GainSpan's low power embedded Wi-Fi allows devices to leverage the large base of Wi-Fi access points and gain Internet connectivity. GainSpan provides a suite of easy to use, low power Wi-Fi products for the embedded systems designer. By focusing on the challenges faced by system designers, and the constraints of the host microcontrollers driving their systems, GainSpan offers distinct advantages
over others in the market. With the use of a secondary “network” processor as part of the GainSpan architecture, a systems designer can marry any 8/16/32-bit microcontroller with the GainSpan solution. GainSpan’s embedded Wi-Fi family allows customers to increase the value of their systems by simplifying the process and reducing the costs to add Wi-Fi.Until recently Wi-Fi was not considered in many applications due to high power consumption that made it unsuitable for long lasting battery-operated devices. A high level of chip integration and power management techniques reduce power consumption without compromising Wi-Fi compatibility. Low Power Wi-Fi offers significant advantages over other wireless technologies. The first of these is the obvious connectivity within existing WiFi networks in a given application space. In the current economic environment, Low Power Wi-Fis reuse of existing WiFi infrastructures offers a key cost savings over installation of other WSNs based on 802.15.4 or ZigBee.Additionally, the built-in Internet Protocol connectivity enables much easier network deployment and management as well as the use of better known development and management tools.
