Nordic Semiconductor’s new nRF9160 is significantly smaller, lower-power, and has more security features than any other cellular IoT module launched by the company to date for both LTE-M and NB-IoT applications. It also has a host of unique IoT-targeted features, is certified for global operation, and is easy to design-in.
The system-in-package (SiP) has received GCF certification - the trusted mobile communications industry ‘quality mark’ for compliance to the 3GPP LTE specification and global cellular network interoperability - along with separately required FCC and CE regulatory certifications.
Prime application examples include asset monitoring and tracking, utility metering, industrial (machinery) connectivity and predictive maintenance, smart city and infrastructure, agrotech (smart agriculture) and medical.
At just 10 x 16 x 1 mm in size, the device is suitable for even compact wearable consumer and medical devices, yet is a complete solution that integrates everything a cellular connection and IoT application may need beyond requiring just an external battery, SIM and antenna.
To achieve this ultra-high integration, Nordic partnered with Qorvo to make an SiP that more closely resembles an integrated chip than a module. The nRF9160 SiP leverages Qorvo’s state-of-the-art RF front-end, advanced packaging, and MicroShield technology to deliver an ultra-compact solution that combines high performance with low power consumption. The device supports global operation with a single SiP variant thanks to the combination of Nordic’s multimode LTE-M / NB-IoT modem, SAW-less transceiver, and a custom RF front-end solution from Qorvo.
In parallel, the nRF9160 SiP is the first cellular IoT module to incorporate Arm’s latest Cortex M-33 CPU core. This is supported by 1 MB of Flash and 256 KB of RAM on-board memory. The nRF9160 SiP is also the first module to incorporate Arm’s TrustZone and CryptoCell security for Internet-level encryption and application protection. It sports analog and digital interfaces, 32 GPIOs, a standalone modem with full LTE capability, plus a multiband RF front-end.
Another unique feature of the nRF9160 SiP in the cellular IoT module market is integrated GPS support to allow a combination of GPS and cellular data to be used for more accurate positioning than either technology is capable of when used in isolation.
The nRF9160 SiP is supported by a development kit, SiP module samples, LTE-M firmware, and an SDK with application example for cloud connectivity. This includes Nordic’s ‘nRF Connect for Cloud’ cloud-based device management tool and ‘nRF Connect for Desktop’ PC-based tool, plus support for Segger Embedded Studio.
For more information contact Andrew Hutton, RF Design, +27 21 555 8400, [email protected], www.rfdesign.co.za
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