PRODUCT PREVIEW: BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY

µBlue is a single mode Bluetooth low energy solution offering low peak current and micro ampere average current supporting Bluetooth wireless technology applications that can run on small coin cell (watch) batteries for months to years. µBlue will be based on a single chip architecture integrating Nordic's latest ultra low power radio with baseband plus a microcontroller with fully embedded software stack. The first product in Nordic's µBlue range will include the nRF8001 - a single mode slave chip ideal for watches, sensors and remote controls - scheduled to be generally available second half 2009 shortly after the official release of the first 1.0 version of the Bluetooth low energy specification

Tokyo, Japan, Bluetooth SIG All Hands Meeting - APRIL 20, 2009 - Ultra low power (ULP) 2.4GHz RF specialist, Nordic Semiconductor, today provided a preview of µBlue, its upcoming Bluetooth low energy solution range. µBlue will bring Bluetooth wireless connectivity to portable devices running on small but standard coin cell (watch) batteries and support battery lifetimes from months to years depending on the application.

Bluetooth low energy is the next step in Bluetooth wireless technology, designed from scratch to consume only a fraction of the power of classic Bluetooth. Bluetooth low energy wireless technology supports two fundamentally different chip implementations called "single mode" and "dual mode". Single mode chips will be the ones that deliver the true ultra low power consumption by being a Bluetooth low energy only implementation. Dual mode chips will be a combination of classic Bluetooth wireless technology and Bluetooth low energy in a single chip at a very small price differential. What dual mode will drive, however, is the rapid deployment of Bluetooth low energy because it is expected to become a de facto feature of, for example, almost all new cell phones and many computers. Single mode devices can connect to dual mode devices or other single mode devices.

Nordic Semiconductor pioneered the ultra low power wireless sector and has for decades led the global market in the development and re-development of proprietary ULP wireless chips that continue to re-define what is possible in terms of performance, power consumption and price. µBlue is simply an extension of this heritage into the interoperable standards-based domain.

Highly integrated single chip single mode solutions
µBlue will be a range of single mode Bluetooth low energy solutions based on a single chip architecture integrating radio, baseband and microcontroller with fully embedded Bluetooth low energy software stacks. By providing a complete solution, µBlue significantly eases the effort and cost for manufacturers to make Bluetooth low energy wireless enabled products. This high level of integration, tiny chip size and low external component count makes µBlue ideal for size constrained applications like watches and wearable sensors. µBlue will also be made available in a number of targeted application variants to suit the specific requirements of products in various market segments.

A micro ampere Bluetooth wireless solution
µBlue will provide a true ULP wireless solution with peak currents low enough to support standard coin cell battery operation and micro ampere range average current in connected mode enabling months to years of battery lifetime. This means that µBlue will drastically expand the range of applicable application areas where manufacturers can take advantage of Bluetooth wireless connectivity as well as deliver an improved user experience in existing applications. While classic Bluetooth solutions typically require rechargeable batteries and weekly charging cycles, µBlue will support applications that use non-rechargeable batteries, such as coin cells, and that therefore need to deliver months to years of battery lifetime to avoid end user frustration. Applications that use classic Bluetooth today like Bluetooth enabled watches and remote controls can benefit on both battery lifetime and cost by migrating to µBlue Bluetooth low energy wireless technology.

Ultra low power wireless with mobile phone connectivity
While the single mode implementation is the true ultra low power solution in Bluetooth low energy, crucially important for its widescale adoption will be its dual mode implementation. Dual mode will combine Bluetooth low energy and classic Bluetooth on a single chip with a very small price delta compared to a classic Bluetooth solution. Combined with the fact that the two radio technologies can share most of the radio circuitry, Bluetooth low energy has the potential for fast and near saturation adoption in classic Bluetooth applications like mobile phones. With this connectivity to mobile phones, µBlue will enable manufacturers to create new and innovative products centered around the mobile phone. Not only is the mobile phone a natural hub device, but the latest designs also typically feature internet connectivity and large color displays that can all be leveraged for new applications.

Class leading radio performance
The ultra low power consumption of µBlue does not come with a compromise on radio performance. µBlue is built on Nordic Semiconductor's latest class-leading ULP 2.4GHz radio technology and is therefore expected to deliver best-in-class sensitivity and blocking performance from launch. Combined with the robust adaptive frequency hopping of Bluetooth low energy, µBlue will provide excellent co-existence performance with other radios like Wi-Fi and classic Bluetooth.

First products available in late 2009
Estimated general availability of the first µBlue products is late 2009. The first offerings will include the nRF8001, a single mode Bluetooth low energy slave solution ideal for applications like watches, mobile phone peripherals, remote controls and sensors. More detailed specifications and pricing indications will be supplied at the official product launch later this year.

"We are thrilled to provide this preview of our upcoming Bluetooth low energy solution," says Thomas Embla Bonnerud, Product Manager for Ultra Low Power Wireless at Nordic Semiconductor. "We are also pleased to announce that our single mode solution - µBlue - will deliver on the promise of Bluetooth low energy wireless technology: ultra low power consumption that is a fraction of classic Bluetooth radios; coin cell battery operation for between months to years; and last but equally important - highly integrated single chip solutions that require the minimum of external components."

Bonnerud continues: "Nordic does not typically provide previews of upcoming products until they are actually available. But we decided to make an exception with µBlue because Bluetooth low energy is a technology the market is eagerly awaiting and we believe that everybody has a good idea of what to expect in terms of solutions on the dual mode side. This is not the case with the single mode solution, and since it is an equally important piece of the Bluetooth low energy technology we decided to provide a preview of our solution. We believe that this will greatly benefit those interested in making Bluetooth low energy products for launch in 2010."

Please go to our Bluetooth low energy section for more information.


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:
- 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 nRF24LE1^TM single-chip, ultra-low cost and   power, fully integrated 2.4GHz transceiver with radio,   microprocessor, flash memory and MultiCeiver^TM   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 nRF24AP1^TM ultra-low power 2.4GHz   transceiver for wireless communication with   Dynastream Innovation's production-proven low-  power network protocol, ANT^TM;
- The nRF24E1^TM and nRF24E2^TM 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 nRF24Z1^TM single-chip system for CD quality   audio streaming of up to 16-bit, 48-kHz audio;
- The nRF905^TM single-chip multiband radio   transceiver for the 433, 868 or 915MHz ISM band;
- The nRF9E5^TM 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.
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