Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1520713
I nternet of Things (IoT) solutions are steadily growing in diversity and capability. This growth in the volume of products, as well as the wide range of requirements, is leading to a burgeoning selection of microcontroller unit (MCU) system-on-chip (SoC) solutions with integrated wireless capabilities to offer an all-in-one solution alongside an equally expanding array of wireless module solutions. Though relevant for virtually all commonly used frequencies and a growing number of unlicensed and licensed frequencies extending to over 100GHz, the most common IoT wireless device operating frequency ranges are sub- 1GHz (sub-GHz) and the 2.4GHz ISM band. The 2.4GHz ISM band includes protocols and standards such as Bluetooth ® , Zigbee, Thread, Matter, and other open and proprietary IoT wireless standards. Sub-GHz frequency bands are more complicated and vary based on regions. Typically, the most popular sub-GHz bands are around 920MHz and 433MHz. However, there are region-specific bands available in the sub-GHz region. For example, North America and Australia share 915MHz; Europe uses 868MHz; China, 470MHz and 779MHz; and Japan, 426Mhz and 920MHz. Many sub-GHz IoT applications make use of IEEE 802.15.4, which is a technical standard that defines the operation of low-rate wireless personal area networks (LR-WPAN), suited to the limited data rates but relatively efficient and long-range capabilities of sub-GHz communications. LoRa is another popular wireless standard for sub-GHz applications. Benefits of MCU SoCs with Integrated Wireless A wireless MCU SoC is an IC that fully integrates an MCU and a radio interface. These SoCs can offer all-in-one processing, programmability, and I/O interfaces for wireless communications in a single chip. Such single-chip solutions with these features can significantly reduce PCB footprint, overall product size/weight, and cost—as long as the design team understands the necessary wireless circuitry to achieve a certifiable wireless communication solution. Benefits of Wireless Modules A wireless module is a device—often pre-certified—that offers a complete wireless communications, transceiver, or sensor unit. This speeds up time to market by saving on certification costs, removing the need for RF knowledge, and reducing BOM complexity and purchasing burden. The basic makeup of a wireless module is typically a radio transceiver built to accommodate specific protocols (but usually with some flexibility), an MCU, antennas, and software stack. The antennas may be external, or the wireless module may have optional ports for external antenna connections. STMicroelectronics 2024 7 Wireless Integrated MCU SoC or Module? JJ DeLisle for Mouser Electronics Explore the advantages of wireless MCU SoCs versus wireless modules in IoT applications, focusing on integration, cost, and design flexibility.