AeroComm Launches Affordable 2.4GHz Transceiver for OEMs.

LENEXA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1999--

AeroComm, Inc. today announced the introduction of the PKLR2400, a miniaturized, high-speed transceiver designed specifically for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The PKLR2400 is the culmination of a two-year design effort to meet the stringent requirements sought after by OEM customers: size, reliability, cost, speed, distance and power consumption.

AeroComm's entry into the OEM markets was mandated by customers requiring cost-effective, complete, wireless solutions. "Since shipping over 100,000 transceivers into the low-cost wireless printer sharing markets from 1994, the number of OEMs requesting solutions to meet their cost-sensitive applications has skyrocketed. This is a natural migration for AeroComm," said Michael Varady, Chairman and CEO of AeroComm. "The number of OEMs requesting low-cost, standard products was too large to ignore."

The PKLR2400 is ideal for applications where small size, low cost, high reliability and fast data throughput are essential. Examples include handheld data collectors, facility access and security systems, irrigation control, heavy equipment and crane controllers, remote cameras, and electronic signs.

"OEMs have long desired spread spectrum transceivers for their superior performance. AeroComm's breakthrough technology meets their needs at an affordable price, enabling many applications to benefit from wireless communications," said Jim O'Callaghan, Vice President of OEM Sales and Marketing at AeroComm. "The introduction of this transceiver is generating tremendous excitement from our customers."

The PKLR2400 addresses the various needs of OEMs as follows:

OEM Requirement                   PKLR2400 Features
---------------                   ------------------
Operate in RF            High frequency 2.4GHz employs frequency
 noisy environments      hopping spread spectrum technology providing
                         resistance to interference and highly
                         reliable data communication.

Flexible data
 transfer rates          Data rates up to 880
                         Kilobits per second (Kbps), fast enough for
                         the majority of OEM applications and

                         multi-node networking.

Small Form Factor        1.65in x 2.65in x 0.2in, smaller
                         than a credit card, easily fits into handheld
                         devices or into OEM's existing enclosures.

Low power consumption    115 mA average current draw
                         and 25mA in Standby Mode, the lowest power
                         user in its category. Ideal for
                         battery-powered applications.

Industry-standard        Commonly used 5V TTL serial data I/O
 interface               simplifies OEM's integration to reduce
                         time-to-market and cost.

Low cost                 Pricing as low as $99 each in 1,000 unit
                         annual quantities enabling new wireless
                         applications.

International
 conformity              2.4GHz transceivers are accepted around the
                         world as an unlicensed spectrum.  As FCC
                         Part 15 / Industry Canada compliant products,
                         the PKLR2400 allows customers to use them
                         without site licenses, speeding integration
                         and lowering  cost.

Reliability              Built in error detection, programmable packet
                         retries and programmable broadcast attempts.
                         The PKLR2400 handles wireless protocol
                         permitting OEMs to focus on their
                         application.

Multiple transmission modes provide OEMs the flexibility to configure transceivers for specific applications. Three transparent modes are fast and

easy to implement, serving as "wire replacements." A more sophisticated API mode allows OEMs to create their own custom transceiver interface. Additionally, API mode offers several options for increased security, individual node addressing and acknowledgement/retries to enhance performance.

Effective communication distances up to 3000 feet, line of sight, are achieved using standard low gain antennas. Several miles range is possible with high gain antennas. OEMs can choose from a variety of antennas pre-certified by regulatory agencies.

PKLR2400 developer kits are now available. These kits include everything necessary for customer evaluation and integration. For additional product information or purchase inquiries, contact Tareek Razack, OEM Account Manager, AeroComm, Inc., at [phone], ext. 203 or [e-mail].

Formed in 1990, AeroComm, Inc. is a leading developer of retail and OEM 2.4 GHz wireless data products. AeroComm was the first to gain FCC approval for 2.4GHz DSSS transceivers in 1994. The company's award-winning GoPrint line of retail printer sharing devices is distributed in retail channels. Aerocomm offers a variety of standard OEM RF modules as well as custom RF solutions for major OEMs. Further information is available at www.aerocomm.com.

