Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are pre-integrated in i.MX RT software development kit
Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth are pre-integrated across NXP’s i.MX RT microcontroller platform, allowing developers to create the optimal pairing of processing with connectivity to advance IoT development.
The microcontroller and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combinations and i.MX RT microcontroller crossover processors are now supported within the MCUXpresso software, which dramatically simplifies product development, claims the company. This level of integration enables NXP to expand the connectivity capabilities of its EdgeVerse edge computing and security platform. By pre-integrating driver support within the MCUXpresso software development kit (SDK), NXP says it is providing developers with flexible and scalable platforms to help accelerate compliance, significantly shorten time-to-market, and streamline Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo deployments.
These new platforms make it possible to mix and match the right microcontroller with the right Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo devices, to meet the performance and power requirements of IoT, industrial, automotive and communications infrastructure applications.
Ron Martino, senior vice president and general manager of Edge Processing with NXP, commented: “This new integration brings a one-stop-shop approach to platform development with NXP’s highly differentiated offerings that are fully tested and certified, allowing developers to easily and quickly deploy wireless devices at scale.”
NXP has pre-integrated its Wi-Fi/Bluetooth drivers and communications stacks around FreeRTOS, targeting i.MX RT crossover processors. By using the MCUXpresso SDK, developers can combine wireless connectivity with AI/machine learning capabilities, display controllers, and graphics accelerators integrated into the i.MX RT family. The pre-integrated Wi-Fi/Bluetooth drivers have been verified and tested to deliver several useful examples, including iPerf utility to test device-to-device performance, Wi-Fi Direct to scan and connect mobile devices to networks, command line interface (CLI) to set Wi-Fi parameters and network properties and experiment with Wi-Fi settings/parameters, use case development for IoT, industrial, automotive and communication infrastructure applications and Amazon Web Services to use as a framework for IoT products as well as device, gateway, phone and cloud connection examples.
NXP has partnered with module vendors around the world, including Azurewave, Murata, Panasonic, and u-blox, to deliver fully certified, platform-integrated modules.
The i.M RT crossover family is the first of several microcontroller product lines to be supported by NXP’s Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo connectivity solutions, which are now available through NXP’s module partners and its global market and distribution network, including Arrow, Avnet, Future, EBV, Mouser, Digikey, E14, and WT Micro.
Support for i.MX platforms running Linux and Android will be available later this year.
