User Manual

Page 4 of 7 ∙ Document Number 430157-01A ∙ HCTAG Data Sheet
©2013 Synapse Wireless, Inc. ∙ 500 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806 ∙ 256-852-7888 ∙ synapse-wireless.com
1. HCTAG OEM Device Overview
The HCTAG device is an IEEE 802.15.4, low-power, highly-reliable solution to
embedded wireless control and monitoring network needs that require high data rates.
The HCTAG embeds Synapse’s SNAP OS, the industry’s first Internet-enabled,
wireless mesh network operating system into the Atmel ATmega128RFA1 single-chip
AVR® microcontroller with an integrated transceiver that delivers up to 2Mbits/sec. This
low-power TAG is intended to be used in Real Time Location Systems using RF
technologies with power consumptions as low as 1.0 μA to enable a new generation of
battery-driven systems.
SNAP’s on-board Python interpreter provides for rapid application development and
over-the-air programming, while Atmel’s low-power RF single-chip design saves board
space and lowers the overall Bill of Materials and power consumption. The HCTAG is
approved as an FCC Part 15 unlicensed modular transmitters. The modules provide up
to 16 channels of operation in the ISM 2.4GHz frequency band. The HCTAG device is
intended to be a low-power transmitter with a low duty cycle (<14%) operation that can
be worn on the body by the user.
This Data Sheet details Part Number HCTAG:
• 128k flash, 58.5k free for over-the-air uploaded user apps
• One UART port (not externally accessible) for control or transparent data, which
surmounts noisy environments
• Low power modes: 1.0 μA with internal timer running
• Spread spectrum (DSSS) technology
• Up to 2 Mbps Data Rate
• 2.4 GHz RF Frequency
• Receive Mode (7 dBm) standard
• Transmit Mode (2-3 dBm) for good low-power range
• HCTAG: Serpentine F-Antenna