Freescale Announces First Sub-Gigahertz Wireless Microcontroller Using World’s Most Energy-Efficient 32-Bit Processor Core

Several protocols are emerging globally for outdoor and indoor smart energy networks that require robust communication and low power consumption. The Kinetis KW01 wireless MCU meets their requirements with a high-performance radio capable of up to 600 Kbps using complex modulation schemes (GFSK, MSK, GMSK and OOK) while operating at multiple frequencies in the range of 290 to 1020 MHz, supporting ISM bands in Japan, USA, Europe, China, India, Brazil, Mexico and others. Additionally, the on-board efficient, low-power CPU system is used to handle numerous network protocols.



For outdoor applications, such as neighborhood area networks that connect many smart meters to a common data collection point and metropolitan area networks that connect numerous street lamps or sensors, the KW01 wireless MCU can support proprietary protocols and the industry-standard IEEE 802.15.4e/g protocol. For indoor applications connecting wireless sensors, controls, displays, appliances and machinery, the KW01 wireless MCU can support proprietary protocols or standard protocols such as 6LoWPAN, WMBUS (EN13757-4), KNX and ECHONET.



“In a world of evolving wireless protocols for energy management and general control networks, our customers need complete flexibility,” said Bruno Baylac, director and general manager of Freescale’s Metering, Medical & Connectivity business unit. “The Kinetis KW01 wireless MCU is able to adapt to multiple protocols, while providing the performance and low power consumption smart energy applications require.”



The Kinetis KW01 MCU is based on an ARM Cortex-M0+ processor running up to 48 MHz with 128 KB flash memory and 16 KB SRAM capable of consuming as little as 40 uA/MHz in typical conditions. The system and peripherals are designed to achieve 1.7 uA device standby current with a fast wake up time of just 4.3 microseconds, and a device stop current less than 100 nA, which includes radio configuration data retention. These features help maximize battery life in portable systems.



The KW01 device may be used as a comprehensive modem running low-level wireless protocol layers while delegating the upper network protocol layers to run in an external host application processor. The KW01 can also operate without a host for simpler network protocols taking advantage of its on-chip peripherals, such as the 16-bit analog-to-digital converter to implement a single-chip solution for wireless sensor networking applications.