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STMicroelectronics adds Zigbee 3.0 support for wireless microcontrollers

Thu, Jul 09, 2020

Based on Zigbee PRO protocol stacks, Zigbee 3.0 has been added to the STM32WB55 wireless microcontrollers. The company says that STM32 developers can leverage the interoperability and power-saving features of Zigbee to enhance networking for projects such as home automation, smart lighting, smart building, and broader IoT connectivity.

Zigbee 3.0 unifies the features of Zigbee specifications for consumer and industrial applications. Consumer and internet brands have elected to choose Zigbee connectivity for smart home products.

ST’s Zigbee 3.0 software for STM32WB55 includes the Exegin Zigbee PRO protocol stack, which is provided free of charge, and delivered and fully supported by ST. The stack is used in Exegin products certified as Zigbee Golden Units and is approved as a reference stack for use by test laboratories. ST supports 46 Zigbee 3.0 clusters to establish the capabilities of devices. Another21 clusters support legacy products.

STM32WB55 microcontrollers also support Thread and Bluetooth 5.0, with over the air (OTA) update capability. There are 10 STM32WB55 variants, in a choice of package styles and flash density from 256kbyte to 1Mbyte. The company has announced that it will introduce further variants in Q3.

Devices feature the Arm Cortex-M4 with floating point unit, DSP instructions and a memory protection unit (MPU) that enhances application security. Arm Cortex-M0+ co-processor is dedicated to managing the integrated IEEE 805.15.4 radio. The microcontroller’s cyber protection features ensures real time, low layer operations run smoothly without compromising application execution. The RF transceiver has a link budget of 106dB, to ensure reliable connections over distance.

The STM32WB55 devices are based on patented low power microcontroller technologies and integrate features such as radio balun circuitry. These characteristics are designed to help designers meet tight power and size constraints in a range of IoT and wearable devices. There are rich analogue and system peripherals, as well as cyber-protection, adds ST, and ID features including secure firmware installation (SFI), customer key storage, hardware public key authority (PKA), and cryptographic accelerators. Capacitive touch and LCD controllers simplify user-interface integration.

The Zigbee 3.0 software is now included in the STM32CubeWB MCU package, which provides embedded software including low-layer (LL) application programming interfaces (APIs) and hardware abstraction layer (HAL) drivers for STM32WB microcontrollers, as well as Bluetooth 5.0, Mesh V1.0, and Thread libraries, FreeRTOS kernel, FatFS file system and the STMTouch capacitive-sensing library.

The STM32Cube ecosystem includes the STM32CubeMonitor-RF for RF testing and STM32CubeMX for device configuration and code generation.

http://www.st.com

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Software enables 5G NR to operate independently of 4G networks

Tue, Jul 07, 2020

Software developed by Ericsson is claimed to represent a milestone for 5G New Radio (NR) general availability.

The software enables 5G NR to operate independently of 4G networks, leading to higher levels of performance and new capabilities, says the company. Standalone 5G NR delivers faster connection times and instant access to wide bands to offer a better user experience.

The standalone 5G NR software can be used by communications service providers to operate 5G NR without the need for signalling support from an underlying LTE network. This will allow service providers to add 5G NR to existing 4G sites with a simpler architecture, or deploy 5G independently in new areas such as factories, to support enterprise applications and services. All Ericsson Radio System equipment deployed since 2015 can support Standalone 5G NR capabilities with a software installation.

5G networks have been deployed in non-standalone (NSA) mode where the underlying 4G network layer supported the necessary signalling. Standalone 5G NR delivers faster network connection times, simpler mobility management and immediate access to wide 5G bands, explains Ericsson.

Per Narvinger, head of product area networks, Ericsson, says: “Over the past year, we have worked closely with many customers to successfully deploy non-standalone 5G. These 5G networks have enabled higher data speeds and new use cases”. He added that making the software to support standalone 5G NR networks generally available, will enable applications that require low latency, such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), smart factories and connected vehicles.

With a super-fast response time, a standalone 5G NR device can connect six times faster to a standalone 5G network than a device operating in NSA mode, confirms Ericsson.

The software is available now. Ericsson’s partners, T-Mobile and Telstra have trialled the standalone 5G NR software on their commercial networks.

Abdul Saad, CTO, T-Mobile, says: “Standalone 5G is the next important step for wireless connectivity, with the potential to unleash a whole new range of future transformative applications”.

Channa Seneviratne, network and infrastructure engineering executive, Telstra, says: “As the first in Australia to enable Standalone 5G, we appreciate the significance of this milestone and how 5G will be a key enabler to create new opportunities for an even better user experience and new business models.”

Standalone 5G devices are expected to become available later in 2020.

