RoProxCon - Contactless Data and Power Transmission

RoProxCon^® - The innovative connection technology from Rosenberger for future requirements

Due to increasing automation, more and more electromechanical systems used in industrial plants are being connected to one another. Cables and plug contacts are often under considerable stress, causing cables to deteriorate or even break, and overused plug contacts to fail, resulting in machine downtime.

The advantage of contactless transmission is that inflexible electromechanical couplings are no longer required while the radio technology offers a high degree of additional flexibility. For example, at times when systems need to be changed.

Previously, however, wireless transmissions using Bluetooth, WLAN, wireless IO-Link, ZigBee etc. have not always met all the necessary requirements.

RoProxCon^® is an innovative connection system that bridges construction-related air gaps with high interference immunity. This transmission, realized by radio transceivers in the mm wave range, offfers advantages in applications where there are high requirements for low maintenance and freedom from wear. With RoProxCon^®, existing applications can be improved while also allowing new solutions to be created for previously unrealizable scenarios.

Protocols - Basis for electronic data transmission

With RoProxCon^®, Gbps transmission in full-duplex is possible. In addition, this solution allows data to be transmitted regardless of the protocol used. This means RoProxCon^® is transparent in the transmission channel. A wide variety of transmission standards are possible through adaptation circuits. Furthermore, real-time capability is guaranteed by the very low latency. Use in time-critical applications, e.g. in automation technology is therefore possible without restriction.

10/100/1000BASE-T1
EtherNetIP
PROFINET
EtherCAT
…

Properties

Full duplex data transmission in real time
Radio transmission at a carrier frequency of 60 GHz
Transmission up to 3,125 Gbps
Distance up to 20 mm
Rotation-independent transmission possible
Hermetically sealed
Power transmission up to 30 W possible

Advantages

Freedom of movement thanks to mechanical decoupling
Tolerance of angular deviations
Extreme robustness, low maintenance, no wear and tear
Unlimited mating cycles
Protocol independence
Transmission through a wide variety of materials

Applications

The combination of data and power transmission offers a wide range of applications:

Smart Factory
Medical Technology
Safety
Connected Devices
Intelligent Home
Office Equipment
Conveyor Technology
Renewable Energy

RoProxCon® can be used for example in the robotics industry

Combine Competences - The Key to Success

Products that benefits from contactless technology are increasingly popular. It offers more functionality where plug connection is problematic or impossible.Together, STMicroelectronics and Rosenberger develop state-of-the-art technological solutions for the connectors of tomorrow.
Pairing ST’s contactless connectivity technology enabled Rosenberger to create a first-of-its-kind module.
The innovative contactless connector RoProxCon^® leverages ST's 60 GHz RF tranceiver.

Learn more on the ST Website

FAQs

Contactless data and power transmission bridges air gaps using wireless technologie such as radio transmission, eliminating the need for physical connections and issues like wear and tear.

Depends on the product, the SoM operates between 5 mm and 20 mm, the Hybrid between 0 mm and 5 mm, and the Data between 0 mm and 10 mm

Using SoM alone only data is wireless. With the use of RoProxCon^® Hybrid, additional wireless power transmission with inductive coupling up to 30 W is possible.

The 60 GHz based signal can be transmitted through non-conductive materials like plastics. Special materials have to be evaluated in tests. Read the whitepaper for more details:

Download Whitepaper

What is the maximum possible misalignment of RoProxCon^®?

Maximum misalignment of the SoM, Data and Hybrid is +/- 2 mm.

The Qi standard is only for power levels up to 15 W. Rosenberger is using its own proprietary solution for power transmission.

With the Hybrid it is possible to power sensors or small actuators on the receiver side.

Yes, it is. An implemented FOD algorithm ensures that the power transfer is handled in the right way.

The RoProxCon^® Hybrid is currently limited to 30 W, but solutions with higher power will be part of our future RoProxCon^® portfolio.

What is the size of the RoProxCon^® SoM?

This is one of the key advantages of the SoM. Measuring approximately 12 to 14 mm, it is extremely compact and can be easily integrated into any space-limited application.

Only digital signals can be transmitted in the baseband. The SoM is based on the ST60 and therefore requires a baseband with an NRC-coded signal that goes up to 3.125 Gbps. Analog RF transmission is not possible.

The SoM has a latency of about 7 ns. Hybrid and Data latency is less than 1 µs. This is achieved by the integrated Ethernet Phy. The RoProxCon^® is the perfect match for realtime applications.

The overall efficiency level is ~80 %. The RoProxCon^® Hybrid provides an output power of 30 W.

Downloads

RoProxCon - Contactless Data and Power Transmission - Flyer pdf RoProxCon^®-Whitepaper EN pdf