specification has been simplified to make it more easily accessible
to engineers with varying levels of RF expertise, and of
course Molex can also provide access to an expert if and when
required. In many instances, it is advised that design teams
placing antennas into their systems seek assistance and guidance
from an RF expert. This can save time when it comes to
understanding what additional measures are needed to boost
antenna performance and quantitatively measuring antenna
performance in a system.
To support its customers, Molex has also invested in antenna
measurement technology, including field-scanning chambers
to support product development, up to frequencies used in 5G
transmissions. When used alongside its advanced simulation
capabilities, this enables Molex to develop antennas that deliver
high performance while still complying with SAR (Specific
Absorption Rate) specifications. Once designed, Molex can also
manufacture custom antennas, to meet the customer’s production
needs. Molex not only designs antennas; its RF engineers
are experts and are ready to assist customers’ design engineers
investigate and document the performance of antennas in a
system. If your application requires improved RF performance,
consider turning to a Molex RF expert for assistance.
https://www.molex.com
Figure 6: Molex offers a wide variety of antennas and the
expertise to develop the right solution for any application
Bluetooth 5 module delivers more range
and flexibility
Laird Connectivity’s new BL654 PA (Power Amplified)
series of Bluetooth modules provide more
power and range than ever before.
BL654 PA also has maximum design flexibility and
performance. It is a full multi-protocol embedded
wireless module with exceptional processing capability
and extended PA/LNA support.
The module is centred around the Nordic nRF52840
solution. It has a small form factor and provides a
secure, robust BLE and Cortex-M4F CPU for applications.
The BL654 PA has programming options for
both an intuitive AT command set and Laird Connectivity’s
own smartBASIC environment.
smartBASIC is an event-driven programming language to make
integration easier. The language offers built-in functions that
replace hundreds of lines of C code. It also acts as a bridge
between software and hardware, allowing an application
to work on any smartBASIC radio.
BL654 PA series allows developers access to all of the
nRF52840 hardware features and capabilities including
USB access and up to 5.5V supply. It also adds additional
TX power capabilities via an integrated Skyworks
PA. In addition to Bluetooth 5’s enhanced data rates
and LE long-range, the BL654 PA also features BLE
mesh capabilities in a high TX power platform, NFC,
and Thread (802.15.4).
The BL654 PA also has robust security, industrial temperature
rating, a small footprint, and modular FCC, IC,
KC, RCM, and Bluetooth SIG approvals. Multiple lowcost
development kits will also be available.
Laird Connectivity
www.lairdconnect.com/BL654-PA
Nordic and Quuppa enhance Bluetooth
location services
Nordic Semiconductor and Quuppa will work together
to allow Quuppa’s Intelligent Locating System to operate
on Nordic’s nRF52 Series SoCs.
The two companies have been partners since 2016
and the latest firmware running on Nordic’s nRF52832
BLE/Bluetooth 5 SoC, uses the Bluetooth LE protocol
to transmit the ‘Angle-of-Arrival’ (AoA) radio packets
which determine the position in space of a Bluetooth
LE transceiver. Bluetooth 5.1 Direction Finding improves
on this technique by providing simplified access
to the Bluetooth LE protocol’s IQ signal data for the Quuppa
positioning engine. The technology has been employed by
major Bluetooth beacon and tag manufacturers for tracking
applications with accuracies down to a few centimetres.
Quuppa’s previous long-term experience working with Nordic’s
nRF52 Series architecture will significantly extend the ecosystem
of RTLS solution providers and applications
based on the technology. Further expansion
will be encouraged by Bluetooth 5.1 Direction
Finding’s interoperability between products from
different vendors and the next generation of
smartphones.
Nordic’s nRF52811 SoC is one of the first Bluetooth
5.1-compatible commercial solutions and
incorporates a 64MHz, 32-bit Arm Cortex M4
processor which provides ample overhead for
supervising both the Bluetooth RF software protocol and the
RF profile positioning engine firmware.
Nordic Semiconductor
www.nordicsemi.com
www.eenewsembedded.com September 2019 Embedded 13 News eeNews Europe
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/www.molex.com
/BL654-PA
/www.nordicsemi.com
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