New contender for lowest-power Bluetooth Smart chip; battery life could double
The SmartBond DA14580 is, says Dialog, the first Bluetooth Smart solution to break the 4mA current barrier for wireless transmission and reception, operating down to 0.9V. This allows you to more than double the battery life of an app-enabled smartphone accessory or computer peripheral in comparison to competing solutions. The part is aimed at connecting keyboards, mice and remote controls wirelessly to tablets, laptops or Smart TVs to enable consumers to use innovative new apps on their smartphones and tablets ‒ connected with watches, wristbands and smart tags ‒ to “self-track” their health and fitness levels, locate lost keys and much more besides.
The SmartBond low power architecture draws 3.8 mA in transmission and reception – 50% less than other Bluetooth Smart solutions on the market – with a deep sleep current of under 600 nA. This means a 225 mAh coin-cell battery in a product sending 20 bytes of data per second would last 4 years and 5 months in comparison to just 2 years with previous generations of Bluetooth Smart technology.
The DA14580 features a power management block, including a DC-DC converter and all the necessary LDOs, reducing the need for external components and the overall bill of materials. By precisely switching on and off power delivery to each block on the chip, Dialog is able to reduce energy consumption to a bare minimum. SmartBond works at much lower voltages than was previously possible – down to 0.9V – enabling the use of just one alkaline or NiMH cell AA battery instead of two in computer or smart TV peripherals. This opens up new possibilities for designers to create ultra compact and novel form factor products while reducing the total system costs. Alternatively, energy harvesting techniques that scavenge solar or kinetic energy can be used to power the rechargeable battery powering the system.
The DA14580 comes in three different form factors – the smallest Wafer-Level Chip-Scale (WL-CSP) is just 2.5 X 2.5 X 0.5 mm. This enables Bluetooth to be now added to the most space-constrained wireless accessories.
The inclusion of a 32-bit ARM Cortex M0 core in combination with on-chip One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory provides design flexibility and eliminates the need for an external processor in the system while reducing costs. Dialog is already partnering with Murata to develop small form factor modules, enabling ODMs with little RF system knowledge to integrate certified solutions quickly into their products.
“We’ve been able to leverage our low power expertise in the smartphone, tablet and home wireless sensor network markets to develop this Bluetooth Smart System-on-Chip, which breaks records in terms of energy consumption and die size," said Sean McGrath, Vice President and General Manager of the Connectivity, Automotive and Industrial Business Group at Dialog. "We’re already engaged with a number of tier one customers in the accessory and peripherals sectors.”
The adoption of Bluetooth Smart is set to grow rapidly, with over 350 million Bluetooth Smart ICs projected to be shipped cumulatively by the end of 2016 according to analyst IHS.
The Dialog DA14580 is currently available in sample quantities for select customers with production scheduled for Q4 2013.
www.dialog-semiconductor.com
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