Author of this article | Stefan Berggren, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Short Range Radio Communication
Introduction
Our newly launchedANNA-B4 (click the underlined text for more information) is currently u-blox’s smallest Bluetooth module, designed with features tailored for industrial application needs. The timing of this launch is perfect: smart factories have matured from hype to reality, achieving true value addition, and more companies are entering the field.
The “Smart Factory Status Report” released by Plex shows that most manufacturers have begun to leverage the potential of smart manufacturing technologies to optimize certain aspects of operations. In fact, half of the surveyed companies have utilized the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to extract information from sensing data, improve processes, and ultimately create value.
While the technologies used in smart factory deployments are essentially means to achieve goals, making the right choices in underlying communication protocols, hardware, and implementation can greatly facilitate successful deployment. Specific requirements involve multiple aspects, including throughput, communication range, interoperability, power consumption, size, cost, maintainability, and more, which are continually increasing. Effectively balancing these requirements presents a challenge, and our newly launched Bluetooth 5.1 module can address this challenge.
01.
Not Just a Compact Bluetooth Module
ANNA-B4 is not just a compact-looking Bluetooth module; it is also a feature-rich Bluetooth 5.1 System in Package (SiP) module. This module boasts operating temperatures up to 105℃ and long-range Bluetooth communication, making it particularly suitable for demanding industrial environments, where there are high constraints on device size and a strong emphasis on performance.
The ANNA-B4 module supports Bluetooth, Thread, and Zigbee wireless protocols simultaneously, allowing for greater system design flexibility at the factory level. Additionally, this module supports Bluetooth direction-finding capabilities, laying the groundwork for Bluetooth indoor positioning applications, which are rapidly transitioning from proof-of-concept testing to full-scale deployment across industries.
02.
12 Industrial Applications of ANNA-B4
Every factory’s situation is unique, but there are often many common constraints, requirements, and application scenarios across factories. This article presents 12 common industrial applications suitable for the ANNA-B4 module.
Process Management
The ANNA-B4 is designed for demanding industrial environments and supports various process management solutions in smart factories.
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Predictive maintenance utilizes wirelessly connected vibration sensors to monitor machines and motor equipment in the factory, predicting performance failures in advance and providing alerts to prevent downtimes.
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Wireless control circuit breakers can cut off the power to motor equipment and other industrial machines when necessary, preventing circuit overloads or overvoltage.
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Bluetooth communication turns tablets, smartphones, or other mobile devices into human-machine interfaces for setting up, configuring, and maintaining machines used in the production process.
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Bluetooth indoor positioning enables warehouse automation, simplifying the process of locating raw materials and finished products in the warehouse.
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As a complement to GPS positioning technology, Bluetooth indoor positioning expands the coverage of asset tracking solutions to indoor locations equipped with the necessary infrastructure.
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With Bluetooth indoor positioning functionality, users can determine the location of electric tools and other handheld devices equipped with positioning tags at any time.
Employee Management
The ANNA-B4 features small size and low power consumption and supports Bluetooth direction-finding capabilities, making it useful in connected work badges for personnel management solutions.
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Bluetooth direction-finding capabilities enable precise access control solutions, simplifying building access, issuing warnings when employees enter hazardous areas, and preventing unauthorized visitors from entering restricted areas.
Building Management
The ANNA-B4 is small, low-power, has a wide operating temperature range, and supports Bluetooth, Thread, and Zigbee Mesh, making it an ideal choice for connecting most wireless sensor and actuator networks in smart buildings. This module also supports long-range Bluetooth communication, meeting coverage requirements even in harsh indoor environments.
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Smart lighting networks can centrally control the lighting of facilities, and the ANNA-B4, which can operate in high-temperature environments, can meet the stringent hardware requirements.
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Connected environmental sensors analyze environmental pressure, temperature, and humidity, providing relevant data to smart building HVAC systems.
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Motion detectors track the usage of building spaces, identifying and reallocating over-utilized or under-utilized spaces.
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Micro radar sensors monitor parking lot usage, enabling smart parking.
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Bluetooth communication enhances the connectivity performance of electric vehicle charging stations, allowing users to interact with charging stations via smartphones.
For More Information
The ANNA-B4 comes in two globally certified product models. One is the ANNA-B402, which provides directional positioning capabilities for indoor positioning, supports Bluetooth Mesh, long-range Bluetooth communication, Zigbee, and Thread, and offers an open CPU architecture for customer applications. The other is the ANNA-B412, equipped with u-blox’s u-connectXpress software to accelerate time to market.
For further information about this module, please visit the product page. To learn more about how the ANNA-B4 series supports applications in smart factories and other applications, including healthcare, smart buildings, smart cities, retail, and logistics terminals, please contact your nearest sales representative.
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/About u-blox Company/
u-blox, based in Switzerland (SIX:UBXN), is a leading provider of positioning and wireless communication technologies and services for the automotive, industrial, and consumer goods markets. Its solutions enable accurate positioning of people, vehicles, and machines, and facilitate wireless communication through cellular and short-range networks. With a wide and diverse range of chips, modules, and an expanding ecosystem of data service support, u-blox has a unique advantage in helping its customers rapidly and cost-effectively develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things. u-blox is headquartered in Thalwil, Switzerland, with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA. www.u-blox.com
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Industry Keywords: #u-blox, #Micro Bluetooth Module, #ANNA-B4, #Bluetooth 5.1 Module, #Bluetooth Indoor Positioning, #ANNA-B402, #ANNA-B412, #Indoor Positioning
