Alpha Micro adds ON Semiconductor’s RF SiP for long range use
Distributor Alpha Micro has added the ON Semiconductor AX-SIP-SFEU to its portfolio. The Sigfox-certified programmable RF transceiver system in package (SiP) integrates critical IoT connectivity functions into a single, tiny, low power IC package, claims Alpha Micro. The package includes an RF SoC with supporting circuitry including temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO).
Sigfox is a proprietary, low data rate, low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN) wireless communications technology suitable for applications that require extremely long range and good penetration of dense structures. It is based on narrowband technology that uses industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio frequency ranges.
The AX-SIP-SFEU IC can deliver the long battery life required by IoT devices, with deep sleep mode that consumes only 100nA, standby mode of 0.5mA and sleep mode running at 1.3-microA.
The AX-SIP-SFEU is claimed to be the world’s most compact Sigfox-verified IC. It measures 7.0 x 9.0 x 1.0mm , to save space when replacing larger, traditional communications modules, which typically have three times the board footprint and 10 times the total volume of this IC, according to Alpha Micro.
The IC has Sigfox verification, pre-certified radio regulatory compliance and conformal shielding, allowing engineers to fast track the development process and devote attention to critical antenna and application design tasks.
ON Semiconductor provides a development kit and an integrated design environment (IDE), and an application programming interface (API) for custom software development. Basic control of the device, for example to send frames and configure radio parameters, is provided by familiar AT style commands sent over a simple, standard universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interface.
Founded in 1995, Alpha Micro Components is an independent franchised distributor of components for telematics, M2M and IoT. The company supplies wireless communication components from franchised product lines including u-blox, Laird, Lantronix, Riverdi, On Semi, FTDI, LPRS and its own AMC range. A team of in-house design engineers integrate components into board-level designs, adding value and providing customers with products that meet varied and demanding requirements. The company has helped customers to network-enable more than two million devices using technologies ranging from simple dial-up modems and serial connections to sophisticated wireless options.
