Right this moment, Nordic Semiconductor introduced the provision of the third member of its Wi-Fi 6 nRF70 household. The nRF7000 supplies SSID location functionality to a bunch microcontroller. It is a perfect companion to Nordic’s cellular-based nRF91 SiPs however works with different microcontrollers as effectively.
Typically, IoT gadgets have three potential sources for figuring out their location. They’ll acquire a tough place by triangulating indicators between a number of towers if geared up with a mobile radio. A extra exact however power-hungry methodology is to make use of a GNSS (GPS) receiver. A 3rd methodology of utilizing Wi-Fi SSID and sign energy works effectively in areas with comparatively excessive inhabitants density. In fact, having all three in a single machine means precision and energy consumption flexibility.
nRF70 comparability chart (📷: Nordic Semiconductor)
Beforehand, Nordic Semiconductor launched the nRF7002 and nRF7001. All nRF70 chips have Wi-Fi 6-enabled applied sciences. The nRF7001 and nRF7002 are full radios able to knowledge communication and SSID-based locationing. The nRF7001 operates at 2.4 GHz, and the nRF7002 is a dual-band IC with 2.4 and 5.0 GHz capabilities. The brand new chip is barely totally different.
The nRF7000 solely helps lively and passive scanning of two.4 GHz entry factors for his or her SSIDs to find out location. Since resolving a location with SSID requires an lively knowledge connection, the companion IC works finest with Nordic’s nRF9160 LTE-M/NB-IoT mobile SiPs.
Utilizing nRF Cloud with nRF7000 (📷: Nordic Semiconductor)
An instance transaction is the nRF7000 acquiring details about close by Wi-Fi SSIDs. The host processor transmits that knowledge to the nRF Cloud. Then, a cloud utility may use the resolved location or ship it again to the machine.
Like all of the nRF70 variants, the brand new chip works with nRF52, nRF53, or different microcontroller hosts. It communicates to the host by way of a SPI or QSPI interface. A coexistence port additionally assists with sharing the antenna between the nRF7000 and different 2.4 GHz radios, resembling Bluetooth Low Power (BLE).
Pattern perform to find out location with nRF70 (📷: James Lewis)
You may get began programming with the nRF7000 immediately. Nordic’s nRF Join SDK already has a pattern code to find out the place with the nRF70 household. These examples are discovered with the nRF91 DK pattern code.
Nordic additionally introduced in the present day that the nRF7002 Analysis Package is accessible to ship. This board incorporates an nRF7002 however can successfully emulate the nRF7000 by turning off knowledge communication options. This functionality means you possibly can plug an EK into the nRF9160 DK and rapidly begin creating IoT gadgets with Wi-Fi 6 SSID-based locationing.
Chips at the moment are out there in a 6×6 millimeter QFN-48 bundle. Try the nRF7000 product web page for extra info.