Next-generation Programmable Bluetooth Low Energy Wireless SoC for Location-tracking and Real-time Positioning Applications

29 June 2022 - 0 Comments

STMicroelectronics has introduced the new third-generation Bluetooth System-on-Chip (SoC) BlueNRG-LPS which uses Bluetooth-specified technology including both angle-of-arrival (AoA) and angle-of-departure (AoD), as computed from signals captured by an antenna array and enables a wide variety of applications that require indoor navigation, geofencing, and asset tracking, as well as real-time location finding for tools, assets, and goods. By determining the direction of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal, this Bluetooth 5.3 certified SoC can precisely estimate movement and location with centimetre accuracy.

With its streamlined architecture and I/O peripherals, and program and data memories (192KB eFlash and 24KB SRAM, respectively) sized for lightweight end products, BlueNRG-LPS is ideal for cost-sensitive and high-volume applications. These include general-purpose wireless sensors, medical appliances, keyless-entry systems, remote controls, and smart remote metering. Also integrating a high-efficiency step-down converter and protection circuitry, this SoC further simplifies and reduces the required bill-of-material (BOM) and allows for a much cheaper two-layer PCB design.

This SoC features Bluetooth LE Power Control specification which enables fine-tuning of RF output power in 1dBm increments, and up to +8dBm, to permit longer battery runtime. Bluetooth Path-Loss Monitoring enhances radio-link quality and prevents interference, ensuring robust connections for improved interaction between devices, even in crowded places, and faster response times. Support for Bluetooth 5.3 long range, 2Mbps high-speed data rate, periodic advertising, simultaneous connection, and multi-role specifications also ensure superior user experiences with equipment powered by BlueNRG-LPS. Moreover, there are also dedicated hardware functions and cryptographic IPs to support enhanced security.

Features

Bluetooth Low Energy system-on-chip supporting Bluetooth 5.3 specifications
Ultra-low power radio performance
One-time-programmable (OTP) memory area of 1 kB
Embedded UART bootloader
Ultra-low power modes with or without timer and RAM retention
Quadrature decoder
High performance and ultra-low power Arm® Cortex®-M0+ 32-bit, running up to 64 MHz
Dynamic current consumption: 14 µA/MHz
Operating supply voltage: from 1.7 to 3.6 V
-40 ºC to 105 ºC temperature range
On-chip non-volatile Flash memory of 192 kB