The newly launched small and cost-effective PAN B511-1C Bluetooth module from Panasonic Industry features great performance and great memory while minimising current consumption based on the Nordic nRF54L15 single chip controller.
A dedicated number of GPIOs is positioned at the edge of the module, with the rest of the GPIOs located at the bottom pad. In total, the module provides access to all 32 GPIOs of the chip. Despite its hybrid packaging of castellated holes and LGA, the module remains at the small size of a 2-cent coin. This way, it combines the advantages of both worlds without compromising on size and enables one of the best pin-to-size ratios for Bluetooth modules currently on the market. Its edge pins facilitate easier hand-soldering and support the use of inexpensive 2-layer PCB designs and optical inspection methods, eliminating the need for costly X-ray machines.
The module also features an embedded microcontroller and ARM Cortex- M33 with a high amount of flash memory of 1.5 MB and a RAM size of 256 kB.
An output power of 8dbm makes the module ideally suited for the European market. The main target applications are lighting, home appliances, industrial sensors, medical devices, healthcare wearables and energy management devices and solar farms. Furthermore, the PAN B511-1C is ideally suited for Matter applications, as it comes equipped with additional flash memory and is fully compatible with the PAN MAX Service that facilitates the production and launch of Matter production. The module will be available in three distinct spec variants to cater to diverse project needs.
The PAN B511-1C Bluetooth module will be certified for CE RED, FCC, ISED and MIC. Samples are already available now and the start of mass production is scheduled for June 2025.
Weartech-ICs & Semiconductors
Infineon launches the world’s smallest eSIM solution for mobile consumer devices
Wearables, smartphones, tablets: In the consumer sector in particular, the demand for ever greater functionality, simplicity, and battery lifetime is increasing. Infineon Technologies contributes to these requirements with the introduction of the OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230. It is the world’s smallest GSMA-compliant and first 28 nm eSIM solution. OPTIGA Connect Consumer allows up to 50 percent less energy consumption compared to eSIMs on the market, extending the lifetime of the device’s battery without compromising on performance. It also contributes largely to more convenience since eSIMs can be managed remotely, making haptic SIM changes abundant thus saving time and resources and allowing for greater flexibility. Smartphone users can switch between different providers more easily, manufacturers can be more flexible in their design since physical access is not required. This can be a large advantage in IoT devices. Above all, OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230 is ideal for consumer devices such as smartphones, tablets, and notebooks, and even for small devices such as smartwatches and other wearables as well as 5G routers and POS payment terminals.
The OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230’s security architecture is based on Arm v8 and Infineon’s Integrity Guard 32 technology for increased performance and reduced power consumption. It enables a gain of 25 percent power/performance ratio compared to existing eSIMs on the market, thus extending the lifetime of the device’s battery. Remote SIM provisioning (RSP) and multiple enabled profiles (MEP) compliant with GSMA SGP.22 v3 enhance the end user experience. Users can download and store several mobile network operator profiles and remotely activate multiple profiles simultaneously.
With only 1.8 x 1.6 x 0.4 mm, the ultra-small chip-scale packaging reduces printed circuit board (PCB) space requirements by a factor of 37 relative to Nano SIMs and by a factor of 130 compared to standard SIMs. The OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230 is also available in X2QFN20 (3.0 x 3.0 x 0.3 mm) package. The eSIM solution features a large memory of 1 MB to accommodate multiple network operator profiles along with additional applications and user data.
OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230 is security evaluated according to BSI-CC-PP-0100-2018, specified in GSMA SGP.25 and is based on post-quantum-cryptography-(PQC) ready hardware.
The OPTIGA Connect Consumer OC1230 is available now.
New NFC reader IC and modular kit from ST jumpstarts contactless designs
ST is making it easier to explore creative applications for contactless near-field communication (NFC) technology with a novel development kit featuring the new ST25R200 reader/writer IC. ST’s latest-generation ST25R200 NFC transceiver combines an advanced design for strong and clear wireless connections with low power consumption and controls for signal quality and power management.
