InPlay has just announced a Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) for its NanoBeacon SoC IN100, making it the world’s smallest Bluetooth System-on-a-Chip (SoC) at just 2.0 x 1.1 x 0.35mm.
The NanoBeacon IN100 is not new per se, and we covered the still tiny Bluetooth SoC when writing about Sparkfun NanoBeacon Bluetooth 5.3 module based on the DFN8 package measuring 2.5×2.5mm. The highlights include its low-code/no-code interface and an ultra-low power consumption of below 1 uW.
InPlay NanoBeacon SoC IN100 specifications:
- Memory – 4 KB SRAM + 4 Kbit OTP memory
- Bluetooth 5.3 compliant
- Beacon Modes: Proprietary, BT, Google Eddystone, and Apple iBeacon compliant
- 2.4GHz RF frequency band, MedRadio band (2.36GHz)
- Programming-free and firmware-less design
- Long-range transmission: up to several hundred meters
- Security
- Authentication of beacon ID
- Privacy of advertising payload
- Supply voltage range – 1.1V ~ 3.6V (Single 1.5V coin battery support)
- Power consumption
- Sub-uW power consumption for multi-year operation on a tiny battery
- Sleep current: 650nA (with RC on)
- Package – WLCSP10: 2.0×1.1×0.35mm; DFN8: 2.5×2.5mm; QFN18: 3x3mm
- Temperature Range – -40°C ~ 125°C
The new tiny WLCSP IN100 Bluetooth SoC is expected to be used in a range of applications:
- Printable tags for asset tracking thanks to its ultra-thin form factor
- Healthcare data broadcast via wearable health monitoring devices, such as smart patches or wristbands.
- Smart textiles where the NanoBeacon IN100 is integrated into sports gear or uniforms to transmit performance stats or environmental conditions.
- Miniature drones – The small footprint and light weight of the NanoBeacon IN100 make it suitable for tiny drones that broadcast location, telemetry, or other data.
- Smart jewelry that can rely on the NanoBeacon IN100 to broadcast user-defined data such as emergency contact info or health data, without compromising on style or comfort.
The product page has more detail about the chip, but it has not been updated with the new WLCSP package, and neither has the datasheet linked on the page. At this time, only the press release includes information about the WLCSP IN100 Bluetooth SoC.
Thanks to TLS for the tip.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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I think this should read “(3.0V coin cell or 1.5V button cell support)”
How does the FSM work? Considering it doesn’t have a cpu core or anything.
I wonder if some simple 8-bit core could do the same job while being easier to program.
If I had to guess I suspect that there is some sort of MCU used that loads its firmware internally from a masked ROM to do the bare minimum to operate the radio. That ROM code would interface with the shared SRAM to configure the radio and process Bluetooth commands and data. Since these would be internal details and opaque to external I/O its marketed as a program-free and firmware-free design.
Yup, something like Cypress PSoC. An (extremely) high-level API ontop of an mcu
I wonder how well would it work as I2C/UART to BLE adapter, I’d love to drop it onto Teensy 4.x and have it handle higher parts of the stack itself.
We have made our updated IN100 datasheet available to download that includes the WLCSP package.