Texas Instruments makes Wi-Fi technology more robust and affordable for connected IoT applications
Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced a SimpleLink family of Wi-Fi 6 companion integrated circuits (ICs) to help designers implement reliable, secure and efficient Wi-Fi connections at an affordable price for applications that operate in high-density or high-temperature environments up to 105 degrees C.
The first products in TI’s 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 are said to 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.
Building on TI’s growing wireless connectivity portfolio, the 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 are claimed to provide greater Wi-Fi network efficiency and a stable connection across more than 230 access points, while operating at temperatures from –40 degrees C to 105 degrees C. The devices also allow designers to connect their IoT edge nodes directly to 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) colouring to deliver fast and consistent network performance and connect more devices simultaneously, without interference from congestion. The devices 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.
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 such as TI’s AM62A Arm Cortex-based vision processors, used in edge AI applications such as smart appliances and security cameras to reliably connect smart Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the cloud.
Industrial design engineers can 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.
Samples of the CC33xx companion ICs 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 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.
