Embedding wireless: one chip, security platform

A single-chip TI MSP430 MCU and low power RF solution brings new functionality for advanced RF networking, energy harvesting, security, and metering. A major upgrade for the Platform for Secure Wireless Devices was just announced by Green Hills Software.

By Control Engineering Staff November 21, 2008

Munich, Germany and Santa Barbara, CA – A single-chip TI MSP430 MCU and low power RF solution brings new functionality for advanced RF networking, energy harvesting, security, and metering. A major upgrade for the Platform for Secure Wireless Devices was just announced by Green Hills Software.

The new TI CC430 wireless platform from Texas Instruments simplifies low-power RF design to offer low– power, single-chip radio-frequency (RF) for microcontroller-based applications.

The new TI CC430 wireless platform from Texas Instruments simplifies low-power RF design to offer low–power, single-chip radio-frequency (RF) for microcontroller-based applications. The new platform helps advance applications including RF networking, energy harvesting, industrial monitoring and tamper detection, personal wireless networks, and automatic metering infrastructure (AMI).
The worldwide market for wireless technology in manufacturing will grow at a 32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years, according to ARC Advisory Group. It is projected to exceed $1 billion in 2010 as wireless technologies offer business processes that are less expensive, safer, more reliable, and more transparent than current practices. The combination of MSP430F5xx and low-power RF transceiver offers a low-power/performance mix and high integration to help break down barriers to RF implementation such as stringent power, performance, size, and cost requirements, as well as design complexity and ease-of-development issues.
Initial devices in the CC430 platform will be based on the MSP430F5xx MCU and a sub-1GHz CC1101 RF transceiver. The MCUs allow designers to tap into execution performance of up to 25 MHz while consuming as low as 160uA/MHz (microamp per megahertz). RF transceivers offer leading selectivity and blocking to ensure reliable communications even in noisy environments. As the platform evolves, future devices will leverage the company’s newest MSP430 MCU and low-power RF technology developments.
The blend of the F5xx MCU and low-power RF transceiver draws a low enough current to enable battery-operated wireless networking applications that operate without servicing for 10 years or longer, a key factor for customers in the metering industry. Advanced functionality in a tiny form factor can also power innovative RF sensor networks that report data to a central collection point to analyze information.
The CC430 platform’s high integration allows for a 50% reduction in printed circuit board (PCB) space compared to two-chip solutions. Smaller board space and reduced complexity help shrink the size of heat cost allocators and AMI smart metering systems, which are expected to make up 28% of electric meters by 2013.
An extensive MSP430 MCU peripheral set will be available for CC430-based devices including intelligent, high-performance digital and analog peripherals like a 12-bit A dc and low power comparators that provide high performance– even during RF transmissions – and consume no power when not in operation. Another choice will be the on-chip LCD controller, contributing to cost and size reductions for LCD-based applications.
RF reference designs, SmartRF Studio software, RF packet sniffer and design notes are available, as are a CC430 development kit and tools, such as the Code Composer Essentials (CCE) or IAR Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Third-party support, training and university programs, code examples and libraries facilitate ease of use and shorten time to market.
In other embedded, wireless news, Green Hills Software Inc. has upgraded its Platform for Secure Wireless Devices . Built on the foundation of the Integrity RTOS, the platform includes the latest 802.11A/B/G wireless drivers from Atheros Communications in addition to commercial-grade Devicescape security supplicants. All products are integrated and validated on off-the-shelf hardware reference platforms, accelerating customer development and deployment of Wi-Fi enabled products.
“The Platform for Secure Wireless Devices enables developers to lower production and development costs, speed time-to-market, and improve security and reliability,” says Dan Mender, vice president, business development, Green Hills Software.
“We are excited to partner with Green Hills Software and to make our Devicescape Easy Wi-Fi available on its popular Integrity RTOS,” says Dave Fraser, chief executive officer, Devicescape. “With Devicescape Easy Wi-Fi, Green Hills Software’s customers can quickly and inexpensively deliver secure and reliable Wi-Fi-enabled products. We look forward to seeing what new products and advances will be developed as a result of our partnership.”
Paul Lever, program manager, partner platforms for Atheros Communications, added. “Our collaboration with Green Hills will enable product developers with highly robust, state-of-the-art tools and technologies to craft their next-generation, Wi-Fi-connected devices.”
Platform features include full IEEE 802.11 and Wi-Fi Alliance standards support; comprehensive WLAN client security features; Enterprise and Personal mode security with WPA/WPA2; static and dynamic WEP (64/128/152-bit); full range of 802.1X Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) types; 802.1X authentication over wired LANs; interoperability with standards-compliant RADIUS servers; and Green Hills IPv6-ready IPv4/IPv6 networking stack, among others.
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