Quake Global, Inc. has unveiled a new add-on module designed to integrate with existing asset tracking and management systems to enable ubiquitous wireless coverage via satellite or terrestrial wireless networks. Dubbed the QEXPANDER, it meets automotive and heavy equipment power conditioning standards and also operates with very low power draw for battery-powered applications, according to the company.
Based on Quake’s Q4000 platform, QEXPANDER is a rugged, industrial-grade programmable intelligent modem. It can be customized to operate on ORBCOMM or Iridium satellites and 3G or 2G terrestrial networks. Other options include multiple analog and serial input/output ports, antenna detection, J1939 CANBus memory, built-in accelerometer and many more choices.
The module can easily connect to a service provider’s existing solution via a RS-232 serial port, noted Quake, and its Application Programming Interface (API) is designed to help make customization easy.
“The versatile, cost-effective QEXPANDER gives M2M service providers the widest possible range of options to satisfy the increasing needs of their customers,” said Michael Geffroy, vice president, sales and marketing, Quake Global. “It is an ideal solution for the rapidly growing vehicle telematics market as well as the heavy equipment market segments. Most existing asset tracking systems are designed around cellular communication data links. With QEXPANDER, solution providers can add seamless satellite or GSM connectivity to their customers with a very rapid turnaround time to market.”