Background information

The Benefits of Wireless

Wireless communications is fast becoming recognized as a flexible and reliable method for data telemetry applications. It offers numerous benefits over hard-wiring, including:

Lower Cost --

Transceivers eliminate the need for miles of expensive wiring,

including the high cost of installation in both new sites and

retrofitting existing sites.

Less Environmental Impact --

Burying cable and stringing wire is environmentally invasive,

requiring a large investment to bring the area back to its

original state. Transceivers significantly reduce the footprint

in these installations, reducing the impact and damage to the

area.

System Protection --

Transceivers allow for the isolation of sensitive equipment. This

reduces the chance of system-wide failure due to a power surge or

lightning strike. In addition, transceivers eliminate the chance

of broken connections due to damaged or severed cables.

Greater Flexibility --

Sensors and controllers are no longer tied to the location of the

hardwired terminal. This offers flexibility in relocating

equipment within a building or over large distances outdoors.

Spread spectrum was developed during World War II by the US military to provide secure battlefield communications. It is still used today for secure military and civilian communication. Spread spectrum transceivers spread their signal over a range of frequencies. There are two types of spread spectrum: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS).

AeroComm's OEM products are FHSS transceivers. FHSS transceivers transmit their signal by sending a small burst, or packet, of data on one frequency and then "hopping" to another frequency to transmit another burst. This hopping continues throughout the transmission. For this transmission to be successful, both transceivers must be synchronized, constantly hopping to the same frequency and remaining on it for the same amount of time. This provides for reliable, interference resistant communication. In the event that a packet of information cannot be sent on one frequency due to "jamming", the packet will be sent on the next frequency.

Direct sequence transceivers spread their signals over a wide range of frequencies. Data bits are mapped into chips by the transmitting transceiver and then the chips are mapped back into a bit at the receiver. DSSS transceivers provide for higher data transfer rates than FHSS transceivers do. However, DSSS transceivers are more vulnerable to interference and multipath problems since they use many frequencies at once. While AeroComm's first offering was a DSSS transceiver, the company's focus has been redirected to FHSS transceivers to provide lower cost and interference and multipath resistance.

Aerocomm OEM transceivers offer flexible communication modes allowing OEMs to configure them to specific needs:

-- Four data transmission modes -

--   Three Transparent Communication Modes for easy integration. The
     PKLR2400 allows OEMs to "replace-a-wire" when in Transparent
     Mode.

     --   End Character - allows you to specify termination character
          that identifies the end of a data packet. Once this
          character is received, the transceiver sends the information
          it has received from the host.

     --   Fixed Packet length with no timeout - allows you to specify
          the length of each packet. Once a preset number of bits are
          received by the transceiver the packet is transmitted.

     --   Fixed Packet length with timeout - allows you to specify
          either the length of the packet or the time to wait before
          sending a packet. When the preset number of bits have been
          received or a preset time limit has passed, the transceiver
          sends the packet.

--   API Mode that allows the host device to send radio control
     commands, such as "RF Enable" and "Send Data." This mode also
     allows the host the ability to vary the packet length with each
     packet sent, specify a recipient transceiver and identify the
     sender of a packet, since the packetizing information must
     include a sender address, a receiver addresses and the length of
     the packet.
     This mode also provides an automatic acknowledgement for each
     packet sent and allows the OEM to specify the number of times to
     resend a packet if the transmission is unsuccessful.

The PKLR2400 enables users to create co-located independent networks through the use of System ID numbers or by specifying one of seventy-seven different frequency hopping patterns. Transceivers communicate only within their assigned group, isolating other networks of PKLR2400s as well as other transceivers.

The 2.4GHz to 2.4835GHz band has been reserved virtually worldwide for industrial applications, without the need for individual site licensing. OEMs can design one transceiver usable worldwide. The OEM modules have been certified for use as unlicensed devices under FCC part 15.247 rules and Industry Canada Specification RSS139 Issue 1.