- Launch of New Low-Power Kinetis KW40Z MCU

- Equipped with powerful software for easy development of securely connected IoT applications

June 24, 2015, Seoul, Korea – Freescale Semiconductor (www.freescale.co.kr) announced that it is adding wireless multi-protocol to its popular Kinetis microcontroller (MCU) family by introducing the latest connectivity standards to the MCU platform that has played a key role in building and enabling the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) to date.

Freescale, a global leader in MCU innovation, has unveiled the Kinetis KW40Z wireless MCU family, which supports Bluetooth Smart, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and IEEE 802.15.4 applications.

The KW40Z wireless MCU integrates 2.4GHz multi-protocol wireless capabilities that provide access to one BLE network and one 802.15.4 network from a single device, while realizing excellent RF performance and low current consumption. The low-power wireless capabilities run in a 6.5mA receive mode with excellent coexistence characteristics and operate for several years on a standard coin cell battery. An integrated DC/DC converter configurable for step-down or step-up operations optimizes power consumption, and the MCU integrates a high-precision DAC and a 16-bit ADC to provide high-precision sensor measurement capabilities for wireless sensor networks.

Freescale’s support for the KW40Z MCU family includes a comprehensive software package designed to help customers reduce development time and streamline processes. This includes a royalty-free Freescale BLE host stack with 20 GATT profiles that fully complies with the BLE 4.1 specification. Additionally, the BLE stack is set to support the upcoming Bluetooth Smart Mesh networking protocol. Furthermore, the KW40Z MCU family includes the 802.15.4 MAC layer as a foundation for ZigBee 3.0 and the highly anticipated Thread IP-based mesh networking protocol. All stacks support wireless firmware updates and are fully integrated into the Kinetis Software Development Kit (SDK), along with support for multiple RTOS options such as FreeRTOS and Freescale MQX™.

“The KW40Z MCU family reinforces Freescale’s market-leading leadership and adds the latest capabilities to BLE and 802.15.4 solutions for the IoT (Internet of Things) space, including semiconductors, software, and reference designs,” said Emmanuel Sambuis, Director of the MCU Business Unit at Freescale Microcontroller Group. “As the first of our many BLE-enabled products, it helps realize the potential of the IoT by providing customers with the multi-protocol and secure connectivity capabilities needed to connect and control products across various markets.”

BLE and 802.15.4 protocols are becoming increasingly important as the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve. Demand for power-efficient BLE capabilities continues to rise in the medical and fitness wearable markets, including rapidly growing product categories such as smartwatches, beacons, and portable accessories for communication between customers' smartphones and other wireless devices. Meanwhile, the 802.15.4 standard is widely adopted in home automation applications as an excellent ultra-low power, low-cost mesh networking technology, and its growth potential is further increasing as adoption grows in commercial and industrial applications such as lighting and building automation. The new KW40Z family, available for use over a wide temperature range from -40 degrees to a maximum of 105 degrees, is suitable for applications requiring increasingly stringent operating requirements.

KW40Z demo from Freescale Tech Forum

Freescale is demonstrating several use cases based on the new KW40Z MCU family at this week's Freescale Technology Forum (FTF). These demonstrations are being showcased in the technology lab and include a heart rate monitor, a smart Zumo robot, and beacons located throughout the lab.

Supply situation

Alpha samples of the KW40Z wireless MCU are currently available, and the beta program is scheduled for release in August 2015. The widespread market availability of devices and tools, including the Freedom development platform (FRDM-KW40Z) and USB dongles for sniffers and other applications (USB-KW40Z), as well as the availability of mass production software, is scheduled for November 2015. Additionally, derivatives of the Kinetis KW40Z wireless MCU are scheduled for release in November 2015, including the KW30Z MCU (BLE only) and the KW20Z (802.15.4 only). For pricing or additional information, please contact the Freescale website (www.freescale.co.kr) or your local distributor.