Lower-cost IPMobileNet IP-based data radio is designed for electronic signage
IPMobileNet’s IP Series of fixed digital transceivers is designed primarily for police and transportation departments that deploy electronic road signs. The radio allows such departments to execute real-time updates of the signs’ displays as weather and road conditions change, or when an AMBER alert has been issued. In addition, municipal bus transportation agencies and airports can use the radio to update transit and flight schedules in real-time, said Brian Purcell the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.
“Bus companies are trying to compete with other forms of transportation, such as rail, and they want to look a little more technologically savvy by providing schedule updates,” Purcell said.
Another potential application, according to Purcell, involves using the radio to backhaul images taken by roadside cameras in order to gauge traffic conditions. The radios provide data throughput up to 32 kbps, which is plenty for low-data-rate applications such as these, Purcell said.
In addition, the radios can operate on optional solar power (a capability that IPMobileNet does not provide), which makes them suitable for deployment in very remote areas, Purcell said. Also, they draw just 3 watts of output power, which improves heat efficiency and lowers radio cost, which is “under one-thousand dollars,” Purcell said. Finally, the radios offer dual-band operation — UHF (450-512 MHz) and either 700 MHz or 800 MHz.