Dialog Semiconductor’s latest Bluetooth low energy wireless multi-core MCU family sets the standard for tomorrow’s users

The latest addition to the SmartBond™ product line offers advanced features such as a dedicated application processor based on an integrated ARM Cortex M33

Beijing, China, February 25, 2019 – Dialog Semiconductor plc (DG: DLG), a supplier of highly integrated custom and configurable power management, AC/DC power conversion, charging and Bluetooth low energy technologies, today announced the launch of its most advanced and feature-rich wireless multi-core microcontroller unit (MCU) SmartBond™ DA1469x Bluetooth low energy SoC family . This new product family includes four models and builds on the success of Dialog’s SmartBond™ product line, providing more powerful processing power, more resources, longer coverage, and longer battery life for a wide range of IoT connected consumer applications.

Designed to help device manufacturers expand the range of applications they can create using Dialog’s proven SmartBond™ technology, the DA1469x family of products includes three integrated cores that have been carefully selected for their superior sensing, processing and inter-device communication capabilities.

To provide the processing power of the device, the DA1469x is the first production wireless microcontroller family to feature a dedicated application processor based on the ARM Cortex-M33 processor . The M33 provides more powerful processing for compute-intensive applications such as high-end fitness trackers, advanced smart home devices and virtual reality game controllers .

The DA1469x family provides developers with advanced connectivity features to meet the needs of multiple applications and make them future-proof . Its new integrated radio provides twice the range of its predecessor , combined with an ARM Cortex-M0+ based software programmable packet engine to deploy protocols and provide full flexibility for wireless communication.

On the connectivity side, an emerging application is for manufacturers to enable precise positioning through the new Angle of Arrival and Angle of Departure features in the new Bluetooth 5.1 standard . With world-class radio front-end performance and a configurable protocol engine, the DA1469x complies with this new version of the standard , opening up new opportunities for devices that require precise indoor positioning, such as building access control and remote keyless entry systems .

To enhance the sensing capabilities of the DA1469x family, the M33 application processor and M0+ protocol engine are equipped with a sensor node controller (SNC) based on a programmable micro DSP that runs autonomously and independently processes data from sensors connected to its digital and analog interfaces, waking up the application processor only when needed. In addition to this energy-saving feature, its state-of-the-art power management unit (PMU) can also provide the industry's best power management by controlling the different processing cores and activating them only when needed.

Developers can take advantage of the comprehensive computing power and features of the DA1469x family. The SoC family offers up to 144 DMIPS, 512 kBytes RAM, memory protection, floating point unit, dedicated cryptographic engine, etc., providing end-to-end security and scalable memory, ensuring that a wide range of advanced smart device applications can be realized using this chipset family, and supporting a series of key value-added interfaces to further expand functionality.

The PMU also provides three regulated power rails and one LDO output to power external system components without the need for an additional power management IC (PMIC). In addition, the DA1469x product family is equipped with a range of key value-added interfaces , including display drivers, audio interfaces, USB, high-precision ADCs, haptic control drivers capable of driving ERM and LRA motors, and programmable stepper motor controllers.

"Today's consumer demand for connected devices continues to grow with each new product cycle. Our SmartBond™ wireless microcontrollers are recognized in the market to not only meet the needs of today's users, but also to anticipate where the market is headed and provide growth opportunities for our customers during their next product cycle," said Sean McGrath, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Connectivity Business Unit at Dialog Semiconductor. "With double the processing power, quadruple the available resources, and double the battery life of our predecessors, the DA1469x family is one of the most advanced and feature-rich Bluetooth products we have ever developed."

Developers using the DA1469x product family can take advantage of Dialog’s software development kit, SmartSnippets™, which provides them with the tools they need to develop industry-best applications on this new MCU. Multiple DA1469x models will be available in volume in the first half of 2019. Samples and development kits are available at https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/da1469x-product-family.

This year, Dialog will also be traveling to multiple cities around the world to conduct the first SmartBond™ Wireless Microcontroller Technology Tour. This series of seminars will provide information and hands-on training for all SmartBond™ product families, including the latest DA1469x family. To register for the seminar and learn more, please visit https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/smartbond-technology-tour.