NXP Extends its Secure Ultra-Wideband Portfolio with New Sensing Solutions that Enable Emerging IoT Use Cases

• New IoT ICs deliver highly precise positioning capabilities and fine ranging for IoT applications such as smart locks and IoT sensors

• UWB IoT modules and development kits are available now through NXP’s partner network

• Introducing TrimensionTM under the new brand name NXP offers one of the broadest UWB portfolios available with tailored sensing solutions for vehicles, smartphones, and IoT devices

At its annual developer’s conference, NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) announced the next milestone in establishing secure ultra-wideband (UWB) technology as the global standard for fine-ranging and high-precision sensing. Following the introduction of mobile and automotive UWB solutions, NXP has expanded its portfolio to include new UWB ICs. Trimension SR040 and SR150 ICs are optimized to enable new IoT use cases such as smart locks and real-time location system (RTLS) tags, delivering “relative position” with a very high level of accuracy. NXP Trimension is the new designated brand name for NXP’s proven UWB platform – spanning solutions designed for the specific needs of the automotive, mobile and IoT markets. 

“At NXP, we're convinced that true innovation happens at the intersection of ecosystems. To accelerate the adoption of UWB and create meaningful new experiences, smart edge devices need to gain spatial awareness, whether it’s a smartphone, car, or different IoT device form factor,” said Rafael Sotomayor and EVP of BL Connectivity & Security with NXP. “Imagine the possibilities of moving through daily life with fewer barriers as devices anticipate our actions. Our new IoT ICs, combined with NXP’s connectivity portfolio, will help developers add dimensionality to devices and objects to make this vision possible.”

UWB is enabling a world where doors lock and unlock in response to the owner’s actual presence, where cars are shared with a simple touch of a screen or accessed handsfree, where smart home automation systems follow their owners intuitively and efficiently from one room to another, and people spend less time searching because misplaced items can be tracked in an instant.

“With higher levels of accuracy in positioning capabilities along with increased data security compared to other RF technologies, UWB will significantly improve the handsfree access control user experience in places such as offices, hospitals, educational institutions, and homes,” said Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, HID Global, Senior Vice President and CTO.  “Based on its fine-ranging capability, we also believe UWB will enable many new location-based services and device-to-device IoT applications both in consumer products and industrial applications.”

Optimized for low-power operation, Trimension SR040 is designed for use in battery-operated IoT devices, including UWB trackers and tags, and can be integrated with Bluetooth Low Energy or other connectivity controllers in one device. Trimension OL23D0 complements the range of dedicated IoT solutions as an open, fully customer programmable UWB controller for IoT applications.

Module Partners and The Path to Production: addressing specific use cases, Trimension SR150 and SR040 ICs are available in easy-to-integrate modules and development kits supplied by selected NXP partners.

Source: NXP media announcement