Ultra-Reliable, Real-Time, Highly Secure Wireless

• In which frequencies can EchoRing operate?

  EchoRing currently operates in the license-free 5.8 GHz radio band in the EU and the 5.2 and 5.8 GHz bands in the US and Canada in accordance with CE, FCC and CA standards. Further frequencies (such as 2,4 GHz or the so-called 5G campus bands) will be available in the future.

• What is EchoRing’s maximum range?

  EchoRing’s network range (the maximum distance where nodes can communicate) depends on an application’s required reliability, transmission power, installed antennas, environmental conditions and local radio regulations. For example, an application in the EU requiring high reliability in a harsh industrial environment requiring strict safety protocols would have a range of approximately 25-30m. The same application in the US would have a range of around 75m, as the US region has a higher transmit power threshold. Ranges can easily be expanded with EchoRing's seamless roaming features, assuring scalability.

• What is EchoRing’s maximum data rate?

  EchoRing’s data rate depends on a series of tradeoffs between a network’s set packet length, its packet periodicity, asymmetrical load distribution, target latency and reliability, number of network participants and so on. EchoRing's maximum data rate for priority traffic is 5 Mbit/s when aggregated for an entire network running on a 20 MHz channel bandwidth. The maximum data rate for the best effort meanwhile can be up to 36 Mbit/s. Data rates can also be can be doubled by enabling 40 MHz channels. Future software updates will implement optimization controls to increase maximum data rate further for priority traffic.

• What is EchoRing’s minimum latency?

  EchoRing channel states are updated at the end of every token rotation cycle, which can be as short as 2ms for a small network. This creates a variable “speed limit” based on the application's set cycle time in relationship with the token rotation cycle. Exact application cycle time latencies can be found by contacting our Technical Sales or Application Engineering team or by running network tests.

   

• How does EchoRing relate to other industrial network protocols?

  EchoRing is an industrial-grade wireless solution that transmits data transparently over a decentralized network architecture. On a technical level, it is a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer protocol that performs the same role as e.g. an Ethernet cable within industrial systems. EchoRing is currently in its initial product version and can be employed for Ethernet-based traffic (i.e. PROFINET, PROFIsafe, Ethernet IP, SafetyNET p). It is also set to be compatible with other physical (e.g. M.2) and logical interfaces (e.g. USB or Serial) in the future.

• Is EchoRing a proprietary technology?

  Yes, EchoRing is developed in-house here in Berlin and is a protected international IP. Its software stack integrates easily with existing industrial communications standards and can run on standard commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware.   

• What is EchoRing’s network topology?

  EchoRing is a fully-meshed wireless network, therefore all network nodes are in equal standing and can all communicate directly with each other. This is in contrast to Wi-Fi networks where every signal must pass through a central wireless access point. An EchoRing network can also be configured for asymmetrical load distribution - often a necessary feature in industrial communications networks.

• Can several EchoRing networks be deployed at once?

  Yes – EchoRing is compatible with seven unique radio channels in the EU and ten in the US, all in the 5 GHz range. Further channel flexibility (such as 2.4 GHz or so-called 5G campus networks) is currently under development.

• Does EchoRing support roaming and, if so, which roaming latencies are available?

  EchoRing currently supports roaming for location-based awareness, which allows nodes to leave one network and join another. EchoRing's Roaming latency is identical to network join times. A seamless roaming feature is also under development and will be released via a future software update. This feature will enable uninterrupted connectivity within an application's set cycle times.

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