Radio-Law-certified BLE module combines MCU, antenna, peripheral circuits

The RX23W module from Renesas Electronics features full Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy support for system control and wireless communication on IoT endpoint devices. Featuring the RX23W 32-bit RX MCU supporting fully integrated Bluetooth Low Energy communication, the new RX23W module is equipped with an antenna, oscillator and custom-matched circuit. The new module is certified under Radio Law for multiple countries, including Japan and the United States (Note), and is Bluetooth SIG certified. This eliminates the need for additional RF design work, tuning, or specialized RF knowledge, allowing customers to use the module as it is, shortening new product development time. The very small 6.1 mm x 9.5 mm, 83-pin LGA package makes it possible to design more compact devices with fewer external components, reducing the bill of materials (BOM) cost. This improves the development efficiency of IoT endpoint devices such as home appliance, healthcare and sports and fitness equipment.

The RX23W MCU incorporated in the new module supports full Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy communication support including long-range and 2 Mbps data throughput. It delivers excellent communication characteristics, with reception sensitivity level of −105 dBm at 125 kbps. Built around Renesas’ RXv2 CPU core, the RX23W MCU provides outstanding computing performance, operating at a maximum clock frequency of 54 MHz together with outstanding power efficiency, making it ideally suited for system control. The RX23W also incorporates Renesas’ exclusive security function, the Trusted Secure IP (TSIP), that provides robust protection against threats to IoT devices such as eavesdropping, tampering, and viruses. In addition, the RX23W MCU has a rich set of peripheral functions that is indispensable to IoT devices, including touch key, USB, and CAN functions.

The new RX23W module utilizes the same software development environment used for RX MCUs, which means developers can work on both system and communication control at the same time. Smart Configurator enables developers to employ a GUI to generate driver code for peripheral functions and Bluetooth, as well as configuring pin settings. QE for BLE enables developers to generate programs for custom Bluetooth profiles. The Bluetooth Test Tool Suite provides a GUI that allows developers to perform initial wireless characteristics evaluations and Bluetooth functionality verification. These tools are well suited to the various phases of development, providing support for developers from the initial stages through applied product development, and substantially boosting efficiency.

The RX23W Module can be combined with Renesas’ complementary analog and power offerings to create comprehensive solutions for a variety of applications. These “Winning Combinations” showcase the unique capabilities of the RX23W Module and the breadth and depth of Renesas’ product line up. Applications includes a reference design for a Medical Patch that can monitor body temperature, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate over a Bluetooth connection using RX23W, and a 48V Mobility Solution that can save the mobility battery status and route history by smartphone connection through RX23W.

The RX23W Module is available at the reference price of US$6.60 per 10,000-unit quantities, and mass production and shipping have already begun. A target board for evaluation is also available at a reference price of US$50 per unit, and it is available starting today.