Cypress Semiconductor has introduced a Bluetooth Smart module that provides an end-to-end Bluetooth low energy solution. The new small-size EZ-BLE PRoC module based on Cypress' PRoC BLE programmable on-chip radio solution has Bluetooth 4.1 certification and global regulatory certification, greatly simplifying design and shortening time to market. Cypress is the sole supplier of chip, software, firmware and module hardware, streamlining the customer support needed to develop remote control, health and fitness equipment, home appliances, toys and other wireless applications.
The EZ-BLE PRoC module integrates the programmability of PRoC BLE and the ARM Cortex-M0 core, two crystals, an on-chip chip antenna, a metal shield, and passive components, all in a compact 10mm x 10mm x 1.8mm Size formation. Customers using this module to design can refer to Cypress's Qualified Design Identification (QDID) 67366 (a unique serial number assigned by the Bluetooth SIG) to apply for the Bluetooth logo on their products. In addition, the module also complies with wireless regulatory standards in the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Europe.
"This module saves customers approximately $ 200,000 in development, testing and certification costs," said Dave Solda, director of Cypress's module business unit. EZ-BLE PRoC modules take full advantage of our innovative PRoC BLE IC and successful maturity Modular product portfolio. Cypress has world-class, cost-effective manufacturing capabilities in both chips and modules, which puts us in a good position for long-term competition in the Bluetooth smart market. "
Designers seeking to create Bluetooth Smart products must often use software tools from multiple vendors and develop complex firmware to meet wireless specifications. Cypress has abstracted the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol stack and configuration files as royalty-free, GUI-based BLE components, which can be dragged and dropped into the design using Cypress' PSoC Creator? Integrated Design Environment (IDE). PSoC Creator implements a complete system design in a single tool.
Application details for Cypress BLE components are embedded in PSoC Creator, which contains examples of all supported Bluetooth low energy profiles and hundreds of example projects for mixed-signal system design. The BLE Pioneer Development Kit allows users to easily access Cypress Bluetooth low energy devices while maintaining the design size of the popular PSoC 4 Pioneer Kit. The development kit includes a USB Bluetooth low energy dongle, which is paired with the CySmart main simulation tool to convert a designer's Windows PC into a Bluetooth low energy debugging environment. The EZ-BLE PRoC module evaluation board allows quick and easy evaluation of the EZ-BLE PRoC module, which is plugged into the BLE Pioneer development kit.
The EZ-BLE PRoC module is currently sampling and is expected to enter production in May 2015. The module is packaged in a 21-pad SMT package, including a shield, which is ideal for space-constrained applications.
