Infineon Introduces Single Chip Multi-Band UHF Transmitter Family with Integrated 8-bit Microcontroller; SmartLEWIS™ MCU Family Addresses Wide Range of Wireless Control Applications

Jul 15, 2008 | Market News

Neubiberg, Germany - July 15, 2008 - Infineon Technologies AG (FSE/NYSE: IFX) today introduced a new family of highly-integrated next-generation transmitter ICs for wireless control applications. All members of the new SmartLEWIS™ MCU PMA71xx family include an ASK/FSK multi-band transmitter for the sub 1GHz ISM frequency bands, with an 8051 microcontroller enhanced with specific embedded mixed-signal peripherals. With the SmartLEWIS MCU family inside, remote controls are capable to use radio frequency (RF) technology instead of today’s infrared (IR) transmission overcoming the disadvantage of line-of-sight communication. In addition, RF-based applications benefit from an extended range of more than 50 meters, compared to only a few meters for IR technology. The PMA71xx products are the world’s first multi-band transmitters, covering four ISM frequency bands (315 MHz, 434 MHz, 868 MHz and 915 MHz) on a single chip.

“Our SmartLEWIS MCU family helps ban inconvenient line-of-sight-communication from remote controls of audio and video sets, shutters and home automation systems, and enables cost efficient and robust wireless controls based on RF technology,” said Rolf Hertel, Head of Marketing for Wireless Control and Radar at Infineon Technologies. “The high integration level of the SmartLEWIS MCU family allows building complete wireless control systems with only a few additional external components. Due to our ready-to-start software framework and powerful function library, time-to-market is drastically reduced. With the combination of a multi-band transmitter and a microcontroller with additional peripherals on a single chip, Infineon offers a flexible solution for a broad variety of wireless control systems.”

Transmitter IC Family with Integrated MCU for Wireless Control

In addition to an 8051 microcontroller with 6 kBytes of flash memory and 10 GPIOs, all members of the SmartLEWIS MCU family integrate an RF-transmitter consisting of an integer N PLL synthesizer and a high-efficiency power amplifier with selectable output power.

The embedded multi-channel 10-bit ADC includes flexible high-gain settings and can be used as an interface for a broad variety of analog sensors, such as pressure sensors, temperature or humidity sensors. The integrated 125 kHz low-frequency (LF) receiver enables wireless wake-up in battery-operated applications and contactless device configuration. The family’s peripherals include a data format encoder/decoder, a 16-bit CRC generator/checker, a pseudo random number generator, and several timers. An associated firmware function library provides powerful functions, such as AES encryption. This firmware is located in an on-chip ROM saving valuable flash memory.

All family members are designed for the lowest current consumption with a typical value of only 500 nA in power-down mode and include an advanced power control system for to help better preserve the life of the battery. The operating temperature range is in accordance with industrial market requirements from -40 °C to +85 °C.

The SmartLEWIS MCU family today includes four products. Each product is designed particularly for wireless control applications, such as home automation, security and alarm systems, home entertainment products, and automatic meter reading systems.
 

  • The SmartLEWIS MCU PMA7105 was developed for use in RF remote controls and digital sensor-based systems. 
  • The SmartLEWIS MCU PMA7106 targets wireless sensor applications using analog sensors connected to an extra 3-channel 10-bit ADC with flexible gain settings and differential inputs. 
  • For applications requiring wireless wake-up or contactless device configuration such as active tagging, Infineon offers the SmartLEWIS MCU PMA7107 that features an additional 125 kHz LF receiver.
  • The highest-integrated product of the PMA71xx family is the SmartLEWIS MCU PMA7110 developed for use in sophisticated wireless systems that require a 10-bit ADC and LF receiver.


Availability and Pricing

Samples of devices in the SmartLEWIS MCU family are available with volume production scheduled for July 2008. Sample pricing for PMA7105 is Euro 1.55 (USD 2.40). For design support, Infineon offers a software application framework, a software function library and a quick-start development kit with USB interface and rechargeable battery.

For further information on the SmartLEWIS MCU PMA71xx family for wireless control please visit www.infineon.com/PMA  

Infineon’s Wireless Control product portfolio including transmitters, transmitters with integrated microcontroller, receivers and transceivers is available at www.infineon.com/WLC

Glossary

AES Advanced Encryption Standard
ASK Amplitude Shift Keying
FSK Frequency Shift Keying
GPIO General Purpose Input/Output
ISM-band Industrial, Scientific, and Medical band
LF Low frequency (125 kHz)
PLL Phase Locked Loop
VCO Voltage Controlled Oscillator

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2007 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 7.7 billion (including Qimonda sales of Euro 3.6 billion) with approximately 43,000 employees worldwide (including approximately 13,500 Qimonda employees). With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).

Further information is available at www.infineon.com.
This news release is available online at www.infineon.com/press/

Information Number

INFAIM200807.079