Ultra-compact BLE SiP for industrial and indoor positioning applications

u-blox has released the ANNA-B4 module, a feature-rich, ultra-compact Bluetooth 5.1 SiP. It targets applications in harsh environments such as smart lighting networks and industrial circuit breakers and indoor positioning use cases in manufacturing sites, hospitals, warehouses, and smart cities.

Measuring 6.5mm x 6.5mm including its integrated antenna, the device combines the Nordic nRF52833 chipset’s feature set with u-blox’s expertise in chipset and module design into a compact and powerful component. The SiP supports Bluetooth mesh, long-range and direction finding, Thread and Zigbee, operation up to 105C, and is globally certified.

The device is offered in two product variants. The first, ANNA-B412, is provided with the easy-to-use u-connectXpress command API based on industry-standard AT commands for expedited time to market. Excellent security functionality, including secure boot, assists in preventing malicious attacks by assuring that only authenticated and authorised firmware and updates can run on the device.

The second variant is ANNA-B402, which offers a powerful open CPU architecture for custom applications and adds support for the Zigbee and Thread wireless communication protocols. As well as enabling concurrent communication over multiple wireless protocols, the module allows product developers to build solutions utilising Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, or Thread using one single module.

The device is a perfect fit for established use cases such as smart lighting networks that coordinate their light intensity in response to presence detection and ambient light sensors utilising mesh technology.

“ANNA-B4 packs quite a punch when it comes to enabling applications in harsh industrial environments. Its ultra-compact size, which includes a high performing antenna, Combined with the latest Bluetooth technologies, support for Thread and Zigbee, and an operating temperature of up to 105C enable applications in a broad range of market segments,” says Len Albertsson, product strategy, Short Range Radio, at u-blox.