Texas Instruments introduced a new SimpleLink™ family of Wi-Fi 6 companion integrated circuits (ICs) to help designers implement highly reliable, secure, and efficient Wi-Fi connections at an affordable price for applications that operate in high-density or high-temperature environments up to 105ºC.
The first products in TI’s new CC33xx family include devices for Wi-Fi 6 only or for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 connectivity in a single IC. When attached to a microcontroller (MCU) or processor, the CC33xx devices enable a secure Internet of Things (IoT) connection with reliable radio-frequency (RF) performance in broad industrial markets such as grid infrastructure, medical and building automation. For more information, see here.
Robust Wi-Fi performance at an affordable price
Building on TI’s growing wireless connectivity portfolio, the new SimpleLink CC3300 Wi-Fi 6 companion IC and CC3301 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 companion IC start at US$1.60. The 2.4-GHz CC33xx devices provide greater Wi-Fi network efficiency and a stable connection across more than 230 access points while operating at temperatures from –40ºC to 105ºC. The devices also allow designers to affordably connect their IoT edge nodes directly to a home or enterprise access points without additional equipment.
The Wi-Fi 6 companion devices feature orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology and basic service set (BSS) coloring to deliver fast and consistent network performance and connect more devices simultaneously without interference from congestion. The devices also support Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security features, including the latest WPA3 cryptographic technologies for personal and enterprise networks and a secure boot feature with firmware authentication.
Flexibility to attach to MCUs and processors
SimpleLink CC3300 and CC3301 Wi-Fi 6 companion ICs easily attach to TI and many other companies’ MCUs and processors that support Linux® or real-time operating systems (RTOS). For example, CC33xx products easily attach to artificial intelligence (AI)-capable processors like TI’s new AM62A Arm® Cortex®-based vision processors, used in edge AI applications like smart appliances and security cameras to reliably connect smart Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the cloud.
Industrial design engineers can also incorporate TI’s CC3300 with host MCUs such as TI’s 2.4-GHz CC2652R7 SimpleLink multiprotocol wireless MCU or an AM243x MCU-hosted system to enable greater IoT flexibility with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE 5.3, Thread, Zigbee 3.0 and Matter protocols.
Package, availability and pricing
Design engineers can get started by requesting samples of the CC33xx companion ICs, which are available in a quad flat no-lead (QFN) package and start at US$1.60 in 1,000-unit quantities. A new, easy-to-use BP-CC3301 evaluation board is available for purchase on TI.com for US$39. Volume production for the CC3300 and CC3301 is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. TI is also developing pin-to-pin compatible, dual-band 2.4- and 5-GHz Wi-Fi 6 devices that will be available as samples later this year.
