Product category:
Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: AMI Semiconductor | Subject: ASTRX2
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 22 October 2002
Low-power-radio chip sniffs to cut
consumption
The ASTRX2 is a single-chip 433.92MHz narrowband RF link that uses a programmable time between wakeups in Sniff Mode to conserve power.
The ASTRX2 is a single-chip 433.92MHz narrowband RF link that uses a programmable time between wakeups in Sniff Mode to conserve power The design has been optimised for low-power applications where long battery life is required, such as implantable medical device applications and automotive applications including remote keyless entry, tyre pressure control and adaptive radio control
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 9 Jan 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Our announcement today of ASTRX2 is all about making it easier for our customers to choose the best solution for their wireless transceiver needs", said Bob Klosterboer, Vice President of the US mixed-signal business unit of AMIS.
"Our previously announced ASTRX1 system-on-chip multichannel transceiver was designed for customers who seek compliance with the emerging 802.15.4 draft Zigbee standard.
The frequency adjustable ASTRX2 is targeted for customer applications with extremely low power requirements that operate in the 260-700MHz range".
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ASTRX2 features a patent-pending quick-start oscillator with an extremely fast 15us turn-on time that allows the onboard receiver to quickly power up to check for the presence of a signal in Sniff Mode.
The Sniff Mode of ASTRX2 is programmable to optimise power conservation and system performance.
Offering two-way communications at customer selectable data rates of 1 to 19Kbit/s over short ranges, the ASTRX2 transceiver also features a unique antenna diversity dual receiver that provides multipath mitigation.
The fully integratable ASTRX2 design includes a clock generator for an external microprocessor as well as a wake-up on programmed RSSI amplitude, allowing substantial power savings by reducing the on-time duty cycle of the receiver.
Both a control bus I2C interface and a separate data input/output serial interface are built into the design, which is housed in an 18-lead, 300mil SOIC package.
The transceiver operates from a 2.4 to 3.6V supply, with its low power architecture giving excellent battery life.
Transmit and receive current consumption is 25 and 7.5mA, respectively.
Receive power varies proportionally with the receiver on time due to the Sniff Mode feature.
For example, a 10% duty cycle would result in an average receive power consumption of 750uA.
ASTRX2 also features a variety of internal trim functions including TX power, independent receive channel trim and tune, Xtal frequency trim, Xtal fast start trim, internal RC frequency trim, sniff detect threshold and receive data slice threshold, Xtal for frequency and fast start, internal RC frequency, sniff for threshold and data slice threshold.
Suitable for use in temperatures ranging from 0 to +55C, the ASTRX2 IC is both FCC and ETSI compliant.
ASTRX2 will be priced at $1.95 in quantities of one million units, assuming an 18-lead SOIC package, with total bill of material cost estimated at $4.
Samples will be available from the 15th November 2002, with production orders being accepted in January 2003.
The product is immediately available for ASIC integration.
(This was Electronicstalk's Top Story on 20 October 2002).
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