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Secure UWB Portfolio Grows to Encompass Emerging IoT Use Cases

Oct. 20, 2020

New IoT ICs deliver highly precise positioning capabilities and fine ranging for IoT applications such as smart locks and IoT sensors.

David Maliniak

Related To: NXP Semiconductors

At its ongoing annual developer’s conference, NXP Semiconductors today heralds the expansion of its ultra-wideband (UWB) portfolio to enable new internet-of-things (IoT) use cases for applications such as smart locks and real-time location system tags. Following its earlier introductions of UWB products for the mobile and automotive markets, the company is rolling out its UWB IoT ICs under a new Trimension brand name encompassing its entire UWB portfolio.

Designed with the specific needs of IoT devices in mind, Trimension SR150 adds dual-receiver angle-of-arrival (AoA) technology for an added level of precision. Trimension SR150 is ideally suited for the UWB enablement of all kinds of larger infrastructures, such as access-control installations, indoor localization setups, and payment schemes, as well as consumer electronics. Several SR150 IC devices can be placed in a room as UWB anchors to help localize people and objects as they move.

“The SR150 enables entirely hands-free access to a room or building,” said Charles Dachs, NXP’s VP and GM of secure embedded transactions. Your mobile device’s digital key would open the door from within a meter’s distance. Not only that, but it knows if you’re standing inside or outside of the door. The technology also enables completely hands-free retail checkout; your phone can be in a pocket or bag.”

Optimized for low-power operation, the Trimension SR040 is designed for use in battery-operated IoT devices, such as UWB trackers and tags that might be attached to things like an earbud charging case or a keychain. “It will enable such objects to be located with very high accuracy,” said Dachs. The SR040 IC can be integrated with Bluetooth Low Energy or other connectivity controllers in one device. Trimension OL23D0 complements the range of dedicated IoT solutions as an open, fully customer programmable UWB controller for IoT applications.

In addressing specific use cases, the Trimension SR150 and SR040 ICs are available in easy-to-integrate modules and development kits supplied by selected NXP partners. NXP’s IoT UWB ICs will be in production by the end of 2020; they’re available for sampling now.

NXP Semiconductors, www.nxp.com/uwb

About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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About me:

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.