BLE MCUs integrate ARM Cortex M33-based dedicated application processor

Dialog Semiconductor plc unveiled the SmartBond DA1469x family of Bluetooth low energy SoCs, its most advanced, feature-rich range of multi-core microcontroller units (MCUs) for wireless connectivity. The new product family which includes four variants, builds on the successes of Dialog’s SmartBond™ products adding greater processing power, resources, range and battery life for a wide variety of IoT connected consumer applications.

The DA1469x product family has been designed to expand the range of applications, underpinned by Dialog’s proven SmartBond™ technology, that device manufacturers can create. The devices’ three integrated cores have each been carefully chosen for their capabilities to sense, process and communicate between connected devices.

To provide the devices’ processing power, the DA1469x product family is the first wireless microcontroller in production with a dedicated application processor based on the ARM Cortex-M33 processor. The M33 offers developers greater processing power for more intensive applications, such as high-end fitness trackers, advanced smart home devices and virtual reality game controllers.

The DA1469x range provides developers with advanced connectivity to future-proof their devices to fit the needs of multiple applications. Its new integrated radio offers double the range compared to its predecessor together with an ARM Cortex-M0+ based software-programmable packet engine that implements protocols and provides full flexibility for wireless communication.

On the connectivity front, an emerging application is for manufacturers to deploy accurate positioning through the Angle of Arrival and Angle of Departure features of the newly introduced Bluetooth 5.1 standard. With its world-class radio front end performance and configurable protocol engine, the DA1469x complies with this new version of the standard and opens new opportunities for devices that require accurate indoor positioning such as building access and remote keyless entry systems.

To enhance the sensing functionality of the DA1469x, the M33 application processor and M0+ protocol engine is complemented with a Sensor Node Controller (SNC), which is based on a programmable micro-DSP that runs autonomously and independently processes data from the sensors connected to its digital and analog interfaces, waking the application processor only when needed. In addition to this power-saving feature, a state-of-the-art Power Management Unit (PMU) provides best-in-class power management by controlling the different processing cores and only activating them as needed.

Across the board, developers will have a full range of computing power and functionality to work with on the DA1469x family. The SoCs feature up to 144 DMIPS, 512 kBytes of RAM, memory protection, a floating-point unit, a dedicated crypto engine to enable end-to-end security and expandable memories, ensuring a wide range of advanced smart device applications can be implemented using the chipset family and supporting a range of key value-add interfaces to extend functionality even further.

The PMU also provides three regulated power rails and one LDO output to supply external system components, removing the requirement of a separate power management IC (PMIC). Additionally, the DA169x product family come equipped with a range of key value-add interfaces including a display driver, an audio interface, USB, a high-accuracy ADC, a haptic driver capable of driving both ERM and LRA motors as well as a programmable stepping motor controller.

Developers working with the DA1469x product family can rely on Dialog’s software development suite – SmartSnippets – which gives them the tools they need to develop best-in-class applications on the new MCUs.