NXP Semiconductors has announced a family of small-footprint wireless modules based on the ultra-low-power JN5168 microcontroller. Supporting multiple network stacks including ZigBee Home Automation, ZigBee Light Link, ZigBee Smart Energy, JenNet-IP and RF4CE, the JN5168 wireless modules feature footprints as small as 16 x 21 mm and very low power consumption in transmit and receive modes.

 

All modules have 256 KB flash memory, 32 KB RAM and 4 KB EEPROM, as well as low-power sleep modes. An SPI interface allows external flash memory to be connected for applications that require over-the-air firmware updates, and all other main functions and I/Os of the chip, such as I²C, ADCs, UARTs and PWMs, are accessible.

Easily surface-mounted on motherboards, the modules come in a range of formats and output power levels, and they are FCC, ETSI and CA approved. Currently available wireless microcontroller modules include the JN5168-001-M00 with a printed antenna, featuring a new antenna design optimized for performance; the JN5168-001-M03 with uFI connector, the smallest wireless module in the family; the JN5168-001-M05 with uFI, a medium-power  (9.5 dBm) module designed specifically for the European and Asian markets; and the JN5168-001-M06, with uFI and 22 dBm output power.