ST hails SenseAnywhere's single-chip integration
The tiny single-chip balun, together with efficient sensor and memory, helps boost performance and shrink dimensions of SenseAnywhere's new AiroSensor and AssetSensor active-RFID modules for wireless
STMicroelectronics has announced that SenseAnywhere has qualified the world's first wireless devices incorporating ST's new single-chip balun, which integrates essential circuitry for radio systems in a footprint of only 2.1mm2.
The SenseAnywhere AiroSensor and AssetSensor active-RFID modules combine RF transceiver technology with a low-power processor, low-voltage EEPROM, and miniature temperature, humidity, and motion sensors to enhance performance.
This combination is claimed to save cost in Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as environmental monitoring, cold-chain compliance, theft protection, and asset tracking.
"The cooperation with ST made it possible to realise significant improvements in the output performance, sensitivity and impedance matching of our RF modules and sensors, as well as minimising unwanted harmonics," says Tom Heijnen, Founder and Managing Director of SenseAnywhere. "At the same time, we have seriously reduced overall application size as well as savings in bill-of-materials costs and reduced assembly and test costs."
Inside the SenseAnywhere modules, ST's BAL-CC1101-01D3 balun balances the connection between the radio and antenna, replacing discrete components that would occupy up to 30mm2 of pc-board space with a single 2.1mm2 integrated circuit.
Also, single-chip integration enables closer impedance matching, greater stability, and reduced device-to-device spread by minimising variations between circuit features on the same silicon substrate.
The BAL-CC1101-01D3 is the first in a new family of integrated baluns from ST, which are matched to specific RF-transceiver chipsets. Optimised for ultra-low-power applications in sub-GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM), and Short-Range Device (SRD) frequency bands, the ETSI1- and FCC2-compliant BAL-CC1101-01D3 deliver an integrated harmonic filter delivering improved harmonic attenuation, low insertion loss, and operation up to 85°C, with a small footprint.
"The advanced single-chip integration of our new balun family helps customers overcome significant RF-system design challenges to deliver higher-performing products while reducing cost and time to market," Richard Renard, Senior Product Marketing Engineer, STMicroelectronics, says. "SenseAnywhere's AiroSensor and AssetSensor using the ST balun are genuinely advanced products that offer unique benefits to integrators of sensing and location systems."
Beyond the new balun, ST contributed its compact, flexible, and lowest-power LIS2DH accelerometer, and low-power EEPROMs to the SenseAnywhere IoT modules.
The BAL-CC1101-01D3 is now available for production orders, in the 2.1mm2 flip-chip package, priced from $0.26 for orders of 5000 pieces.
