STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company, has revolutionized consumer electronics and home automation with low-power RF and multi-band support.

ST announced on the 1st that it has launched the STM32WL3R wireless microcontroller (MCU) optimized for remote controls for home appliances and home automation.

This new product is based on the industry-proven STM32WL3 sub-GHz wireless MCU and features a low-power RF transceiver, flexible power-saving states, and six individual wake-up pins to support the development of energy-efficient remote controls.

The STM32WL3R is the world's first Cortex-M0+-based multiband wireless MCU operating in the 315MHz band for North American remote controls, featuring a specially designed RF transceiver.

It also supports 850MHz and 950MHz ISM bands, allowing it to be used in products approved for sale in global markets.

Building on the power-saving wireless expertise of its existing STM32WL3 family, ST has implemented a transmitter that consumes just 10mA at 10dBm output.

This provides industry-leading efficiency and ensures optimized performance for low-power wireless devices such as remote controls.

This MCU is for building automation in France. It was jointly developed with the innovative company Somfy.

Somfy, which produces smart systems such as wirelessly controlled electric roller shutters and garage door openers, has collaborated with ST to design a new MCU for next-generation RF remote controls and sensors.

“We are proud to continue our leadership in smart and eco-friendly building systems with a single-chip wireless MCU optimized for remote controls,” said Serge Robin, Development Manager for RF at Somfy.

This is expected to significantly improve user experience in the home automation and building automation markets.

The STM32WL3R provides various power-saving states to disable unused circuitry and optimize system wake-up time.

In particular, in UDS (Ultra-Deep Stop) mode, power consumption is only 450nA while preserving 16KB of RAM data. Additionally, it consumes only 14nA in shutdown mode with up to six wake-up pins, significantly extending battery life.

These features provide fast response and long usage time in a variety of applications, including remote controls, sensors, and smart home devices.

The STM32WL3R is produced in a 5mm × 5mm QFN32 package, making it suitable for miniaturized remote control designs.

It also provides six wake-up pins to simplify circuit layout and enable reuse of PCB design across multiple product versions while implementing rich functionality.

It is currently available through ST's eSTore and global distributors, priced at $1.2654 for orders of 1,000 pieces.

“Building on the power-saving wireless expertise that has driven the success of the STM32WL3 family, we have achieved a level of efficiency that is unrivaled in the market,” said Patrick Aidoune, Group Vice President and General Manager, General Purpose and Automotive MCU Division, STMicroelectronics. “We believe this will deliver the best user experience in consumer electronics and home automation.”