology has so farbeen unprofitable for mostconsumers and small businesses. As a result,the target group used to be rather small.However, with the latest solutions,investments are more likely to pay off muchfaster as the solutions use existing

infrastructures and allow much moreinteroperability with other products.

The manufacturers of consumer electronicshave led by example by allowing users tocombine their new devices with productsfrom other manufacturers to a singlenetwork. Instead of developing restrictedsolutions for the control of householdappliances and HVAC, the smart homeindustry has now also turned to standardswhich are common when it comes toconsumer electronics such as WLAN, DECTand powerline. Thanks to the open standardsand the increased interoperability of thesolutions, end users get access to newapplications, features and scenarios - and themanufacturers’ access to a new and muchlarger audience. “Through the unification of

standards, combining machines and devicesto intelligent networks is becomingincreasingly interesting for regularhouseholds,” said Eric Schneider of the M2MAlliance. “Until now, M2M was only excitingfor the industry, but this is changingdramatically with the increasinginterconnectivity of the entire house.”

Brand new but already inplace in millions ofhomes and offices

Many sensors, switches and devices canalready be integrated into the home networkvia Wi-Fi. Powerline technology allows higherbandwidths whilst DECT products with thenew ULE (Ultra Low Energy) standard aresignificantly cheaper. In many cases, newhardware is not required to use the newstandard as existing products can beupgraded to ULE via software updates. Justlike DECT, the ULE standard allows encryptedtransmissions and can be installed as quicklyas a cordless phone.

Perhaps the biggest advantages of ULE overother wireless standards are its reliability andrange, as well as the fact that interferencewith other radios can be ruled out. Unlikeother wireless communication channels suchas Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, ULE uses an exclusiveand protected frequency band (1880-1900

MHz); this makes interferencewith devices like microwaves andgarage door openers - which alsouse the 2.4 GHz range -impossible. Another importantadvantage of ULE is that it iscost-effective and that it helps toprotect the environment: withULE, the battery of a smokedetector merely uses a fewmicroamperes - and thereforelasts for more than 10 years.

In 2013, the "ULE Alliance" wasfounded to serve the specificneeds of the industry beyond the

use of the regular DECT standard. ULE is ofparticular interest to manufacturers of airconditioning equipment, alarm systems,sensors, motion and fire detectors and

automationtechnology.“Consumers wantdevices which theycan connect to anetwork, regardlessof the manufacturer,”said Jochen Killian ofthe ULE Alliance:“That’s why

manufacturers are looking for, and turning to,open standards and interfaces.”

The costs for new systems vary - dependingon the manufacturer, solution and demand.Among other companies, Gigaset, the marketleader for cordless phones, and the FRITZ!Boxmanufacturer AVM offer products such as anintelligent socket which can be used tointegrate household devices and appliancesinto the home network. “The demand is biggerthan anticipated,” commented Andreas Erhart,Country Manager for AVM in Austria. “Rightnow, the integration of the smart home intothe world of home networking is still in itsinfancy, but it won’t take long beforeconsumers will demand and rely on suchsolutions like they already do when it comesto modern consumer electronics.”

ULE IN THE MEDIA

20

ULE in the media

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SMART HOME GATEWAY

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ULE – the right connection for the

Smart Home Gatewayby Wolfgang John,

Director Product Marketing for DECT at Lantiq.

System providers face a challenge to delivera smart home experience that operatessimply enough to be a true benefit forconsumers. Smart home networks will mostlikely combine many different devices andservices, so the in-home link technologymust be easy-to-integrate into low-costdevices, reliable, and battery-friendly. Thisnetwork also requires an internetconnection to be accessible both to cloud-delivered services and to consumers whenthey are not home.

Fortunately, the technology to fulfil each ofthese requirements is in place today. Smartdevices within the home – including security,automation, and energy services – can belinked using stable, reliable and low power ULEtechnology. Broadband data and telecomsgateways offer the computing horsepower andflexibility to manage heterogeneous smarthome networks, supporting connectivitybetween networks of smart devices and to thebroadband access network.

While current generation in-home datanetworks are designed to link computing,communications and entertainment devices, asmart home will link safety, comfort andconvenience devices to provide new capabilitiesfor consumer control and vendor services,including:

• Security: motion sensors, window/doorcontact sensors, glass break sensor,smoke/heat sensor, etc.

