News

Ultra-Low Power Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Combo for IoT Nodes

September 26, 2017 by Paul Shepard

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. announced a new combo solution that delivers ultra-low power Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity to extend battery life for wearables, smart home products and portable audio applications.

The new Cypress CYW43012 solution prolongs battery life by leveraging 28nm process technology to cut power consumption up to 70 percent in receive mode and up to 80 percent in sleep mode when compared to current solutions.

The solution is IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n-compliant and 802.11ac-Friendly™, meaning it is interoperable with 802.11ac access points using standard modes. This enables it to offer higher throughput and better energy efficiency, along with the enhanced security and coverage of 802.11ac Wi-Fi networks.

The CYW43012 combo chip's advanced coexistence engine enables optimal combined performance for dual-band 2.4- and 5-GHz Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 applications simultaneously.

The CYW43012 solution is supported in Cypress' all-inclusive, turnkey, WICED® Studio IoT development platform, which streamlines the integration of wireless technologies for developers. More information on Cypress' WICED combo solutions is available at http://www.cypress.com/802.11ac.

"Battery life is a key differentiator for a wide range of connected devices, including wearables, smart home security cameras and wireless speakers; everyone wants a great connected experience for longer without having to recharge," said Brian Bedrosian, vice president of marketing for the IoT Business Unit at Cypress.

"Cypress' new combo solution is a game-changer, setting a new standard for power consumption that makes long battery life with Wi-Fi a reality. The 802.11ac-Friendly capability combined with Cypress' unmatched multi-radio coexistence engine provide cleaner air with high-fidelity connections and enhanced range, which is critical for the consumer experience in today's world with a rapidly increasing number of wireless devices competing for airtime,” Bedrosian continued.

The Cypress WICED Studio IoT development platform features an integrated and interoperable wireless software development kit (SDK). The SDK includes the industry's most broadly deployed and rigorously tested Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocol stacks, as well as simplified application programming interfaces that free developers from needing to learn complex wireless technologies.

In line with the IoT trend toward dual-mode connectivity, the SDK supports Cypress' Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combination solutions and its Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy devices. The SDK enables cloud connectivity in minutes with its robust libraries that uniquely integrate popular cloud services such as Amazon Web Services, IBM Bluemix, Alibaba Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, along with services from private cloud partners.

WICED also supports iCloud remote access for Wi-Fi-based accessories that support Apple® HomeKit™, which enables hub-independent platforms that connect directly to Siri voice control and the Apple Home app remotely.

Cypress' WICED Studio connectivity suite is microcontroller (MCU)-agnostic and provides ready support for a variety of third-party MCUs to address the needs of complex IoT applications. The platform also enables cost efficient solutions for simple IoT applications by integrating MCU functionality into the connectivity device. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocol stacks can run transparently on a host MCU or in embedded mode, allowing for flexible platform architectures with common firmware.

The CYW43012 combo solution is currently sampling to lead customers. Full production is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.