JS Pan, general manager, wireless communication system and partnership, MediaTek, said the software “will help accelerate the roll-out of standalone 5G NR, which promises to significantly boost overall 5G network performance, furthering our efforts to bring consumers a superior mobile experience”.

With the general availability of standalone 5G NR software on low and mid bands, Ericsson now offers end-to-end standalone 5G, supported by the Ericsson 5G Core (5GC) and the company’s diverse 5G radio portfolio.

https://www.ericsson.com/en/

> Read More

Software enables 5G NR to operate independently of 4G networks

Tue, Jul 07, 2020

Software developed by Ericsson is claimed to represent a milestone for 5G New Radio (NR) general availability.

The software enables 5G NR to operate independently of 4G networks, leading to higher levels of performance and new capabilities, says the company. Standalone 5G NR delivers faster connection times and instant access to wide bands to offer a better user experience.

The standalone 5G NR software can be used by communications service providers to operate 5G NR without the need for signalling support from an underlying LTE network. This will allow service providers to add 5G NR to existing 4G sites with a simpler architecture, or deploy 5G independently in new areas such as factories, to support enterprise applications and services. All Ericsson Radio System equipment deployed since 2015 can support Standalone 5G NR capabilities with a software installation.

5G networks have been deployed in non-standalone (NSA) mode where the underlying 4G network layer supported the necessary signalling. Standalone 5G NR delivers faster network connection times, simpler mobility management and immediate access to wide 5G bands, explains Ericsson.

Per Narvinger, head of product area networks, Ericsson, says: “Over the past year, we have worked closely with many customers to successfully deploy non-standalone 5G. These 5G networks have enabled higher data speeds and new use cases”. He added that making the software to support standalone 5G NR networks generally available, will enable applications that require low latency, such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), smart factories and connected vehicles.

With a super-fast response time, a standalone 5G NR device can connect six times faster to a standalone 5G network than a device operating in NSA mode, confirms Ericsson.

The software is available now. Ericsson’s partners, T-Mobile and Telstra have trialled the standalone 5G NR software on their commercial networks.

Abdul Saad, CTO, T-Mobile, says: “Standalone 5G is the next important step for wireless connectivity, with the potential to unleash a whole new range of future transformative applications”.

Channa Seneviratne, network and infrastructure engineering executive, Telstra, says: “As the first in Australia to enable Standalone 5G, we appreciate the significance of this milestone and how 5G will be a key enabler to create new opportunities for an even better user experience and new business models.”

Standalone 5G devices are expected to become available later in 2020.

JS Pan, general manager, wireless communication system and partnership, MediaTek, said the software “will help accelerate the roll-out of standalone 5G NR, which promises to significantly boost overall 5G network performance, furthering our efforts to bring consumers a superior mobile experience”.

With the general availability of standalone 5G NR software on low and mid bands, Ericsson now offers end-to-end standalone 5G, supported by the Ericsson 5G Core (5GC) and the company’s diverse 5G radio portfolio.

https://www.ericsson.com/en/

> Read More

Toshiba eliminates mechanical components from solid state lidar

Tue, Jul 07, 2020

Autonomous vehicles increasing rely on lidar systems but the mechanical components in lidar systems can add cost and occupy valuable space. Toshiba has developed a high resolution, long range light receiving technology for use in solid state lidar systems which does not rely on mechanical components and which is compact, low-cost and simple to install, says the company.

The technology is based on Toshiba’s proprietary compact, high-efficiency silicon photo-multiplier (SiPM). The company says that by removing the need for bulky mechanical components, the technology realises cost and space savings and enhances operational reliability.

In general, SiPM are suitable for long range measurement as they are highly light sensitive. SiPM’s light-receiving cells however, require recovery time after being triggered, and in strong ambient light condition they also need a large number of cells, as reserve cells are needed to react to reflected laser light.

Toshiba’s SiPM applies a transistor circuit that reboots the cells to reduce the recovery time. The cells function more efficiently and fewer are needed. The higher resolution SiPM array maintains high sensitivity, reports Toshiba.

Conventional lidar systems require mechanical components to continuously rotate the laser emitters and their accompanying optical detection devices. Field trials show that the solid state lidar, using commercially available lenses, from wide-angle to telephoto lenses, have demonstrated the system’s effectiveness over a maximum distance of 200m. This range effectively quadruples the capabilities of currently available solid state lidar systems without sacrificing high resolution, says the company.

Toshiba’s lidar system can be built with commercial lenses, which eliminates complex customisation, for application in a variety of self driving vehicles. The compact nature of the technology allows it to be placed in multiple locations on vehicles that had previously presented a major challenge and will also broaden the appeal and feasibility of lidar outside of the automotive sector.

Toshiba says it will continue R&D to further extend lidar measuring range, raise resolution and advance miniaturisation, and is aiming for a practical use of the SiPM to be available in 2022.

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/worldwide

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