• Climate control: temperature and humiditysensor, heating/air conditioner control, shedcontrol, etc.

• Convenience; appliances/white goods,lighting system control, smart electricaloutlets, door bell, etc.

A central control application is needed tocheck the status of these devices and triggeractions. The consumer also will want tomonitor and control smart home devices whileaway, and allow cloud services to have

permission-based access to the network. Thismeans that the in-home network needs aconnection to the Internet. While you could link an independent base station or controlpanel unit to the existing residential gateway,why not simply integrate control services into the in-place hardware and make thebroadband gateway the central hub of theautomated home?

Broadband Communications chipsetsupplier Lantiq has built this capability into itsCPE devices with integration of the newest ULEAlliance Device Protocols and best in class DECTsolutions. The gateway connection to theInternet may use any of several technologies;this link is essentially transparent to the in-home smart network. In the home, highbandwidth links to entertainment andcomputing resources (TV, audio, computers andtablets, printers) are handled by Ethernetand/or Wi-Fi. What’s needed is a linktechnology to connect the new generation ofintelligent smart home devices. As many ofthese devices will be battery-powered, this linkmust be wireless.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth face limits in terms ofeither power requirements or range/coverage.ULE, however, is ideally suited for this type ofapplication. The core technology is proven inuse for 20+ years, and many residentialgateways already have an integrated DECT basestation. ULE uses the same physical layer, andruns a new set of protocols optimized for smartdevice networks. A software upgrade willenable ULE functionality in many existinggateways, and the industry ecosystem exists to

support high-volume production of link chipsto add network connectivity to smart homedevices.

To firmly establish ULE as a core technologyfor smart home connectivity, Lantiq and theULE Alliance are moving interoperabilityforward by defining the required protocols, as

well as designating test andcertification bodies. Thisprovides vendors with apath to obtaining a ULEcertification logo that willallow end customers toconfidently buy smarthome devices. This will bein place by year end 2014,bringing the industry apowerful new technology

solution to build the Internet of Things.

About LantiqLantiq, a leading supplier of broadband

access and home networking technologies,offers a broad and innovative semiconductorproduct portfolio for next-generation networksand the digital Home.

More Information about Lantiq is availableon our Website or via Twitter @Lantiq, LinkedInand YouTube.

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

WIRELESS AUDIO

22

But redistributing high-quality audioaround the home without annoying delaysor interruptions is a challenge that requiresthe right technology choices. A proof-of-concept project by Dialog, Inteno andAudio Pro shows how DECT enables high-quality audio via a standard IAD, allowinggateway makers and telecoms companies tooffer a whole new range of services.

DECT is a mature and proven wirelessconnectivity technology. It made its name incordless telephony, where it is the de facto globalstandard with an installed base of more than halfa billion products. In recent years – particularlysince the emergence of the ULE variant – DECT’sunique mix of characteristics has seen DECT usedin a wider range of applications such as homeautomation and security.

Hitting the right notes

Meanwhile, the growth in popularity of onlinemusic services like Spotify and internet radio isdriving interest in wireless audio systems.People love having a vast music catalog at theirfingertips, but they don’t want to be tied totheir computer or the small speakers of theirphones to listen to it. Wireless audio makesthat possible but to be successful, systems needto deliver crystal-clear sound easily in a varietyof set ups. That in turn requires a wirelesstechnology that can deliver reliable, high-bandwidth transmission with sufficient range.

There are, of course, a number of possiblewireless technologies. But DECT offers the bestfit for wireless audio applications. For example,with a link budget of up to 120 dB and typicalindoor range of around 100 meters, DECT easilycovers the whole house and garden withoutresorting to complex “mesh topologies” orrestricting the base station position.

Unlike Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, DECT operates ina technology-exclusive frequency band ratherthan the already congested 2.4 GHz band. Thisguarantees no interference from other nearbywireless applications, so no annoying loss ofsignal. What’s more, the band is royalty free,helping reduce costs.

