NXP Semiconductors has introduced the K32W061/41, its new family of ultra-low-power, multiprotocol wireless microcontrollers (MCUs). The new low power devices complement the company’s recently introduced pin-compatible JN5189/88 (Thread/Zigbee) and QN9090/30 (Bluetooth LE) MCUs and provide original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with an easier migration path to support current and emerging smart home and building use cases.
Lowering the power consumption of today’s smart home and IoT devices is crucial to maximizing the performance from a single coin cell battery. NXP’s K32W061/41 MCU achieves this via multiple low power modes and low transmit/receive radio power capabilities.
Tom Pannell, senior marketing director for connectivity solutions at NXP, commented that the demand for ultra-low power connectivity in the smart home continues to grow as does the number of wireless technologies to choose from. With the launch the new multiprotocol wireless microcontrollers, NXP is providing ultra-low-power performance for connected applications by leveraging the breadth and expertise of their technology portfolio to deliver solutions that make it easier for OEMs to design robust and feature-rich Internet of Things devices with Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, and Thread.
The K32W061 and the K32W041 feature an IEEE 802.15.4 radio supporting Thread and Zigbee networking protocols, Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 and an integrated NFC NTAG (K32W061). The devices also support a wide operating temperature range (-40 ℃ to +125 ℃). As a founding member of the Zigbee Alliance and Thread Group, co-founder of NFC Forum and member of Bluetooth SIG, NXP has leveraged its wireless expertise along with its broad MCU capabilities to integrate the latest connectivity standards with the proper intelligent peripherals.
These peripherals support a range of use cases that include:
- home and building automation
- security and access control
- smart thermostats and locks
- gateways and sense sensor networks applications
The K32W061/41 wireless microcontrollers are based on an Arm Cortex M4 microcontroller core running at 48 MHz and include 640 KB of onboard flash and 152 KB SRAM, providing storage space and flexibility for complex applications and software over-the-air (OTA) updates. The optional NFC NTAG provides standardized out-of-band communications to dramatically simplify the pairing process. The multiprotocol radio includes an integrated power amplifier capable of up to + 11dBm output making long-distance transmission possible. Additionally, it supports Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0, Zigbee, and OpenThread wireless network protocol stacks.
Product Enablement and Support
- NXP’s MCUXpresso software development kit (SDK) for the K32W061/41 wireless MCUs is compatible with the latest toolchains from IAR and NXP’s MCUXpresso IDE.
- The NXP IoT Toolbox smart device application and connectivity tool help developers evaluate RF performance and test more efficiently.
- Hardware development support with the NXP IoT Development Kit, part number IOTZTB-DK006, that provides the ideal prototyping platform of a complete IoT design.
- Additional development hardware includes a USB dongle, part number OM15080-K32W for Bluetooth LE, Thread, and Zigbee networks.
Product Availability
The K32W061/41 family of microcontrollers are available now from NXP and its authorized distribution partners.
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