The STEVAL-25R200SA kit for reader evaluation contains an ultra-compact ST25R200 board, ready for power-up, and multiple antennas that let users try single, dual, and flexible designs. The evaluation kit is complete with a 50-Ohm antenna interface and programmable tags.
This modular kit helps quickly build proof-of-concept models to demonstrate convenient short-range wireless communications for device pairing, configuring settings, or product authentication to ensure brand protection. The main board and antennas are NFC-certified and suitable for diverse industrial, consumer, and health technologies, such as medical devices, power tools, household appliances, game consoles, and personal care devices.
The ST25R200 NFC reader features ST’s noise suppression receiver (NSR), which ensures high immunity to interference even when close to a noise source such as an LCD panel contained in the same device. The receive circuitry also features an advanced analog front end (AFE), standard NFC-A/B (ISO 14443A/B) and NFC-V (ISO 15693) data framing.
Enhanced low-power card detection (LPCD), also built-in, eases wake-up to ensure a smooth and seamless user experience. The 1.2W transmitter has dynamic power output (DPO) control to regulate the field strength and overshoot/undershoot protection to ensure consistent signalling throughout data exchanges.
This reader operates over a wide power supply and peripheral I/O voltage range from 2.7V to 5.5V and from -40°C to 85°C. In addition, there are multiple operating modes to assist power management, cutting the device current to as little as 1µA to extend the runtime of battery-powered applications. In reset mode the IC draws just 0.1µA.
Nexperia’s new step-down DC-DC converters with lowest quiescent current enhance design flexibility
Nexperia has introduced a new series of step-down DC-DC converters featuring devices with stand-by and operating efficiency that offer engineers flexibility for designing various fixed and portable battery-powered applications across consumer, industrial and automotive end-markets.
The NEX30606 is a high-efficiency, high-accuracy step-down converter that offers a choice of 16 resistor-settable output voltages from input voltages ranging from 1.8 V to 5.0 V. It can deliver up to 600 mA of output current and offers the industry’s lowest operating quiescent current (Iq) of 220 μA. This feature makes it ideal for wearable consumer applications like hearing aids, medical sensors, patches and monitors in addition to battery-powered industrial applications like smart meters, asset-tracking and industrial (IIOT) and narrow-band internet-of-things (NBIOT) devices. This device provides >90% switching efficiency for load currents ranging from 1 mA to 400 mA and has only 10 mV of output voltage ripple when stepping down from 3.6 V Vin to 1.8 Vout.
The NEX40400 step-down converter combines high efficiency (up to 8 % higher efficiency than close competition at low – mid load condition) with low operating quiescent current (60 μA typ.) and can provide up to 600 mA output from a wide 4.5 V to 40 V input range for applications. Featuring PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) for high efficiency at low to mid loads and Spread Spectrum Technology for minimising EMI, the converter is ideal for industrial distributed power systems and grid infrastructure (e.g. smart e-meters) as well as consumer white goods. Low shutdown supply current (0.3 μA) also makes this converter suitable for use in battery-powered home appliances. Nexperia also plans to release an AEC-Q100 qualified version of the NEX40400 later in 2025 for use in automotive applications such as body electronics and lighting, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), as well as instrument clusters, cameras and displays.
Both the NEX30606 and NEX40400 offer traditional IC protection features such as Overcurrent Protection (OCP), short circuit protection, and thermal shutdown, ensuring reliability in demanding environments.
The NEX30606 is available in a space-saving WLCSP package measuring only 1.09 mm x 0.74 mm with a 0.35-mm pitch, which is almost 50% smaller than similar competing converters. The NEX40400 comes in a cost-effective 6-lead SOT8061-1 (TSOT23-6) plastic, surface-mounted package measuring 2.9 mm x 2.8 mm.
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