DECT also natively supports multi-room set-upsthat let different users listen to different audiostreams simultaneously from the same basestation. Its combination of medium accesstechniques divide the available spectrum into anumber of separate physical channels, whileDynamic Channel Allocation ensures each trans-mission uses the least busy channel. What’s more,DECT’s bi-directional data channels allow users topick tracks and control the sound remotely.

Always in time

A key challenge for multi-speaker wireless audioset-ups is ensuring the signals to each speakerremain synchronized. This is particularly difficultfor packet-based technologies such as Wi-Fi and

Bluetooth, which is why many Bluetooth speakersystems include both speakers in one unit.

By contrast, as a time-domain technology,DECT offers built-in synchronization between leftand right speakers to within 1 µs. Hence it ispossible to create true stereo systems withseparate speakers that can be placed anywherethe user likes for maximum convenience andlistening enjoyment.

Thanks to its configurable, fixed low latency(10 ms maximum protocol air latency), DECT alsosupports real-time applications such as audiosynced to video. Together, these features allowusers to easily add wireless speakers to their(wired) home theater systems to create a full –and fully synchronized – surround sound systemwhenever they want it.

The demo

To fully explore the benefits DECT brings towireless audio, IC manufacturer Dialog teamedup with Inteno, a gateway manufacturerknown for its iopsys open software

Wireless audio over DECT:

in perfect syncWhether you’re listening to your favorite music as you

move around the house or enjoying a film in perfect sur-round sound, wireless audio provides more freedom and

enjoyment without the clutter and hassle of cables.

➔

WIRELESS AUDIO

platform. The two companies created a proof-of-concept demonstrator that integrates DECTwireless audio into an existing Inteno gatewayusing a Dialog wireless audio module based onits SmartBeat SC14492 IC.

“Integrating the DECT wireless audiofunctionality was a relatively easy task,”explains Conny Franzén, CEO of Inteno. “We seeDECT wireless audio as yet anotherdifferentiator proof of the flexibility of ouriopsys software platform. This attractivefunctionality allows our customers to offer newservices and create new revenue streams.”

To complete the demo, Dialog and Intenoworked with speaker manufacturer Audio Pro.Using the SmartBeat SC14492 IC, the Audio ProADDON T12 Bluetooth speaker was modified toaccept DECT signals, by a simple modificationto the I2S interface. In tests using an ICevaluation board, Audio Pro achieved line-of-sight transmission ranges up to 550 meters.

Inteno also extended its FileMe file sharingapplication with Digital Living Network Alliance(DLNA) control point capabilities. This allowsthe FileMe applications for Android and iOS todetect and stream audio to any media rendererin the home. Using the DLNA technology andthe DECT-enabled Inteno gateway, any control

point can play any available local or remoteaudio file through the selected DECT speakers.

“DECT-based wireless audio is veryinteresting for speaker companies like ours,”says Tobias Hansson, R&D Manager from AudioPro. “It would allow us to expand our portfoliowith a new generation of fully synchronizedstereo systems, giving consumers theconvenience of wireless audio throughout thehome with excellent sound quality and nointerruptions.

Perfect pitch

A key factor in the success of any wirelessaudio system is the sound quality it delivers.For the best sound, the wireless technologymust be matched to an audio codec thatcomplements its capabilities. The Dialog-Inteno-Audio Pro demonstrator uses the OpusCustom codec implemented in the softwarerunning on the SC14492 (and all DialogSmartBeat ICs).

Opus Custom is the ideal codec for DECT. It isa multi-bitrate codec that supports the fullaudio bandwidth (≥ 20 kHz stereo). Like DECT,Opus offers a configurable, fixed low latency,eliminating the need for additional buffering.

And its excellent sound quality has beendemonstrated in numerous independent testsincluding listening tests by Google and Nokia.

Opus also brings benefits forcommercialization. For example, it is opensource so base station and speakermanufacturers don’t have to pay royalties –helping keep system costs down.

A chart topper

The Dialog-Inteno-Audio Pro demonstrator isthe first proof-of-concept for DECT wirelessaudio in broadband IADs and gateways. It isfurther evidence of the flexibility and growingapplicability of this familiar wirelesstechnology.

