BlueNRG-1 Launched, Achieving Low Power Consumption and Stable Wireless Connection
Targets include retail technology, wearables, connected homes, automotive, industrial, and medical.

STMicroelectronics (ST) has launched its first Bluetooth® Low Energy wireless system-on-chip, the BlueNRG-1. Combining superior power efficiency with wireless performance, it is optimized for mass production in the rapidly growing low-power Bluetooth-based market.

Low-power Bluetooth technology is ideal for smart sensors or connected products with limited power consumption. Examples of such products include wearable devices, retail beacons, keyless entry systems, smart remotes, asset tracking, and industrial and medical monitors. According to ABI Research, shipments of IoT products supporting Low-power Bluetooth are projected to reach 1.4 billion units by 2021, growing at an average annual rate of 34%, thanks to the proliferation of Bluetooth-enabled tablets and smartphones equipped with convenient user interfaces for communicating with Bluetooth Low Energy devices.

For low-power Bluetooth devices, power-efficient operation is essential to maximize battery life, such as by keeping power consumption in sleep and standby modes very low. Powerful wireless performance is also absolutely necessary to indicate availability and maintain a stable connection. The BlueNRG-1, a new programmable system-on-chip introduced by ST, possesses both the performance and power capabilities to meet these requirements.

The wireless transceiver integrated into the BlueNRG-1 delivers excellent power efficiency in frequently used modes, such as the beacon function for establishing brief connections with guests to share shopping information. Rapid switching between power-saving and active modes allows battery life to be extended from several months to several years. Additionally, RF output power is boosted up to +8dBm to maintain clear and stable communication even in noisy environments, thereby optimizing efficiency.

Benedetto Vigna, Senior Vice President of ST’s Analog and MEMS Group, stated, “For new applications in retail, connected home, automotive, industrial, medical, and electronic payment sectors to succeed, an excellent user experience must be provided, and this requires efficient low-power Bluetooth solutions.” He added, “BlueNRG-1 is a single-chip solution that is neither overpriced nor expensive, offering the best conditions for IoT designers compared to existing solutions, and enables optimal performance along with excellent connection stability and extended battery life.”

BlueNRG-1 provides not only efficient performance and low power consumption but also features that make it more convenient for designers to use. It supports operating temperatures up to 105°C, including a dedicated digital microphone input to simplify voice-based applications, and is suitable for smart lighting and automotive applications (such as Passive-Entry-Passive-Start (PEPS) and onboard diagnostics). In addition, privacy protection and security have been further enhanced by supporting the latest low-power Bluetooth version 4.2 specifications.

BlueNRG-1 is scheduled to begin mass production in the second half of July 2016 and will be supplied in two package types. The price is $1.50 for the BlueNRG-132 based on the 5mm x 5mm QFN-32 package and $1.45 for the BlueNRG-134 based on the 2.7mm x 2.6mm WLCSP-34 for space-constrained applications.