Suitable for coin cell operation or energy harvesting-based IoT applications

STMicroelectronics (ST) and Jojin Technologies, a module designer and supplier headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, founded in 1997, have announced the certification of a dual-radio module that combines Sigfox wireless network technology and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

Jojin's Sigfox/BLE module, the WS211x, leverages the industry-leading performance and energy efficiency of ST's BlueNRG-1 BLE System-on-Chip (SoC) and the S2-LP sub-1GHz RF transceiver. These advantages enable Jojin's module to deliver cutting-edge connectivity and outstanding battery life for coin-cell-powered or energy-harvesting IoT applications.

Jojin's new Sigfox module is a fully programmable device that operates as a standalone IoT connectivity node, leveraging the ultra-low-power Arm Cortex-M0 technology embedded in ST's BLE SoC. The combination of BLE and Sigfox's Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technology enables key features for IoT systems, such as over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates, which were previously impossible with dedicated Sigfox modules. Additionally, IoT devices can be connected remotely to the Sigfox network and locally to BLE, allowing device settings to be modified during installation or maintenance, and to track assets whose locations are prone to change within the area covered by the BLE beacon station.

“We are delighted to have our first Sigfox-compatible module certified,” said Tom Liang, President of JOJIN. “We have benefited greatly from the support of the ST and Sigfox teams, and we look forward to continuing to expand our collaboration with both partners.”

“This successful certification marks an important milestone in our collaboration with Jorjin to deliver high-performance, ultra-low-power dual-radio Sigfox modules,” said Maria Rosa Borghi, Senior Vice President, Low-Power RF Business Unit, Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics. “Designers now have a cutting-edge solution that enables them to build highly mobile products with a wide range of connectivity technologies and low power requirements across the entire IoT spectrum.”

“Sigfox welcomes Jojin to our ever-expanding ecosystem and is delighted to once again partner with ST to accelerate IoT adoption across a wide range of verticals,” said Raouti Chehih, Chief Adoption Officer at Sigfox. “Certifying Jojin’s modules will enable us to accelerate the production of Sigfox-enabled devices to meet our customers’ growing needs.”