New wireless system could enable smarter cities in Japan

OKI Electric Industry, a Japanese telecommunications manufacturer, has developed a wireless communication system designed for use in smart communities, smart houses and smart meters.

The system is designed to use the 920-megahertz (MHz) communication band that’s scheduled to open in Japan in July 2012.

The development is significant for several reasons. First, because the 920-MHz frequency is already used in the US and across other parts of Asia, opening up that band in Japan is expected to stimulate the smart-technology market through new opportunities for international partnerships. Second, OKI’s wireless “multi-hop” system should enable better communications in areas with poor signal access where other frequencies fail.

“Making smart communities and smart houses a reality requires a communications infrastructure to transmit data, such as electricity control data,” said Takeshi Kamijoh, general manager of OKI’s research and development center. “Wireless multi-hop communications are expected to make such infrastructures possible. Electrical power equipment such as smart taps and smart meters are often installed in locations with poor signal access, underscoring the significance of the 920-MHz band with its high signal propagation …”

The 920-MHz band performs better in such locations than the 2.4-gigahertz band currently used for sensor networks.