BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY: AWARDS SPONSORSHIP
The Bluetooth Innovation World Cup will recognize outstanding new product and application designs based on the forthcoming Bluetooth low energy wireless specification in fitness, healthcare and sports
Oslo, Norway - MARCH 23, 2009 - Ultra low power (ULP) 2.4GHz RF specialist, Nordic Semiconductor, today announces that it is sponsoring the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup - a Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) competition initially targeting fitness, healthcare and sports products. The competition is designed to promote the rollout of Bluetooth low energy wireless technology later this year (which will include Nordic's own release of its first single-mode Bluetooth low energy IC in the same time frame).
In conjunction with the Bluetooth SIG - an 11,000 member strong organization driving the development of Bluetooth wireless technology (See "About the Bluetooth SIG" below) - the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup is also being sponsored by the world's largest winter sporting goods trade show - ispo; and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI).
Application entries should be submitted to the Bluetooth SIG between June 1 and October 31, 2009 (see tinyurl.com/dy8yyq) and will be unveiled at the next ispo show in February 2010. Three regional winners will be announced for Asia, Europe and the US, of which one will also receive a global "Bluetooth Innovator of the Year" award.
Nordic Semiconductor's proprietary ULP 2.4GHz wireless connectivity solutions have been successfully employed in millions of fitness, healthcare and sports applications such as heart rate monitors (HRMs), ECG recording monitors, odometers, pedometers, speed and distance sensors, pulse oximeters, and thermometers. These proprietary solutions are ideal where an OEM is manufacturing both ends of the wireless link (for example a HRM/sports watch combination from a company such as Sunnto or Polar). However, the market will expand rapidly when an interoperable alternative becomes available so that products and peripherals from different manufacturers can communicate seamlessly with each other after a simple pairing operation.
Traditional Bluetooth wireless technology is not suitable because it requires more power than can be supplied by the modest capacity - typically coin cell (watch) or AAA/AA - batteries powering the wireless sensors in fitness, healthcare and sports applications.
Bluetooth low energy wireless technology addresses the challenge, having been designed from the outset to be compatible with small battery devices. The technology will be based on an open specification and be the catalyst for a wide range of new low-power and -cost, interoperable wireless peripherals in fitness, healthcare, and sports. (See "About Bluetooth low energy" below).
"Nordic Semiconductor's sponsorship adds greatly to the credibility of the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup," says Anders Edlund, Marketing Director, EMEA, Bluetooth SIG. "Nordic has been involved in drafting the specification for Bluetooth low energy since its inception and the company is renowned for powering wireless connections in exactly the kind of innovative products we expect to become even more widespread once Bluetooth low energy is launched."
"We are delighted to be involved with the Bluetooth SIG's inaugural innovation event," says Geir Langeland, Nordic Semiconductor's Director of Sales & Marketing. "Nordic is an innovative company in its own right, and plans to be the premier supplier of Bluetooth low energy wireless ICs. We therefore have a natural affinity for the Innovation World Cup and it was a simple decision to become a sponsor."
About the Bluetooth SIG
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is a privately held, not-for-profit trade association. The SIG was founded in September 1998. The Bluetooth SIG itself does not make, manufacture, or sell Bluetooth enabled products. The main tasks for the Bluetooth SIG are to publish Bluetooth specifications, administer the qualification program, protect the Bluetooth trademarks and evangelize Bluetooth wireless technology.
The SIG has more than 11,000 member companies that are leaders in the telecommunications, computing, automotive, music, apparel, industrial automation, and network industries. SIG members drive development of Bluetooth wireless technology, and implement and market the technology in their products.
About Bluetooth low energy wireless technology*
Bluetooth low energy wireless technology will encourage rapid deployment of ultra-low power (ULP) wireless by providing a technology that is interoperable. Moreover, Bluetooth low energy wireless technology-equipped products will be able to communicate with cell phones and PCs featuring modified Bluetooth wireless technology transceivers opening up a whole new range of possibilities. In summary, Bluetooth low energy wireless technology is an ultra-low power wireless solution featuring:
- Ultra-low peak, average and idle mode power
consumption,
- Ultra-low cost plus small size for accessories and human interface devices (HIDs),
- Minimal cost and size addition to handsets
and PCs,
- Global, intuitive and secure multi-vendor interoperability.
The technology will operate in the globally accepted 2.4GHz Industrial, Scientific & Medical (ISM) band. It features a physical layer bit rate of 1Mbps over a range of 5 to 15 meters.
The Bluetooth low energy wireless technology specification will feature two implementations, namely "dual-mode" and "single-mode". In the dual-mode implementation Bluetooth low energy functionality is integrated into traditional Bluetooth circuitry. The resulting architecture shares much of Bluetooth technology's existing functionality and radio and results in a minimal cost increase compared to contemporary Bluetooth chips.