“The success of the proof-of-conceptdemonstrator shows just how well-suited DECTis for high-quality wireless audio streaming,”says Adrie van Meijeren, Business DevelopmentManager at Dialog Semiconductor. “Theoptimized combination of DECT and the OpusCustom codec makes it possible to createwireless audio systems with unprecedentedsound quality, range and user friendliness at an affordable price.”

Wireless Product Developmentwww.bithium.com

Dedicated DECT ApplicationsHAN-FUN ULE

CAT-iqVoice

Audio ControlData

D E C T T o d a y - T h e S u c c e s s S t o r y C o n t i n u e s · w w w . d e c t . o r g

CLARITY IN ABSTRACTION

24

Clarity in Abstraction:

Why a universal approach is crucial to ring in the era of the smart home.

By Duncan Bees, CTO, HGI

After 20 years of promises, truly smarthomes with convenient automationservices are almost ready to achieve mass-market acceptance. The work is not over,however, and a focus on interoperablestandards is now essential in order to fullyachieve this vision.

The not-so-intelligentSmart Home

The notion of home automation services isnot new. As early as the 1980s, consumershave used a range of home automationdevices and related services to control theirenvironment at home, with lighting control,smart thermostats, home security, automatedsprinkler systems and smoke or fire alarms askey examples.

Home automation systems for thesedevices include visualisation at a centralisedlocation of the home’s status; centralisedcontrols so that users may switch deviceson/off; automated scheduling to eliminatemanual operation; and remote monitoringand control. While these gained some usage,drawbacks remained, such as the need forspecial wiring or cabling, resulting in highcosts and inconvenience. Furthermore,visualisation of status was usually based onpurpose-built hardware, available only fromthe original manufacturer, and proprietaryconfiguration methods had to be learnt foralmost every system.

So consumers faced difficulties inconfiguring services and users needed to re-learn the proprietary systems whenever theyvisited a friend's home or moved to a newsystem. Even a task as seemingly simple asprogramming the start time for an electricalbaseboard heater could be aggravating due toprimitive user interface controls.

The Smart-ER Home

Today's smart home systems aim to changethis by providing the most commonlyrequired home automation services, together

with home health care, assisted living for theaged/disadvantaged, home energymanagement and other services. All of thisshould be handled within a flexible and up-to-date user experience that unifies thevarious component services (from variousmanufacturers) into a common look and feel.

Customers who order high speed Internetfrom a broadband service provider, forexample, would have a broadband homegateway installed to facilitate access. Later, ifa customer decided to add a home securityservice or home energy management system,all they would need to do is visit theprovider’s web portal, select a service providerand place an order for a self-installation kit.Once installed, the new service would operatewirelessly together with the existing HomeGateway and the status could be accessedand controlled via the provider's portal orthrough a smartphone app.

The issue is: how to move the smart homefrom the 1980s to 2014?

Achieving the Vision

Broadband service providers aiming to bemore than bit pipes are taking steps tointegrate home automation services into theconsumer’s daily mix of information services.To ensure these home automation systems donot aggravate users as did their 1980s

counterparts, HGI’s Smart Home Task Force issetting the requirements for the smart homeplatform and developing testing approachesthat will enable vendors to bring smart homeproducts to market quickly.

HGI’s work on defining the Smart HomeAbstraction Layer (SHAL), with industryconsensus, is crucial to achieve scalableinteroperability with diverse local homenetwork systems. The SHAL aims to isolate theapplications, both in the cloud and thoseavailable in the Home Network, from thecomplexity of different local networkprotocols and device drivers, enabling allsmart devices to communicate with eachother, regardless of manufacturer.

By determining the core requirements at anindustry level, HGI helps to create a robustsmart home ecosystem that can flourish tothe benefit of many. Specifically, the SHAL willensure that devices utilising many differentstandardised forms of wirelesscommunication in the home area network canbe interpreted in a standardised way in orderto enable their use in applications such aseHealth, security and other smart homefunctions. This makes the integration ofproducts into a common smart homeecosystem easier for gateway, software, anddevice vendors as well as service providers.With SHAL, the smart home of the future willbe brought into the present.

DECT Today providescommercial and promotionalopportunities in the DECT, CAT-iqand ULE sectors.

Contact: Roland SchmidtEmail: secretariat@dect.orgTelephone: +49 89 5166 2456

www.dect.org

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The Success Story Continues