Location Detection SoC First For ZigBee Sensor Networking

Introduced as the industry’s first system on chip (SoC) with a hardware location engine targeting low-power ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networking applications, the CC2431 is well-suited for applications such as asset and equipment tracking, inventory control, patient monitoring, remote controls, security, and commissioning networks. The device integrates the company's CC2420 RF transceiver core, an enhanced 8051 microcontroller, up to 128 KB of flash memory, 8 KB of RAM, and additional features as well in a 7 mm x 7 mm QLP-48 package. Its RSSI-based location engine calculates node position based on the receive signal strength from the CC2430 core's reference nodes with known locations and can send the location information to a collector. Additionally, the chip gains support via the company's Z-Stack ZigBee protocol stack. Sampling now with volume production scheduled for the third quarter, price is $6.45 each/1,000. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC., Dallas, TX. (800) 477-8924.