The Internet of Things (IoT) is experiencing its rapid scaling up- Smart agriculture, smart factory automation, smart meters, smart infrastructure, and many more. With the connected ecosystem proliferating, there is an increase in the need to have a reliable low power and long-range wireless connectivity. This is where Sub-GHz SoCs are facing their time in the limelight.
Perfection in the form of semiconductor IP cores and wireless solutions At T2M-SEMI, our portfolio of semiconductor IP cores and wireless solutions have been developed to support the next generation of IoT innovations. Low-range IoTcommunication is rapidly based on the Sub-GHz System-on-Chips (SoCs). And yet why today? So why are they perfect?
What Are Sub-GHz SoCs?
A Brief Overview
Sub-GHz SoCs are System-on-Chip technologies which operate below the 1 GHz frequency band e.g. 433 MHz, 868 MHz or 915 MHz frequencies depending on the region. They are SoCs that contain an RF transceiver, microcontroller (MCU), and memory and sometimes also protocol stacks on an integrated single-chip silicon die.
Key Characteristics
- Extended range: The sub-GHz frequencies are more able to go through walls and long distances.
- Low power: Ideal on battery powered devices that need to last years.
- Minimal interference: Less congestion as against the busy 2.4 GHz band.
- High reliability: Suitable to mission-critical or industrial Internet of Things.
Why Sub-GHz Is Critical for Long-Range IoT
Superior Propagation for Rural and Industrial Settings
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth just do not make the grade in places such as agriculture, utilities, and smart cities. Sub-GHz signals have more extended wavelengths, meaning that they can travel over longer distances and overcome physical barriers- they are therefore suitable in outdoor sensors, utility metering and infrastructure monitoring.
Low Power Consumption for Extended Battery Life
Remote IoT deployments have a scarce supply of power. Sub-GHz SoCs are usually compliant with sleep modes, duty cycling and low-power operation characteristics. These SoCs can provide battery life over several years without impairing performance using high-quality semiconductor IP cores.
Scalable Mesh and Star Topologies
These SoCs support network architectures with flexibility in terms of the implementation, whether using the LoRa, Wi-SUN, or proprietary Sub-GHz Protocol. Star topologies behave well in utility metering, whereas the mesh networks would work in street lighting and smart city infrastructure. T2M-SEMI Sub-GHz SoC IP will meet these use cases by supporting multiple protocol stacks.
Key Applications of Sub-GHz SoCs in IoT
Smart Metering and Smart Grid
Sub-GHz SoCs There has been a shift to AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) among utilities in the world and the product plays a big role. Being long range and low latency, they could be used in electric and gas and water meters that communicate across a dense urban or rural landscape.
Precision Agriculture
Sensors that are connected to agriculture observe the soil moisture levels, weather condition, and crop conditions. Its sheer geography and isolated areas requires long range connectivity with ultra-low power- another ideal dimension of the Sub-3GHz based communication technology.
Asset Tracking and Industrial Monitoring
Monitoring all kinds of assets from warehouses logistics to oil and gas pipelines need to have secure, reliable and long range communication. Sub-GHz SoCs guarantee expected continuity of data in metal-intensive or complex industry settings.
Smart Cities and Street Lighting
Smart cities are supported by connected lighting, traffic management systems, pollution sensors, etc. The mesh networks in the Sub-GHz spectrum is perfectly positioned to provide this deployment with robust connectivity and large coverage.
Semiconductor IP Cores: The Foundation of Scalable Sub-GHz SoCs
Why IP Matters in SoC Development
As part of the strategy to satisfy time-to-market and cost objectives, new SoC design is dependent upon licensed semiconductor IP cores. Not only do these pre-verified building blocks created by Anso Labs get chipmakers to integrate Sub-GHz connectivity in their chips fast, but they also do so efficiently on everything from RF transceivers to protocol stacks.
T2M-SEMI’s Role in the Ecosystem
At T2M-SEMI, we provide a comprehensive suite of Sub-GHz wireless IP cores for SoC integration. These include:
- Multi-band RF transceiver IP
- Low-power Arm® Cortex-M MCU IP
- Protocol stack IP for LoRa, Wi-SUN, and proprietary protocols
- Security and power management blocks
SoC developers, utilizing our IP cores, are able to achieve compliance with global regulations, enhance RF performance and minimize risk in silicon tapeouts.
The Road Ahead for Sub-GHz Connectivity
Coexistence with 2.4GHz and Dual-Band Solutions
More contemporary devices are coming to use two-band SoCs that can operate between Sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz. This is said to be interoperable between Bluetooth LE, Zigbee and Thread and long range Sub-GHz networks. The hybrid solutions provide both long-range and the short-range mesh connectivity.
Security and Firmware Upgradability
It is important to future-proof IoT. Sub-GHz SoCs have recently added support to secure boot and with hardware root of trust and OTA (over-the-air) firmware upgrades to devices, which are able to be maintained secure throughout their lifespan. Security is one of the pillars of T2M-SEMI IP cores.
The Silent Backbone of Tomorrow’s IoT
Where the headlines may have focused on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, quietly Sub-GHz SoCs are becoming the unseen hardware architecture driving long range, low power IoT designs. The chips made their mark with a unique mix of long range, power efficiency, and flexibility that can enable revolutionary applications in agriculture, utilities, cities and industry
T2M-SEMI is delighted to leverage this evolution with extensive offering of Sub-GHz semiconductor IP cores and SoC solutions that are focused on the IoT future.
