Mouser stocks Blue Gecko Bluetooth 5 SoCs
The EFR32BG12 and EFR32BG13 Blue Gecko SoCs integrate a high-performance 32-bit 40 MHz ARM® Cortex®-M4 core with a 2.4 GHz and sub-1-GHz radio transceiver. The devices offer more memory than previous generations of Blue Gecko devices, with EFR32BG12 devices offering 1 Mbyte of flash memory and 256 kbytes of RAM, while the EFR32BG13 devices offer 512 kbytes of flash memory and 64 kbytes of RAM. This significant memory expansion makes it easier to develop complex, feature-rich Internet of Things (IoT) applications supporting multiple protocol stacks, real-time operating systems such as Micrium OS, backup images for devices and over-the-air (OTA) updates for field upgrades to extend the life of IoT products.
The SoCs feature a 2 Mbps Bluetooth PHY, providing ample throughput for applications running a Bluetooth 5-compliant stack. The Bluetooth 5 standard enables four times the range, twice the speed, and 800 percent greater broadcasting capacity plus improved co-existence with other wireless IoT protocols. The devices also support a robust set of peripherals, including a hardware crypto accelerator, 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC), digital-to-analog-converter (DAC), a 12-channel Peripheral Reflex System, and various communication interfaces. In addition, the devices handle multiple security options, including AES with 128- or 256-bit keys, elliptical curve cryptography (ECC), SHA-1, and SHA-224/256.
The SoCs also include an on-chip oscillator that eliminates the need for an external 32 KHz crystal typically required for Bluetooth low energy devices. This integrated precision low-frequency resistor-capacitor oscillator (PLFRCO) enables developers to reduce BOM costs when used in high-volume designs requiring a 32 KHz crystal to meet Bluetooth low energy sleep clock accuracy specifications. The PLFRCO is guarantees robust, reliable Bluetooth low energy connections across the devices’ entire operating temperature range.