TransferJet is a high speed wireless technology offering 375Mbps data transfer speeds with a simple connection based on two small TransferJet antennas (called ‘couplers’) being within a few centimetres of each other. Each coupler is only ~8 – 20mm square.
TransferJet technology has a number of potential applications in an automotive/vehicular environment benefitting both vehicle users, and the vehicle infrastructure itself.
Consider an infotainment system in a car where typical tasks include managing and playing audio, delivering rear-seat entertainment such as movies, games and social networking; text messages and phone calls, running and controlling navigation systems, and accessing Internet-enabled content such as traffic conditions. Many of these systems already use smart devices typically connected using a cabled or Bluetooth connection.
With TransferJet ‘hotspots’ in places like a driver’s smartphone cradle, or coin trays an instantaneous high speed interface can be enabled with a smart device, allowing the following kinds of applications to be run:
- Play video content previously downloaded to a smartphone on the headrest video screens for rear passengers
- Play audio content from any enabled smartdevice on the car sound system
- Voice/touchscreen control of car entertainment, comfort, and navigation systems
- Share content between connected smart devices within an ad-hoc vehicle network
- Provide cellular bridging connectivity to car system to support:
- Traffic updates to car navigation
- Text and voice services
- Internet connectivity for passenger browsing
TransferJet offers further possibilities within vehicle electronic systems where primarily it could be applied to any high speed data interface where typically an electromechanical connector is used. As previously mentioned in Part #1 of this series of articles, a TransferJet connection can replace a traditional data connector without the concerns over mechanical integrity and moisture, dust, or chemical degradation of the connection.
As already presented, TransferJet could be the direct connection to passenger and driver smart devices, but another interesting opportunity is to use TransferJet to interconnect vehicle electronic modules; this could replace traditional electromechanical data connections to:
- HiFi modules
- Dashboard electronics
- Engine management modules
- Drivetrain electronics
- Suspension electronics
All of these could benefit from the added ease of manufacture, upgrade, and replacement due to the blind mate, zero contact, high integrity nature of the TransferJet connection where no ‘plugging in’ is required.
Icoteq are experts in the development of TransferJet systems. Our ICO-TTJ-500 Hardware Development Platform combines Toshiba’s TransferJet chip technology with a Freescale quad core i.MX6 processor to give developers a powerful platform to evaluate and develop systems using TransferJet. With MediaLB, and CAN interfaces included on the platform it is particularly suited to Automotive application development.
http://www.icoteq.com/product/transferjet-i-mx6q-hardware-development-platform/
If you would like to find out more about TransferJet and how Icoteq can help you develop your own products and solutions please contact us at http://www.icoteq.com/contact