MCU and ZigBee transceiver come together

The JN5121 single-chip wireless microcontroller is designed for power-efficient control within wireless sensor networks based on the IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee standards.

Now fully available from Jennic, the JN5121 single-chip wireless microcontroller is designed for power-efficient control within wireless sensor networks based on the IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee standards.

The JN5121 is novel in that it combines a 32bit RISC core, fully compliant 2.4GHz IEEE802.15.4 transceiver and integrated 64Kbyte ROM and 96Kbyte RAM, all in a single 8 x 8mm 56-lead QFN chip package.

Manufactured on IBM's 7RF low cost RF CMOS process which is designed for radio frequency (RF) and low power wireless applications, the wireless microcontroller from Jennic provides a versatile general purpose solution for a diverse range of low power sensor network applications ranging from simple point-to-point to complex mesh requirements in home, building and industrial control and automation systems.

Unlike other proposed solutions, the JN5121 features a high-level of integration to help reduce overall system cost, and allowing very small low power modules to be constructed.

For example, the RAM allows support of router and co-ordinator functions without the need for an additional external SRAM.

Other features include an integrated hardware MAC for highly secure AES encrypted data flow, integrated sleep oscillator and power saving facilities for low system power consumption, and a wide range of industry standard peripherals and interfaces.

This integrated functionality ensures that a minimum of external components are required to implement the majority of sensor and control applications, enabling modules to be designed without recourse to advanced PCB technologies.

The JN5121 only requires an additional crystal oscillator, Flash memory, decoupling components and printed antenna for a low bill of materials cost.

A reference module is available from Jennic with designs that can be readily customised to suit the application with alternative antennas, IO and so on.

The module is just 18 x 25mm in size, and includes an integrated antenna, 21 multi-purpose digital I/Os, an SPI port and four analogue connections.

The device is controlled via the SPI or UART interfaces, and debug is achieved via a second UART port.

Jennic also provides IEEE802.15.4 protocol software, co-ordinator and endpoint device evaluation boards and software development tools.

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