Multiband wireless SoCs break new IoT ground

Expanding its Wireless Gecko portfolio, Silicon Labs has launched the industry’s first multiband, multiprotocol wireless system-on-chip (SoC) devices for the Internet of Things (IoT) market. The new multiband Wireless Gecko SoCs enable developers to use the same multiprotocol device for operation in 2.4GHz and multiple sub-GHz bands, simplifying connected device designs, reducing cost and complexity, and speeding time to market. Multiband Wireless Gecko SoCs are ideal for IoT connectivity products in application areas such as building and home automation, smart metering, security, health and fitness monitoring, connected lighting, electronic shelf labels and asset tracking, says the company. The multiband Wireless Gecko SoCs are designed to support standards-based and proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols for short-range connectivity and proprietary sub-GHz protocols for long-range connectivity. A single hardware design can support multiple connectivity scenarios based on the firmware/software running on the SoC. This flexible architecture enables developers to work with one set of software tools while supporting proprietary stacks and standard protocols such as ZigBee, Thread and Bluetooth low energy. The Wireless Gecko SoCs also enable developers to future-proof their designs. Next-generation connected device products can embed a combination of protocols such as Bluetooth to commission and configure devices with a smartphone or tablet and sub-GHz protocols to communicate over long-range star networks. Samples of multiband Wireless Gecko SoCs are available in 5mm x 5mm QFN32 and 7mm x 7mm QFN48 packages; production quantities are planned for Q3 2016, says the company.