Qualcomm Atheros Unveils the AR4100, the Wi-Fi system-in-package
(SIP) module for microcontroller (MCU) based M2M designs.
The product is initially aimed at customers implementing
machine-to-machine (M2M) communications in the smart home/building/grid
markets, also referred to as the "Internet of Things."
Qualcomm Atheros says the AR4100 is the industry's smallest
FCC-certified SIP package, integrating all Wi-Fi functionality
into a low profile 8.3 mm by 9.2 mm LGA package that can
be easily mounted via low-cost PCB manufacturing flows.
The AR4100 is optimized for client applications hosted by
low-resource MCUs that send infrequent data packets over
the network. MCUs interface to the AR4100 via a simple serial
peripheral interface bus (SPI) and will be initially aimed
at customers in the smart home, smart grid and smart building
markets. The AR4100 SIP provides full offload of all Wi-Fi
functionality, including security protocols such as WEP,
WPA, WPA2 and WPS. The AR4100 is a pre-certified FCC solution
that offers simple wireless system integration, requiring
only a few external bypass capacitors and a connection to
an antenna for a board-level design.
Qualcomm Atheros is collaborating with Freescale Semiconductor
to bring the AR4100 to market. The two companies have worked
together to develop an implementation for Freescale's Tower
development System. The TWR-WIFI-AR4100 is a peripheral
module for the Tower System that allows the AR4100 to be
quickly added to tower designs based on select Kinetis and
Coldfire processors. The TWR-WIFI-AR4100 package comes with
all of the required software to implement an AR4100 design,
as well as example designs. The module is tightly integrated
with Freescale's MQX operating system. The TWR-WIFI-AR4100
will be available beginning June 20, 2011 through Freescale
and select distribution channels.
"The AR4100 is an exciting product for Qualcomm Atheros
and marks a significant step forward in advancing our Internet
of Everything vision. Many potential customers have been
frustrated by the lack of a standards-based, globally interoperable,
low-cost modular solution for M2M applications, which is
broadly available, energy efficient and can connect easily
to a simple MCU running various applications," said
Adam Lapede, senior director, Internet of Things technology,
Qualcomm Atheros. "Qualcomm Atheros is providing an
innovative, standard Wi-Fi based solution that can deliver
outstanding performance in extremely small size, with low
energy and cost. Our collaboration with Freescale will help
enable a wide variety of customers with the AR4100 and accelerate
products getting to market with the easy-to-use Tower system
and MQX development suite. We believe the AR4100 offers
a unique value proposition for the industry and will help
expand the universe of connected devices."
The initial development environment is the Freescale Tower
System, with optimized support for the Freescale MQX Operation
System, leveraging the IAR Embedded Workbench compiler for
the Freescale Kinetis MCU product line, and the Freescale
CodeWarrior tool suite for the Coldfire MCU product line.
The AR4100 is backwards compatible to any existing 802.11b/g
infrastructure and forward compatible with higher-performance,
multi-stream, MIMO-based 802.11n infrastructures.
"Freescale and Qualcomm Atheros share a common vision
for increasing connectivity in the home and enterprise to
share information, streamline operations and reduce expenses.
We are deploying leading-edge technologies into many of
these markets, but no single connectivity solution meets
the needs of our diverse customer base," said John
Weil, global product and enablement manager at Freescale.
"Qualcomm Atheros' broad array of wired and wireless
solutions will complement Freescale's offering in helping
our customers deliver connected devices that will enable
the true Internet of Things."
Qualcomm Atheros is demonstrating the AR4100 solution in
the Technology Lab at the Freescale Technology Forum, June
20-23 in San Antonio, Tex.