Low-power transceivers deliver integrated long-range RF for IoT

Available now from Mouser are the SX128x 2.4GHz transceivers from Semtech. Part of their SX1200 line of ultra-low-power wireless transceivers, the devices half-duplex RF transceivers are able to withstand heavy interference and transmit over long ranges, and are one of the first of their kind to integrate time-of-flight functionality for a broad range of RF and IoT applications. The transceivers integrate a +12.5dBm analog front end, power distribution, a modem with three modulation options, a packet engine for transmission or reception processing, and digital interface and control. The power distribution stage offers voltage regulation through an integrated LDO regulator or a high-efficiency step-down DC-to-DC converter, which engineers can select depending on the application requirements. The digital communication interfaces include SPI, UART, and a set of general-purpose digital input and output (DIO). Each of the onboard modem’s modulation options (LoRa, FLRC, and FSK) allows the devices to perform robust and reliable wireless communications with point-to-point wireless links that can support custom protocols with configurable data rates up to 2Mbits per second. In addition, the SX1280 features a Ranging Engine, a long-distance functionality that permits time-of-flight measurement between a pair of LoRa radios for tracking applications. To enable compliant, multi-mode radio systems, the devices support Bluetooth low energy are fully compliant with worldwide 2.4GHz radio regulations, including EN 300 440, FCC CFR 47 Part 15, and the Japanese ARIB STD-T66. The transceivers operate at a supply voltage range from 1.8 V to 3.7 V and can be designed into a variety of products, such as wearables, toys, drones, security systems, and healthcare devices. There is also an evaluation kit available.