TI Korea has expanded its SimpleLink portfolio by launching the industry's only multi-standard ultra-low-power wireless microcontroller (MCU) platform.

Ultra-low power design

SimpleLink's ultra-low power platform consumes the least amount of power in the industry. This means it can operate without a battery via energy harvesting or run continuously for extended periods using coin cell power. Low-power operation is achieved by a proprietary integrated sensor controller that automatically interfaces external sensors while the rest of the device is in standby mode. Thanks to this, it can maintain data in memory and remain in standby mode with the real-time clock (RTC) running at just 1uA. It can also operate with only half the power of other MCUs.

Multiple standards

By supporting 14 standard specifications and technologies, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, Sub-1 GHz, and 6LoWPAN, on a single chip through the same RF design, it enables customers to conveniently add various wireless connectivity to any device or design.

High level of integration and support

The SimpleLink ultra-low power platform provides the highest level of integration. It integrates ARM Cortex-M3 MCUs, Flash/RAM, Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), peripherals, sensor controllers, and robust built-in security features. Designing is extremely easy as it supports ready-to-use protocol stacks, TI RTOS, Code Composer Studio IDE, development tools, online training, and an E2E community. Additionally, the availability of reference designs simplifies development and layout, requiring only minimal RF expertise. In addition, you can connect to the cloud more easily through the TI IoT cloud ecosystem.

Product family

The SimpleLink ultra-low power wireless MCU platform is initially introduced in three product families: the CC2640, CC2630, and CC2650.

CC2640 for Bluetooth Smart: A low-power, flash-based Bluetooth 4.1 solution capable of operating for years on a single coin cell battery for a wide range of Bluetooth Smart applications, including health and fitness, medical wearable devices, mobile accessories, beacons, and industrial automation. It is provided as a 4x4mm single-chip Bluetooth Smart system integrating a flash-based MCU with Bluetooth Smart wireless technology.

CC2630 for 6LoWPAN and Zigbee: Designed for LED lighting control applications utilizing 6LoWPAN or Zigbee technology, as well as for home automation applications such as security systems, home appliances, smart plugs, and wireless sensor networks. It enables ultra-low power operation, allowing a light switch to be powered for 10 years on a single coin cell battery, and can power battery-powered mesh networks or energy harvesting-based sensor nodes. For Zigbee, the appropriate Z-Stack can be downloaded, and 6LoWPAN can also be utilized using suitable software.

Customizable CC2650: All development kits for 2.4GHz operation are based on the CC2650 solution. Since the CC2650 can be customized to implement Bluetooth Smart, 6LoWPAN, ZigBee, or ZigBee RF4CE operation, support for these various standards allows customers to configure the technology of their choice during actual installation. "The CC2650 is a product that can be configured with one of the functions of the CC2640 or CC2630 by downloading firmware, allowing OEMs to meet customer requirements in a timely manner," explained Bang Jun-wan, a manager at TI Korea.

In addition to this, the SimpleLink product family includes the CC1310 for Sub-1 GHz operation operating in the ISM bands of 315 MHz, 433 MHz, 470 MHz, 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 920 MHz, and the CC2620 for Zigbee RF4CE for remote control of advanced TVs, set-top boxes, and home entertainment, which are scheduled to be released in the second half of 2015.

Supply timing and price

SimpleLink is available in 4x4mm, 5x5mm, and 7x7mm QFN packages. The 7x7mm package is available in the TI Sample Program, and other devices will be available starting in April.

The price of the device provided in a 7x7mm package is $3 for the CC2640 and $5.1 for the CC2630 based on a quantity of 1,000.