BlueNRG-2N from STMicroelectronics is a lately introduced Bluetooth 5.0-certified network processor that increases data throughput and enhances privacy and security by lowering power consumption and adding support for the latest Bluetooth features. Pre-programmed, ready for connecting to a host controller to provide Bluetooth connectivity, the BlueNRG-2N network coprocessor simplifies product manufacturing by scaling the performance, features, and cost of the host system independently.
BlueNRG-2N is the latest member to join the ST’s BlueNRG family of Bluetooth Low Energy chips that cater to various approaches when designing wireless systems. It shares key features with the BlueNRG-2 Bluetooth 5.0-certified System-on-Chip (SoC), which also contains a programmable Arm Cortex-M0 MCU to host the main application and Bluetooth connectivity on the same device. The powerful and user-friendly STM32 online development environment (ODE) that comes with the STM32CubeMX GUI plugin can help developers working with BlueNRG chips to kick-start their projects with ease.
Support for Data Length Extension that accelerates over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates by as much as 2.5 times and raising data transfers to 700kbit/s at the application level are the latest Bluetooth enhancements featured of BlueNRG-2N coprocessor. Additionally, support for Bluetooth LE Privacy 1.2 enables the processor to change address frequently without host-processor involvement and prevents unwanted tracking with minimal impact on system power consumption.
Moreover, the BlueNRG-2N processor is programmed with a digitally signed Bluetooth LE stack that helps save manufacturing costs while still allowing the flexibility to upgrade OTA. The built-in image authentication technology that this new processor comes endowed with enhances cyber-security by keeping a check on the stack before starting to allow only signed firmware images to run.
Other than these, the smart features of the BlueNRG-2N processor include lower power consumption compared with previous BlueNRG generations with low transmit and receive current and drawing just 900nA in shutdown mode with the BLE stack running. Besides, the device maintains robust and reliable radio performance with +8dBm programmable RF output power and up to a 96dB link budget.
The processor ensures to help designers of products like smart medical wearables, PC peripherals, remote controls, lighting, industrial and home automation optimize their choice of the microcontroller (MCU) to meet specific model requirements.
Key Features of BlueNRG-2N Processor
- Low-power radio performance
- Bluetooth 5.0 certified
- Sleep current consumption down to 900 nA
- TX current consumption 6.8 mA (@ -2 dBm, 3.0 V)
- RX current consumption 6.2 mA (@ sensitivity level, 3.0 V)
- Up to +8 dBm programmable output power level (@ antenna connector)
- RF link budget up to 96 dB
- Integrated DC-DC step-down converter and LDO regulators
- Multi-master to multi-slave communication guaranteed
- 2 masters to 6 slaves simultaneously
- Up to 8 simultaneous connections handled
- LE data length extension (up to 700 kbps at application level)
- Over-the-air firmware update is 2.5 times faster
- LE Privacy 1.2
BlueNRG-2N processor is in full production and is included in ST’s 10-year industrial product-longevity program. The devices are available in a 2.66mm x 2.56mm WLCSP34 chip-scale packages: BlueNRG-234N or 5mm x 5mm QFN32: BlueNRG-232N, from $1.21 for orders of 1000 pieces.
