Wireless SoCs combine energy efficiency and security for Zigbee IoT devices

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

Silicon Labs  has released a family of ultra-low-power Zigbee system-on-chip (SoC) devices designed for eco-friendly IoT products deployed in mesh networks. The EFR32MG22 (MG22)  family expands the company’s Zigbee portfolio  with the smallest and lowest-power SoCs optimized for Zigbee Green Power  applications.

Using the same 802.15.4 PHY and MAC of the energy-efficient Zigbee 3.0 protocol, Zigbee Green Power further reduces power consumption by decreasing the amount of data required for wireless transmission, said Silicon Labs.

Based on Silicon Labs’ Wireless Gecko Series 2 platform , the MG22 SoCs target Zigbee devices powered by coin-cell batteries or energy-harvesting sources. Applications include smart home sensors, lighting controls, and building and industrial automation.

The MG22 SoCs incorporate a high-performance, low-power 76.8-MHz Arm Cortex-M33 core with TrustZone. The SoCs deliver energy efficiency thanks to a combination of ultra-low transmit and receive power (8.2-mA TX at +6 dBm, 3.9-mA RX), 1.4-µA deep-sleep mode power, and low-power peripherals. In addition, Silicon Labs has implemented a suite of security features  in the Series 2 products.

The EFR32MG22 SoCs are scheduled to start shipping in March 2020 in 5 × 5-mm QFN40, 4 × 4-mm QFN32, and slender 0.3 × 4 × 4-mm TQFN32 packages. The EFR32MG22 SoC starter kit will also be available in March, with prices starting at $99. Developers can download Simplicity Studio, including network analyzer and energy profiler tools, the Zigbee 3.0 stack, demos, and mobile apps, at no charge.