Single-mode chips will be highly integrated and compact devices. The simplified Bluetooth low energy wireless technology protocol stack features a lightweight Link Layer (LL) providing ultra-low power idle mode operation, simple device discovery and reliable point-to-multipoint data transfer with advanced power-save and encryption functionalities. The LL provides a means to schedule Bluetooth low energy wireless technology traffic between Bluetooth transmissions. Profiles will include support for HIDs, sensors and sports watches.
Ultra-low power consumption is critical to Bluetooth low energy wireless technology's success. Single-mode devices will be expected to run for many months or even years on standard coin-cell batteries (for example, CR2032, 3V lithium devices). Single-mode chips will typically operate with low duty cycles, entering ultra-low power idle and sleep modes, to wake up periodically for a communication "burst".
Dual-modes chips are targeted at handsets, multimedia computers and PCs. The dual-mode specification is also advanced and it is envisaged chips will feature power consumptions of around 75 to 80 percent of conventional Bluetooth chips when operating in Bluetooth low energy wireless technology mode and cost just tens of cents more. These next generation dual-mode Bluetooth chips will share much of Bluetooth technology's existing functionality and radio in a single die. However, because dual-mode devices will use parts of Bluetooth technology's hardware, power consumption is ultimately dependant upon the Bluetooth implementation. Consequently, dual-mode devices will not enjoy all of the benefits and possibilities outlined in the Bluetooth low energy wireless technology specification.
*Note: Technical information is provisional and subject to change prior to the publication of the industry open standard.
About Nordic Semiconductor ASA
Nordic Semiconductor is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra-low power (ULP) short-range wireless communication. Nordic is a public company listed on the Norwegian stock exchange.
Nordic provides RF silicon solutions including:
Nordic provides RF silicon solutions including:
- Highly integrated RF silicon
- Sophisticated and flexible development tools
- Application specific communication software
- Complete reference designs
The company's innovative range of wireless solutions includes:
- The nRF24LE1TM single-chip, ultra-low cost and power, fully integrated 2.4GHz transceiver with radio, microprocessor, flash memory and MultiCeiverTM technology supporting up to six simultaneous wireless devices;
- The nRF24L01+TM ultra-low cost and power 2.4GHz transceiver with MultiCeiver technology supporting up to six simultaneous wireless devices;
- The nRF24LU1+TM a single chip 2.4GHz transceiver with full-speed USB, microcontroller and flash memory enabling ultra-compact USB dongles for wireless peripherals;
- The nRF24AP1TM ultra-low power 2.4GHz transceiver for wireless communication with Dynastream Innovation's production-proven low-power network protocol, ANTTM;
- The nRF24E1TM and nRF24E2TM low cost transceivers paired with an industry standard 8051 MCU core, and leading peripherals to create the world's first complete low cost SoCs for global 2.4GHz operation;
- The nRF24Z1TM single-chip system for CD quality audio streaming of up to 16-bit, 48-kHz audio;
- The nRF905TM single-chip multiband radio transceiver for the 433, 868 or 915MHz ISM band;
- The nRF9E5TM low-cost, single-chip system with fully integrated RF transceiver for the 433, 868 or 915MHz ISM band.
Nordic Semiconductor's nRF24xx range of 2.4GHz transceiver and transmitter devices are aimed at applications such as PC peripherals such as wireless keyboards/mice, game controllers, intelligent sports equipment and wireless audio (for example, mp3 and portable CD player headphones and PC speakers). The latest nRF24L01 family, for instance, is targeted at ultra-low cost and power applications such as wireless desktops and intelligent (for example, wristwatch-based) sports equipment.
Nordic is an associate member of the Bluetooth SIG, and has contributed core expertise in ultra-low power RF design to the forthcoming specification for Bluetooth low energy wireless technology (formerly ultra low power Bluetooth). Bluetooth low energy wireless technology is a short range RF communication technology featuring ultra-low power consumption, a lightweight protocol stack and simple integration with Bluetooth® wireless technology chips. Bluetooth low energy wireless technology ushers in the next generation of RF communications by opening up many new opportunities for wireless data links between suitably equipped mobile phones or personal computers (PCs) and coin cell battery-powered devices such as sports and health sensors.
Nordic's products are all manufactured in ultra modern semiconductor process technologies through strong relationships with world-best manufacturing facilities. Sales are primarily made through a carefully selected worldwide distribution network. The company has offices in Trondheim and Oslo, Norway, the US (west coast), Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, and is listed on the Norwegian Stock Exchange (OSX: NOD). All operations are managed according to the ISO 9001:2000-approved quality assurance system.
###
|
