San Francisco-based Jetlun Corp. has introduced the Jetlun Advanced Metering Solution (JAMES), a ZigBee and HomePlug network bridge that connects ZigBee-based smart meters to the home area network.
According to the company, JAMES is designed to help electric utilities with the challenges of connecting smart meters to consumers in multi-dwelling units (MDUs). The solution extends already-deployed ZigBee-based smart meters to the consumer by converting the ZigBee RF signal into a HomePlug Powerline signal and back to ZigBee, enabling electric utilities to provide real-time energy information to consumers and facilitate demand response programs.
“With JAMES, utilities now have a way to bridge to their consumers in MDUs. It's a win-win for utilities and their consumers,” says Elsa Chan, CEO and co-founder of Jetlun Corp. “Bundled with the Jetlun Intelligent Management solution for energy, JIM, JAMES offers utilities a comprehensive energy management platform that understands the inherent requirements of smart grid.”
Approximately 20% of all U.S. households live in MDUs, and this number is expected to grow as the population continues to urbanize, says Jetlun.
